Pittsburgh CLO Announces Their 2010 Summer Season Creative Team

Pittsburgh CLO is pleased to announce the directors for its 2010 Summer Season productions, running June 1 through Aug. 8 at the Benedum Center. Four CLO veterans and one newcomer highlight the talented group selected to helm the nationally-renowned organization's 64th year of bringing Broadway's best to downtown Pittsburgh's Cultural District. The season includes Oliver! (June 1-6), Miss Saigon (June 8-20), Curtains (June 22-27), The Producers (July 6-18), Hairspray (July 20-Aug. 1) and The Student Prince (August 3-8). Subscription packages start at just $62 and are available online at pittsburghCLO.org or by calling 412-281-2822.

2010 Pittsburgh CLO Summer Season Creative Team (in alphabetical order):

Craig Barna (Music Director, Oliver!) has conducted on Broadway, in Los Angeles and for prominent regional theaters across the country. Oliver! will mark his 12th production as music director for Pittsburgh CLO. Mr. Barna was last seen at Pittsburgh CLO in 2009 as the music director for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Swing! after serving as music director for Peter Pan and Smokey Joe's Café in 2008. He conducted the National Tours of Grease, Singin' in the Rain and Cats, and touring and Broadway companies of Jesus Christ Superstar and Peter Pan. His other career highlights include TV appearances on the "Today Show," "CBS This Morning" and the 1999 Tony® Awards.

James Brennan (Director and Choreographer, The Student Prince)
Mr. Brennan has directed productions of Into the Woods, Crazy For You and The Sound of Music for Pittsburgh CLO, in addition to I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change at the CLO Cabaret. He was responsible for the first full production in the New York City area of A Wonderful Life, as well as The New York Philharmonic's acclaimed production of My Fair Lady at Lincoln Center. On Broadway, Mr. Brennan directed and choreographed the revivals of Cole Porter's Jubilee and Jerome Kerns' Sally. As an actor, he has appeared in Pittsburgh CLO productions of Me and My Girl and La Cage Aux Folles. His Broadway credits include 42nd Street, Singin' in the Rain, Me and My Girl, and Crazy For You. Mr. Brennan's National Tour credits include No, No, Nanette, Good News, Me and My Girl, Camelot and Crazy for You.

Bill Burns (Director and Choreographer, The Producers)
Mr. Burns is directing a Pittsburgh CLO production for the first time. Most recently, Bill served as Resident Choreographer on the US Premiere Tour of Dirty Dancing and directed & choreographed the 2010 Japanese premiere production of Curtains. He previously served as resident director and choreographer for the National Tour and Las Vegas company of The Producers. He has directed and choreographed international companies of The Producers in Japan, Korea and Mexico City in their respective languages. Regionally, he also mounted productions of the show at North Shore Music Theatre, The Muny in St. Louis (Kevin Kline Award nomination), the Ogunquit Playhouse and Lyric Theatre. Mr. Burns' Broadway and National Tour performing credits include Jerome Robbins' Broadway, Fosse, Guys and Dolls, Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life, All That Jazz, Can-Can, Beauty and The Beast, Victor/Victoria, and La Cage Aux Folles.

Tom Helm (Music Director, Miss Saigon, Curtains, The Producers, Hairspray and The Student Prince) returns for his 15th season with Pittsburgh CLO, where he has been the musical director for more than 40 productions, including Les Misérables, Barry Manilow's Copacabana, and Into the Woods in 2009. On Broadway, he was the musical director of Les Misérables, Me and My Girl and the revival of Brigadoon. Mr. Helm was also the musical director for the First National Tour of Cats and conducted Cats on Broadway early in its historic run. Mr. Helm is also the resident music director at Paper Mill Playhouse, where he has been the conductor for more than 30 productions. He is the musical supervisor for live Theater Productions of Diego Live, Blue's Clues and Dora the Explorer.

