GERRY WARE (Music, Book & Lyrics)
Gerry’s musical career began as a boy soprano, first performing in Kovanschina at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. He then went on to learn the guitar and performed in bands as a rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist. His guitar playing embraces all styles - blues, folk, pop, jazz, rock and a little flamenco. From the late eighties Gerry became more involved with the creative side of music and his composing and song writing career began. His first album of instrumental music was released in 1992 and since then he has been involved in many musical projects including writing songs for solo singers and choirs, radio jingles and backing music for children’s stories. Although not able to read or write the musical score, he composed a four-movement symphony, which was first aired on radio stations in the UK and more recently overseas. He has written songs for Connie Fisher (Maria in The Sound of Music), one of which she recorded and performed for Children in Need.
Living in Cyprus for the last few years, Gerry’s musical and writing career continues to flourish. He is working with an internationally known singer, writing and producing an album as well as composing another of his own instrumental albums. He is also performing again and is in demand as a guitarist, playing in various venues. Always looking for a challenge he has turned his hand to writing books and his first novel is nearing completion.
During the last couple of years Gerry has been spending time on developing his full-scale musical play, 1888 and is looking forward to its World Premier at the Union Theatre in London this June.
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CREATIVE TEAM (in alphabetical order)
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RICHARD BATES (Musical Direction, Orchestrations, Vocal & Dance Arrangements)
Recent credits include: As Musical Supervisor: Ordinary Days (Trafalgar Studios), Three New Musicals (Goldsmiths College). As Musical Director: The Remains of the Day (Okai Collier/Union Theatre), James Haslam Is Clutching Pearls (Leicester Square Theatre), Tick Tick…BOOM! (Union Theatre), From the Ritz to the Anchor & Crown (Noel Coward Society), A Night At The Music Hall (both Canal Café Theatre), Little Fish (European Premiere, Finborough Theatre), Fairystories (Theatre Royal, Drury Lane), NewsRevue (2008 & 09 seasons, Canal Café Theatre), Edges (UK Premiere, Union Theatre), It’s Behind You and Oh No It Isn’t (both Union Theatre), Assassins (Landor Theatre), Wonderboy (Nitro Centre), Pride & Prejudice, the Pantomime (Vanbrugh Theatre, RADA), Sweeney Todd (Edinburgh Festival), as well as Too Darn Hot: A Night at the Musicals, Marry Me A Little, and Threepenny Opera. Recently, Richard’s musical Animate! was given an industry reading at the Prince Of Wales Theatre. In addition, he also scored the incidental music for the European premiere of Saturn Returns (Finborough Theatre, 2010). He wrote music and lyrics for Treasure Island (2008) and Stagefright (2005), and music for Oh No It Isn’t (2009). He made new orchestrations for Little Fish and for the much acclaimed Union Theatre production of Assassins. He contributed vocal and dance arrangements and additional material to The Remains of the Day and vocal arrangements to It’s Behind You and Wonderboy. He holds the MA in Music from Cambridge University and the AMusTCL diploma in music.
SILVIU BERTALAN (Assistant To The Directors)
Born in Romania, Silviu trained as an actor at The National University of Drama and Film in Bucharest, Romania, 2004-2008, and in 2010 attended the Acting for Film course at Actors Studio in London. As an actor and dancer, he worked with various theatre in Bucharest (Bulandra Theatre - dancer in Orpheus and Eurydice, Comedy Theatre - actor in Leonce and Lena, Arca Theatre - actor, Romeo in Romeo and Juliet, Odeon Theatre - actor, Orlando in As You Like It, The National Opera - dancer in Lucia di Lammermoor, The National Operetta Theatre - dancer in Playing Love), represented Romania at international dance festivals in Lebanon and Thailand with the show DOR of M.U.D.S. company. In London choreographed and performed at Working Mens Club the show Petrushka and Winter Tale at The Romanian Cultural Insitute.
