CREATORS AND PRODUCERS

 

MICHAEL BARNARD (Co-Writer/Director) is currently entering his 20th season as The Phoenix Theatre Company’s Producing Artistic Director. Barnard is also the head of The Phoenix Theatre Company’s New Works Incubator, which assists in the development of new plays and musicals. He recently directed Americano!, West Side Story and Cookin’s a Drag for The Phoenix Theatre Company. Barnard, who has a Masters in theatre from Northwestern University and a fine arts degree from Arizona State University, was a senior show director for The Walt Disney Company. Barnard’s nine-year tenure with Disney included producing stage productions of Pocahontas and the Hunchback of Notre Dame. Barnard has directed more than 560 productions and more than 1,000 special events. He has directed and choreographed for Disneyland, Universal, Osaka Japan, Donny and Marie Xmas Show, 100th Anniversary of the Calgary Stampede, National Tour of Veggie Tales, Childsplay, San Jose Rep, PCPA, Santa Barbra CLO, Arkansas Repertory, Phoenix Theatre Company and many more.  He received National Arts and Letters Award for outstanding contribution to the field of Musical Theatre in 2011 and was named Artist of the Year by the Governor’s Art Awards in 2008. He has honored with the Leadership in Arts Award from the YWCA, the Arts Leader Award from the Phoenix Boys Choir and in 2018 won the Ellis Island Medal of Honor award for his commitments to tolerance and diversity.

JONATHAN ROSENBERG (Co-Writer) For over four decades, Jonathan Rosenberg was an educator and administrator involved with Special Needs children. In addition to having his Masters in Special Education and Doctorate in Psychology, Jonathan has been a radio personality, arts reporter and lead singer/songwriter in San Diego rock bands. His most recent musical, the critically acclaimed 33 1/3 – House of Dreams, broke attendance and box office records at the San Diego Repertory Theater in August, 2019.

FERNANDA SANTOS (Co-Writer) is an immigrant whose prolific career as a writer has focused on elevating the voices of underrepresented and misrepresented communities of color in the United States. She is an Arizona-based contributing columnist for The Washington Post and professor of narrative writing and bilingual journalism at Arizona State University.

CARRIE RODRIGUEZ (Composer) a singer-songwriter from Austin, Texas, finds beauty in the cross-pollination of diverse traditions. A passionate performer, she melds fiery fiddle playing, electrifying vocals and a fresh interpretation of new and classic songs with an “Ameri-Chicana” attitude. Her most recent release, the critically-acclaimed bilingual album, Lola, was named as one of NPR’s top 50 albums of the year. Carrie has performed on stages across North America and Europe for the last decade, as well as on programs such as Austin City Limits, The Tonight Show, A Prairie Home Companion, and NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts. In the words of author Brené Brown, “She’s the trifecta for me – beautiful singer, soulful songwriter, and kick-ass fiddler.”

SERGIO MEJIA (Choreographer) is an internationally recognized Creative Director and Choreographer originally from Southern California. Sergio was the head choreographer and a Creative Director for Disney Channels hit television shows “Violetta”, “Soy Luna” and “Bia”. Sergio has worked on several events around the world where he has directed/choreographed for Leann Rimes, Christina Aguilera, Alejandro Fernandez, Walt Disney Domestic and International, Clear Channel, Xbox, Disney Channel, Dreamworks, GOOGLE, Nickelodeon, Latin Billboard Awards, CBS, MTV, VH-1, NCAA, Universal Studios Japan and Celebrity Cruises.

ERIK HALL (Assistant Choreographer) is a dancer, choreographer, singer, and actor who has been involved with theater and performance since age eight. Los Angeles based, he works locally and across the US with award winning show choirs and dance teams. Some professional credits include music videos for Pharrell Williams and Ally Brooke, television appearances on “GLEE”, “The Voice”, and “The Good Place”, national commercials for Xfinity, Nissan, and The GAP, and live events like the Kid’s Choice and Grammy Awards. Most recently Erik performed on the Billboard Awards. Throughout his years, Erik has developed a rich passion for education and mentorship and is honored to instruct performers of all ages in many cities across the US.

QUIXOTE PRODUCTIONS (Jason Rose) The focus of Quixote Productions is to entertain with compelling stories that also strive to serve a greater public purpose and expand the dialogue on important and sometimes challenging social and political issues. Our projects are a reflection of those aspirations amidst amazing storytelling. People don’t just want to be part of a crowd, they want to be part of a cause. We couldn’t be more excited to be partnering with the brilliant artists and historic figures from across the country behind each of these new works. As a native Phoenician, our team is also excited to help establish the Southwest as a place of substantial and thoughtful new works we hope to export to the rest of the country.

AMAS MUSICAL THEATRE (Donna Trinkoff, Artistic Producer) is a non-profit, multi-ethnic theatrical organization founded in 1968 by Ms. Rosetta LeNoire. Amas (“you love” in Latin) is devoted to the creation, development and professional production of new American musicals, the celebration of cultural equity and minority perspectives, the emergence of new artistic talent, and the training and encouragement of young people. Amas celebrates its impact in pioneering multi-ethnic casting in the American Theatre and reiterates its commitment to this reflection of our diverse society. In recent years, Amas has emerged as a leading not-for-profit laboratory for new musicals, the most recent being Romeo & Bernadette: A Musical Tale of Verona and Brooklyn, Broadway and the Bard, starring Len Cariou and Red Eye of Love, (Joseph A. Callaway Award for Outstanding Choreography). Its production of The Other Josh Cohen received six 2013 Drama Desk nominations including Outstanding Musical, a 2013 Lucille Lortel nomination for Outstanding Musical, and a 2013 Off-Broadway Alliance nomination for Best New Musical. Other shows include: A Taste of Chocolate, Triassic Parq, The Countess of Storyville, Distant Thunder, Marry Harry, Me and Miss Monroe, Aesop & Company, Signs of Life, Wanda’s World, Shout! The Mod Musical, Lone Star Love, From My Hometown, Zanna, Don’t!, 4 Guys Named José and Stormy Weather: Reimagining Lena Horne. Amas education programs include The Rosetta LeNoire Musical Theatre Academy, Lens on Live Theatre and in-school theatre arts residencies designed in partnership with elementary, middle, and high schools.