Sharon Rosen (Director, Producer)
has been with Play It Cool since 2005. Sharon is also in development for an all-female production of Oh What A Lovely War! Recently Sharon was the Consulting Producer for The Irish Curse, written by Play it Cool's Martin Casella. As a producer and director: the LA premier of Always Patsy Cline starring Sally Struthers (Coronet and The Laguna Playhouse), which also received best production honors in Las Vegas in 2000; and the world premiere of Drowning in Euphoria at the McGinn-Cazale Theatre in New York. She was also producer and director of the L.A. premiere of Judevine (three Drama-Logue Awards, including Directing). As a director: Still Photos; The Portrait Norman Rockwell Forgot to Paint; Waterworks; Echoes; Triplet; and All I Want For Christmas. As producer: The Tricky Part (Obie Award: Drama Desk and Outer Critic's nominations); They Wrote That? The Songs of Mann & Weil; RUMI (with Paul Sills); The American premiere of Slow Love (seven Drama-Logue awards, including Critic's Choice and Best Production.) Sharon has taught acting, directing and communications at various schools including NYU, The National Theatre Workshop for the Handicapped and Brooklyn College.
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Roy Gabay (General Manager)
works as a Producer and General Manager. Current productions include FELA! (Broadway & Off-Broadway), The 39 Steps (Broadway, Off-Broadway & nat'l tour) and The Marvelous Wonderettes. Previous producing and/or GM credits include The Little Dog Laughed (Tony Award nomination), Metamorphoses (Tony Award nomination), Frozen (Tony Award nomination), A View From the Bridge (Tony Award), Golda's Balcony, Wit (Pulitzer Prize) , How I Learned to Drive.
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Chris Aniello (Company Manager)
Company Management: FELA! (Broadway, Off-Broadway); BEEBO BRINKER CHRONICLES (Off-Broadway), PLAY IT COOL (FringeNYC, York Theatre) as well as numerous workshops and readings. General Management: HOW NOW DOW JONES (FringeNYC), LOST: HOW A CERTAIN TV MEGAHUNK STOLE MY IDENTITY (FringeNYC). Other credits include the off-the-wall ALICE2 at the Meisner Theatre here in NYC, PARADE (NYU) and THE LAST FIVE YEARS. Thank you to Sharon and Roy for keeping me involved with this great project.
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Larry Dean Harris (Conceived by and Book)
is the Los Angeles Regional Representative of the Dramatists Guild of America, a founding member of Playwrights 6 and a long-term board member of Celebration Theatre, where Play It Cool premiered: earning him an Ovation Award nomination for Best World Premiere Musical. He is also an LA Weekly Award nominee for Best Playwriting for his drama Bible Stories. Other plays include Like an Old Song (starring Sammy Williams) and The Prodigal Father (starring Max Gail). Harris is currently performing excerpts from his upcoming solo piece Witness to the Bizarre.
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Martin Casella (Book)
Plays: The Irish Curse (Off Broadway, London, Edinburgh, Dublin, FringeNYC- Outstanding Playwriting Award); Scituate, George Bush Goes To Hell, Grand Junction, Desert Fire, Beautiful Dreamer, Paydirt, Mates (L.A. Weekly, Drama-Logue Awards). Musicals: Saint Heaven, Paper Moon (NAMT Festival 1995), Happy Holidays, Taking Care of Mrs. Carroll, DOO-DAH!. Screenplays: One Night Stand. Upcoming: Free Money ̧ musical about the invention of credit cards; Miss Maude, a play about photographer Eugene Smith; Tom's Dad, a film for director Lass Hallstrom starring Patrick Dempsey; and film Busted Jesus Comix. Taught playwriting at Cal Arts and Harvey Milk High School in NYC. WGA, Dramatists Guild, SAG and AEA.
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Mark Winkler (Lyrics)
is a platinum award-winning singer/lyricist who has had over 150 of his songs recorded by such artists as Dianne Reeves, Lea Salonga and Liza Minnelli. He is the co-writer of the musical review Naked Boys Singing! in its 11th year playing Off Broadway. He is the creator/co-writer of Too Old for the Chorus which is now being published by Samuel French and he is the co-writer/bookwriter of the musical Bark! which is now touring the country. His CD of original jazz songs Till I Get It Right was named one of the best CDs of 2009 by "Jazz Times Magazine".
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Phillip Swann (Music)
is the composer of The People vs. Friar Laurence, The Man Who Killed Romeo and Juliet (nominated for three Jeff awards), and DeLEARious (2009 Garland Award winner for Best New Score). Other musicals include In a Booth at Chasen's, Trombone, Neil Simon's Fools- The Musical and Shakespeare's Greatest Hits. A former staff songwriter and producer for DreamWorks, Swann's songs have been heard on television, film and have been recorded by such artists as Clay Aiken, Lee Ann Womack, Blake Shelton and Lee Greenwood. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife, theatre educator Amanda Swann.
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Jim Andron (Additional Music)
Jim Andron has had his songs covered by such stars as Dionne Warwick, Johnny Mathis and Stephanie Mills and Jack Jones. He produced and co-wrote most of the songs on Mark Winkler's first CD Jazz Life.
Michael Cruz (Additional Music)
Michael was a collaborator of Mark Winkler's and contributed songs for Fame the TV series and Kids Incorporated. He passed away in 1993.
Marilyn Harris (Additional Music)
Marilyn is a gold record awarded singer/composer whose last two CDs of original compositions have featured nine collaborations with Mark Winkler. She has sung on CDs with Jim Brickman and Phillip Ingram. Her voice has been heard on many national commercials and her latest recording Round Trip featuring the cream of la musicians reached #25 on the Jazz charts.
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Emilio Palame (Additional Music)
Emilio is a keyboardist composer who writes music for many TV shows such as Nickelodeon's Ned's Declassified Files. He also has played on recordings with Sam Riney and Grant Geissman as well as his own CD Home Free. He was part of a new age musical group with Mark Winkler in the 90s called "Amarna" that toured Japan and the US.
Joe Pasquale (Additional Music)
Joe was a member of the multi-platinum musical group The Jets. He also had a top 10 hit in the 90’s with his group Boys Club. He produced Mark Winkler's Tales from Hollywood and wrote many of the songs on it.
Dan Siegel (Additional Music)
Dan is a keyboardist/composer who has had over twenty years of chart topping albums out on such labels as Sony, Elektra and Inner City Records. He has had his tunes recorded by such wonderful singers as Kenny Rankin, Missing Persons and English jazz sensation Claire Martin.
Larry Steelman (Additional Music)
Larry Steelman is a much in demand keyboardist, arranger,educator and songwriter who has had his songs covered by everyone from Carl Anderson to Lorraine Feather.
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