SIMON JAMES COLLIER (Director / Staging / Producer)
Simon is CEO and Co-Founder of the award-winning Okai Collier Company and has produced and been the creative director on over sixty plays and musicals in London, throughout the United Kingdom and Europe. These include: Lullabies of Broadmoor - A Broadmoor Quartet (Finborough, London/The Alma, Bristol/C Venues, Edinburgh); Project Snowflake (Jack Studio Theatre); Animate! (directed, Prince of Wales Theatre, West End); Bloodline (also directed, Jack Studio Theatre); The Remains of the Day (Evening Standard Critic’s Choice, Union Theatre); Stairway to Heaven (Blue Elephant); Gifted (White Bear); Blavatsky’s Tower (Jack Studio Theatre); Oliver Twist & Supernatural (Lion & Unicorn Theatre, London); Love Horse (White Bear); Collision (also directed, Hackney Empire); Normal (Tobacco Factory, Bristol); Moonshadow (Time Out Critics’ Choice, White Bear); In His Hands (Hackney Empire/Oxford House); The Smilin’ State (Hackney Empire); Dracula (White Bear); Hedwig & The Angry Inch (K52 Theatre, Frankfurt); A Mother Speaks (Hackney Empire/New Wolsey, Ipswich/The Drum, Birmingham); The Dorchester (Jermyn Street); The Last Session (Hackney Empire); My Matisse (Jermyn Street); Shiny Happy People, with Victoria Wood (Hornchurch Theatre); Passion (Bridewell); A… My Name Is Alice (Bridewell); Whole Lotta Shakin’ (Belgrade, Coventry); Great Balls Of Fire (Plymouth, Birmingham & Cambridge Theatre, West End); A Wrongful Execution (also directed, Hackney Empire); Spooky Noises (also book & co lyrics • Merlin Theatre); Countess & Cabbages (also book • Merlin Theatre); Preacherosity (Jermyn Street); Purlie (nominated for 4 What’s On Stage Awards • Bridewell); Elegies For Angels, Punks & Raging Queens (also Executive Producer on 2001 Cast Recording • Bridewell, Globe Centre, Three Mills); La Vie En Rose (King’s Head, Towngate Theatre); Viva O Carnaval (also co book & lyrics • Lilian Baylis Sadler’s Wells) & Ruthless (winner of 5 Musical Stages Awards • Stratford Circus, London). Simon has also written and published over twenty books and novels for young adults, a number of which have been optioned for television and adapted for the stage. He recently produced Dance with Me, his first feature film, and is currently developing two new movies for production in 2011/12. He also directed The Difference We Make, a documentary for Southern Housing Foundation as well as presenting celebrated events at St. Martin in the Fields (The Crusaid Requiem), Hackney Empire (Inspiration Innovation Integration Season) & St. Paul’s Cathedral (Service of Thanksgiving, Remembrance & Hope for World AIDS Day). For further information visit www.okaicollier.co.uk
ADAM DECHANEL (Graphic Design)
Adam Dechanel is a prolific author, illustrator and graphic designer whose career spans nearly a decade. He has worked in television, film, books, short stories and graphic novels for many years. Throughout his wide-ranging career he has had a series of novels published including the high profile Superman: Tempered Steel. Adam is well known in the illustration field and has worked extensively with Warner Bros, DC Comics and The Walt Disney Company. He also exhibits his artwork in galleries around London, including the prestigious Old Truman Brewery. He is the co-creator of publishing label Okai Collier Kids that pioneered the CDbook entertainment format. His concept for graphic novel anthologies Vanston Place: The Secret Adventures & The Timber Wharves Gang were short listed for a SNAC award. In Theatre Adam has worked on productions including The Remains of the Day, Collision, Been There, Doing It, Blavatsky’s Tower, Gifted, Bloodline, Passion, A… My Name Is Alice, My Matisse, In His Hands, The Smilin’ State, The Sister Wendy Musical, The Dorchester, A Mother Speaks and Dracula, and also spearheaded the marketing campaign for the critically acclaimed European premieres of Purlie & Preacherosity. He also wrote A Wrongful Execution, which featured as a reading for the acclaimed Inspiration, Innovation and Integration Season.
