David Austin, composer, lyricist, playwright, and orchestrator, is the recipient of The Stephen Sondheim Artist Citation. Mr. Austin's songs have been performed and recorded by Tony winners Kelli O’Hara, and Sutton Foster, Primetime Emmy winner Megan Mullally, Saturday Night Live alumni, Ana Gasteyer TV/film/Broadway's, Cheyenne Jackson, Caroline in the City's, Malcolm Gets, and Broadway’s finest, including Tony nominees Caitlin Kinnunen (‘The Prom’), and Nancy Opel (‘Urinetown’).
He has written the book, music, and lyrics to 26 original musicals, including ‘Writing Arthur Danby’, ‘The Innocence’, ‘Every Little Vow’, and ‘Mr. Scrooge’s Christmas Carol’. His adaptation of ‘The Little Prince’ garnered his ... read more
Iris Rainer Dart is a best-selling novelist of nine novels, notably Beaches, which was made into a film starring Bette Midler. She was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where her father was a social worker at the Irene Kaufman Settlement in the Hill District. Iris appeared as a child on the stage of the Curtaineers, the first inter-racial theater group at the Settlement house. She went on to attend classes at the Pittsburgh Playhouse from the time she was six, and was a child actress at both the Pittsburgh Playhouse and The White Barn Theater. Iris received her degree in theater ... read more
CHRIS LEE (Knuck). Broadway debut! Off-Broadway: Hell’s Kitchen. Hamilton (Chicago). Film: Play Dead, Back to Lyla, Single Car Crashes. TV: “Legacies,” “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” (CW); “The Chi” (Showtime); “Scream” (MTV); “S.W.A.T” (CBS); “Empire” (Fox). Chris is also a musical artist, whose music can be streamed on all media platforms. Actor, singer, songwriter, musician, producer, screenwriter, poker player; the kid is crazy. All Glory to God. Gabby, Bryce, Blaire, and Beautiful, you’re my world. @theofficialchrislee ... read more
Nick Martin is a composer and lyricist based in Dallas. While attending film school at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, Martin was an actor and writer for the university's Brand New Theatre Company. Martin has written musicals about film schools, vegetarian zombies and science fairs. His musical, The Milford Project, won Best of the Hollywood Fringe at the 2011 Hollywood Fringe Festival, and his latest musical, Teen Brain, is running in Indiana, Maryland, and Texas. ... read more
Derek McLane received a Drama Desk Award and an Outer Critics Circle Award Honour for his work on Moulin Rouge! The Musical. He has designed over 350 productions for Broadway, Off-Broadway, internationally and for TV. His over 40 credits include Burn This, The Parisian Woman, Anything Goes, The Price, Fully Committed, Beautiful, Ragtime, I Am My Own Wife and 33 Variations (Tony Award). He has designed the Academy Awards for six years (Emmy Award) and has designed four live musicals for NBC, including “Hairspray” (Emmy Award). ... read more
Eric Schaeffer is the Co-founder and Artistic Director of Arlington’s Signature Theatre. Under his leadership, the Theatre was honored with the 2009 Tony Award® for Outstanding Regional Theatre in America, as well as 97 Helen Hayes Awards with an additional 411 nominations for theater excellence in Washington, DC.
At Signature, Schaeffer directed productions including: Titanic; Silver Belles; Georgie: My Adventures with George Rose; Girlstar; The Fix; Elmer Gantry; Cloak and Dagger; Beaches; Miss Saigon; Crossing; Hello, Dolly! (Ford’s Theatre co-production); The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas; Brother Russia; Hairspray; Sunset Boulevard; Chess; Show Boat; First You Dream: The Music of Kander ... read more