Barry Ivan (Director and Choreographer, Miss Saigon and Hairspray)
Mr. Ivan directed Pittsburgh CLO's first production of Les Misérables in 2010 after also directing the show for North Shore Music Theatre, where he served as artistic director and executive producer. He is thoroughly familiar with both of his 2010 Pittsburgh CLO projects, after serving as the director and choreographer for the first-ever regional production of Hairspray at North Shore Music Theatre in 2006 and as director for Pittsburgh CLO's previous production of Miss Saigon in 2003. Mr. Ivan has directed and choreographed numerous other Pittsburgh CLO shows, including Smokey Joe's Café, The Full Monty, A Little Night Music, Company, Anything Goes, and West Side Story. Mr. Ivan's productions of Hairspray and The Full Monty have received Independent Reviewers of New England (IRNE) Awards for Best Musical and Mr. Ivan has been IRNE nominated as Best Director for his productions of Les Misérables and Nine.

Michael Lichtefeld (Choreographer, Curtains)
Mr. Lichtefeld has choreographed more than a dozen Pittsburgh CLO productions, including White Christmas, 42nd Street, Funny Girl, La Cage Aux Folles, Cinderella and Annie. His Broadway choreography credits include Little Women, The Secret Garden, The Sound of Music, Sweeney Todd, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Laughing Room Only and the City Center Encores production of Music in the Air. Mr. Lichtefeld also has performed in Broadway productions of Evita, Sophisticated Ladies and 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. His choreography has been nominated for Drama Desk, Ovation and Outer Critics Circle Awards. He also earned a 2008 Independent Reviewers of New England (IRNE) Best Choreography Award in 2008 for North Shore Music Theatre's production of Bye Bye Birdie.

John McClain (Lighting Designer, Oliver!, Miss Saigon, Curtains, The Producers, Hairspray and The Student Prince)
Mr. McClain's credits include National and International productions of musicals, ballet and opera. He has spent more than 20 years designing nearly 75 productions for Pittsburgh CLO. Mr. McClain has also designed for Ice Capades, Radio City Music Hall, The Lido in Paris and Jubilee for the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and Reno. He has represented every major regional theater and opera company in the United States. In the summers, Mr. McClain divides time between Pittsburgh CLO, Theater of the Stars in Atlanta and the Dallas Summer Musicals. He has designed productions of Porgy and Bess across the globe and his national and regional credits include Rugrats, Camelot, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, The King and I, The Sound of Music and Bombay Dreams.

Charley Repole (Director, Curtains)
Mr. Repole has directed numerous productions for Pittsburgh CLO including Barry Manilow's Copacabana, Annie Get Your Gun, 42nd Street, Annie, Singing in the Rain, My Fair Lady, Carousel and Cinderella. He also directed the critically-acclaimed production of 42nd Street in 2008 at North Shore Music Theatre. His New York City and Broadway directing credits include the highly acclaimed concert versions of Dubarry was a Lady and Call Me Madam and the revival of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, among others. As an actor, he has appeared on Broadway in Doubles, Whoopee! and Very Good Eddie, which earned him a Tony® nomination and a Theatre World Award. Mr. Repole is presently the Chairman of the Drama, Theatre and Dance Department at Queens College and was the recipient of the 2001 President's Award for Excellence in Teaching.

Richard Stafford (Director and Choreographer, Oliver!)
Mr. Stafford returns to Pittsburgh CLO after directing and choreographing Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in 2009 and Cats in 2007, as well as choreographing productions of Mame, Grand Hotel, Phantom of the Opera, Camelot and On the Town. He is directing the current National Tour of Cats. Mr. Stafford's Broadway credits include choreographing In My Life at Music Box Theatre, serving as associate choreographer for Aspects of Love at Broadhurst Theatre and as the dance supervisor for Cats at Winter Garden Theatre. He also directed and choreographed international productions of The Full Monty and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in Mexico City. Mr. Stafford won the Barrymore Award for outstanding choreography for La Cage Aux Folles at the Walnut Street Theatre.

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