ANDREW EMERSON (Additional Material)
Andrew is an award-winning scriptwriter who has won several international prizes for his radio plays, produced by the BBC and Independent Radio Drama Productions. He has recently written several episodes of Rastamouse, a new cartoon series for CBeebies. As writer in residence for the St Bride Institute at the Bridewell Theatre, he has written scripts and lyrics for many young people’s theatre productions, including Twists and Turns, a new musical based on Twelfth Night, and a site-specific promenade show set in Samuel Johnson’s house. For the Story Of London Festival he has co-written Broadsheet Ballads, and On Our Street, a strolling celebration of Islington and the King’s Head Theatre. Andrew co-wrote Big Bruvva the Musical for the 2008 Edinburgh Festival, and worked with film director Niko von Glasow on the script of his cinema documentary NoBody’s Perfect, winner of Best Documentary at the German Film Awards 2009. Andrew has written lyrics and sketches for many cabaret and comedy stage shows including The News Revue and the comedy barbershop group Scales of the Unexpected. He has had scripts, poems and stories published in several anthologies. As an actor, Andrew has performed in West End, regional and touring shows including Chicago (Adelphi Theatre) Jerry Springer the Opera (BAC) and Forever Plaid (national tour).
MATT HALL (Sound)
Matt is currently Deputy Head of Sound at Chichester Festival Theatre following a move from the North as Deputy Chief Technician and Resident Sound Designer at the Theatre By The Lake in Keswick, Cumbria. Recent sound design credits include: Chris Dugdale’s evening of Magic & Mindreading (Riverside Studios); Silence, Northanger Abbey & Glass Menagerie (Theatre By The Lake, 2010) Jordan (Richard Jordan, Edinburgh Fringe) The Remains of the Day, Bloodline, Stairway to Heaven, Collision, Gifted & Blavatsky’s Tower (The Okai Collier Company); Bones For Prince (New Diorama Theatre); A New Direction @ Delphina’s (Creative Partnerships); Northanger Abbey, Silence, The Chorus of Disapproval, Blackbird, The Maid of Buttermere, A Christmas Carol, Arsenic and Old Lace, The Bogus Woman, The Lady in the Van, The Lonesome West, The Importance of Being Earnest, In Extremis, The Caretaker, Our Country’s Good, The Recruiting Officer, The Borrowers, Jordan
CHARLIE LUCAS (Lighting Design)
Charlie is a graduate of RADA’s specialist lighting design and stage electrics course. His recent lighting designs include: Red Riding Hood (Theatre Royal Stratford East); Von Ribbentrop’s Watch (Oxford Playhouse and tour); The Elixir of Love (Blackheath Halls Opera); In Blood: The Bacchae (Arcola Theatre); sohostreets (Soho Theatre); Scenes from the Big Picture (The Poor School); Nina and Shaz (Rich Mix and tour); Finisterre (Theatre 503); The Slow Sword (Old Red Lion Theatre); French Paste (Shaw Theatre); superplays return: revenge of the under 11’s (Soho Theatre); Heart of Ice, Entwined and Questions of Intimacy (The Place, Robin Howard Dance Theatre as part of the annual Resolution festivals); Return to the Forbidden Planet and Fame (Questors theatre for Claremont High School); Dolly West’s Kitchen, The Canterbury Tales, Vinegar Tom (RADA, Vanbrugh Theatre); Touched, Barbarians (RADA, GBS Theatre). Charlie was associate lighting designer to Johanna Town on Speaking in Tongues (West End, Duke of Yorks) and Dreams of Violence (Out of Joint/Soho Theatre) and touring re-lighter for The Hounding of David Oluwale (Eclipse Theatre/West Yorks Playhouse). Charlie spent two seasons as lighting supervisor with Scottish Opera, re-lighting La Boheme and The Secret Marriage. Charlie has been designing theatre lighting for over 20 years, however made a major career change into full time lighting in 2006 after working as a business analyst and IT manager in the city of London.
SUNEEDA MARUTHIYIL (Company / Stage Manager)
Suneeda Maruthiyil is a freelance Designer and Stage Manager. Prior to graduating with a Technical Theatre degree from Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, (2009, BA Hons), she worked in Events Management, Community Fundraising and IT. As the Associate Designer for DogOrange Theatre Productions she has designed Mary Rose(Brockley Jack Studio), Ward No.6 (Camden People’s Theatre) and A Woman Alone (Brockley Jack Studio). Other design credits include: Loveplay (Jacksons Lane), Crazy Gary’s Mobile Disco(New Wimbledon Studio), Dying For It (Pleasance Islington), A Perfect Danesh (Courtyard), Judenfrei JOSEPHINE MELVILLE (Assistant Director / Associate Producer)
As a founder member and Director of The BiBi Crew, in the early 80’s who wrote, produced and performed comedy shows, including On a Level, which were staged in London and toured nationally. The BiBi Crew were also invited to perform at The BAM Majestic Theatre in Brooklyn, New York. As a co-founder member of Aarawak Moon Productions, Josephine co-produced numerous productions of their renowned Blaggers and Junior Blaggers shows and several productions of The Lunar Lounge. As one third of Aarawak Moon, Josephine also co-wrote and produced the play, Shoot 2 Win, which premiered at The Theatre Royal Stratford East and achieved an eight-week National Middle Scale tour, to critical acclaim. In 2009 Shoot 2 Win was produced on Broadway in New York and Josephine was asked to give additional direction when it transferred to Brooklyn New York in 2010. Josephine was Assistant to the producer Jan Ryan, on the West End Run in 2008 and Assistant Director on The Harder They Come National Tour 2010, the sensational live show of the iconic 70’s movie that exploded legend Jimmy Cliff and Reggae onto the world stage. As Assistant Director on Five Guys Named Moe which, ran at the Edinburgh Festival and The Theatre Royal Stratford East to amazing reviews. Josephine was also Associate Director on the panto, Red Riding Hood at The Theatre Royal Stratford East 2010/11. As Director for Michael Abbensetts play Alterations at The Arcola Theatre for Exploring the Canon. The London Hub of Sustained Theatre, were looking beyond the plays that are generally regarded as classics to champion plays that they think should be accorded canonical status. Josephine is presently facilitating workshop projects in schools in the Southend area for Creative Partnerships under the banner of the Royal Opera House.
OMAR F. OKAI (Director / Staging /
Omar F. Okai is an award-winning director and/or choreographer of over forty musicals and plays, productions of which were not only in London’s West End and throughout the UK, but also in Europe. These include: Little Red Riding Hood (Director, Theatre Royal Stratford East), The Remains of the Day (Movement Director, Union Theatre), Been There, Doing It (Director/Staging Co-Producer, Tour); for Theatre Royal Stratford East: Come Dancing by Ray Davies of ‘The Kinks’; Aladdin, Hansel & Gretel, Cinderella (Olivier Award Nominated Best Show), Pass The Baton, High Heeled Parrot Fish; for The English Theatre Frankfurt: Five Guys Named Moe [Director, German premiere], Rent & Cabaret; at Hackney Empire: The Smilin’ State (Director) & Collision (Movement Director), for the National Theatre: Honk! (Olivier Winner, Best Musical) & The Villain’s Opera [Assistant Choreographer] and the national tour of Honk (Choreographer); Three Sisters (Movement Director, Birmingham Rep); Elegies For Angels, Punks & Raging Queens (Director, Bridewell), A… My Name Is Alice (Director, Bridewell), Burleigh Grimes & Notes Across A Small Pond (Bridewell); Bones for Prince (New Diorama Theatre); Blavatsky’s Tower & Bloodline (Movement Director, Jack Studio Theatre); Stairway to Heaven (Movement Director, Blue Elephant Theatre); Dracula & Gifted (Movement Director, White Bear); Diary of a Chav (Workshop, Director, Tristan Bates Theatre); Elegies (Shaw Theatre); the world premieres of Preacherosity (Director, Jermyn Street) Viva O Carnaval (Director, Lilian Baylis, Sadler’s Wells) and the European premieres of both Ruthless (Director, for which he won a Best Director award, Stratford Circus) and Purlie (Director, nominated for four What’s On Stage awards, Bridewell) and Aspects of Dance (Director, Lyceum Theatre, West End). For the Urdang Academy he directed and re-staged Bob Fosse’s original choreography in a revival production of Sweet Charity (Stratford Circus) and also brought to the stage new productions of Honk and How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying (Director, Steiner Theatre).
He is the Co-Founder and Artistic Director of the noted Okai Collier Company, which has gained an excellent reputation for encouraging new writing and staging cross-cultural productions. Okai also co-produced four Off-West End studio productions for directors including Lynda Baron (The Dorchester) and Ruth Carney (My Matisse), along with Rowland Lee’s acclaimed Crusaid Requiem at St. Martin in the Fields and the HIV/AIDS Service of Remembrance at St. Paul’s Cathedral, London. Omar’s film directing credits include the notable documentary The 411: The Bottom Line on Amhurst Road, produced in association with Southern Housing Foundation. He has also worked with the education departments at both Camden Roundhouse and The Royal Opera House. In addition to the above, Omar is also an accomplished West End performer (Elegies – original King’s Head Theatre cast), Five Guys Named Moe - original cast, King, Sweet Charity (Victoria Palace) & My One & Only (Piccadilly Theatre) & writer, and has recently penned two new musicals: Ghetto Funk Machine and Celia.
Contact: www.okaicollier.co.uk Email: omarokai1@googlemail.com Agent: simonbashford@
DAVID SHIELDS (Set & Costume Design / Props)
David’s production credits include Bloodline (Jack Studio Theatre); Remains of the Day (Union Theatre); Song & Dance and Carmen Jones (European tours, directed by Anthony Van Laast); Oh! What a Night (Blackpool Opera House, directed by Kim Gavin); A Christmas Carol (London and Nottingham Theatre Royal); Dick Whittington (Bristol Hippodrome, directed by Jim Davidson); Anthony Minghella’s Cigarettes and Chocolate (Man in the Moon); Lonely Hearts (The Old Fire Station); Chess 10th and 20th anniversary productions (Oslo Spektrum and UK Tour, directed by Anthony Van Laast); Dido and Anaeas (Guildford). Also the Scandinavian productions of Jesus Christ Superstar, Hair, Fame, Grease and Saturday Night Fever. Mannen fra La Mancha (Det Norske Teatret Oslo, directed by Runar Borge); Mapp and Lucia (Jermyn Street Theatre and Greenwich); Naked Flame (UK tour); The Hobbit (Queens Theatre London and UK tours, directed by Roy Marsden); Diamond and Shamlet (King’s Head Theatre, London); Saturday Night Fever (UK national tours, Apollo Victoria Theatre and Johannesburg, choreographed and directed by Arlene Phillips, plus the more recent Madrid and Spanish tour directed by Karen Bruce); Instant Magique, and Oui, J’ adore and a further six productions and the Royal Palace Kirrwiller France. David has also designed 13 World touring productions for Holiday on Ice including In Concert, Dreams, Peter Pan (set and costumes) and Spirit (costumes) created and directed by Robin Cousins. Also their new 2010 Production Festival (costumes) created and directed by Karen Kresge. Last year he also designed the set for Strictly Come Dancing: The Professionals tour.
SILHOUETTE THEATRE PRODUCTIONS (Executive Producer)
Silhouette Theatre Productions is a Private Limited Company set up by three friends, who bring a wealth of experience from years in the financial, commercial and music businesses. The Company was formed with the main objective of being involved in the investment side of theatre productions. For their first venture as an Executive Producer, Silhouette acquired the sole live Performing and Ancillary Rights for the world of the musical play 1888. They are pleased to present the World Premier of this show at the Union Theatre in London.
MUSICIANS
PIPPA CLEARLY (Assistant Musical Director / Keys II)
Pippa Cleary is a London-based composer and MD who studied at Bristol University West End for the Stiles and Drewe best New Song Prize. Pippa also runs and composes original music for a baby and toddler music & movement group in London
MARY ERSKINE (Cello)
Having read French and Italian at Oxford London London
JANETTE WILLIAMS (Drums)
Born in Manchester London
