CHRISTOPHER D. BETTS (Director) is thrilled to be making his Pittsburgh CLO debut, especially with a story so near and dear to the heart. Christopher recently directed The Color Purple (North Carolina Theatre), Trouble in Mind (Hartford Stage), Dreamgirls at The Paramount and at North Carolina Theatre, Choir Boy (Yale Rep), Legally Blonde The Musical (NYU Tisch), In the Southern Breeze (Off-Broadway), and Dutch Kings (Off-Off-Broadway). At Yale School of Drama, Is God Is, We Are Proud to Present..., Fireflies, littleboy/littleman, School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play and The Winter’s Tale. Christopher is also the creator, writer, director, and executive producer of the film MAJOR. Other collaborations include Spring Awakening (NYU Tisch); Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors (PopArt Johannesburg/Market Theatre Lab); The Cave: A Folk Opera (New York premiere); Carrie (2015 Broadway World Best Musical nomination); a series of new works with the OBIE Award-winning Fire This Time Festival; workshops of Goodnight Tyler (Kennedy Center/Alliance Theatre), Refuge of the Damned (Long Wharf); and Barbecue (movement director, The Public Theater). Betts is a recipient of the Julie Taymor World Theater Fellowship, the Richie Jackson Artist Fellowship, and a two-time recipient of the SDCF Observership. He has been an artist in residence at Kampala International Theater Festival and PopArt Johannesburg and a teaching artist at The Market Theatre Lab. Betts is currently a professor in the Department of Undergraduate Drama at NYU Tisch School of the Arts, New Studio on Broadway, a support team member at artEquity, and The Joyce C. Willis Fellow at Hartford Stage. He received his BFA with triple honors from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts (Bachelor’s Representative) and his MFA in Directing from Yale School of Drama. 

TISLARM BOUIE (Choreographer) is a Brooklyn native and alumnus of the Professional Performing Arts School and The University of the Arts. He has been honored with the Princess Grace Award in Theater and received a Drama Desk nomination for 'Outstanding Choreography' in Roundabout’s Off-Broadway production of the bandaged place. Additional choreographic work includes The Salvagers at Yale Rep and The Wiz at Children’s Theater of Cincinnati (Broadway World Regional Theater Award for Best Choreography). Select performance credits include the film adaptation of In the Heights, Saturday Night Live, Macy's Thanksgiving Parade, Manhattan Love Story, Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus (Broadway), Blueprint Specials (Public Theater), and Carmen (Houston Grand Opera). He has also performed in regional productions of Annie, The Bodyguard, and Swing! Additionally, he has danced for artists such as Coldplay, Alicia Keys, Jon Batiste, and Bebe Rexha, and appeared in campaigns for Vogue, Estée Lauder, Cadillac, Samsung, and Toyota. | @tislarmbouie

ILANA ATKINS (Music Director, Conductor) is so thrilled to be collaborating with Pittsburgh CLO, and on a bucket list show at that! The journey toward The Color Purple has been a long time coming but, as they say, good things come to those who wait. Ilana is a conductor/pianist currently working on Jersey Boys - back in Vegas to stay! Other credits include: Bat out of Hell: The Meatloaf Musical (Regional), Mrs. Doubtfire the Musical  (Broadway), Dreamgirls (Regional), and Once on this Island (1st National Tour). Ilana's most recent and exciting collaborative effort has resulted in the birth of her beautiful son, Jean-Anthony. He puts even the most prestigious artistic endeavors in perspective. Thank you to my family, my husband, and my fantastic children for their love and support of my career.

BRITTON MAUK (Scenic Designer) has scenic designed for regional theaters Syracuse Stage (Clyde’s), Portland Center Stage (Hedwig and the Angry Inch and RENT), Long Wharf Theatre (I am My Own Wife), Resident Ensemble Players (In the Heat of the Night), Constellation Stage (Fun Home), Gulfshore Playhouse, and Mixed Blood. Closer to home, he has designed for City Theatre, Pittsburgh Public Theatre, Pittsburgh Playhouse, Front Porch Theatricals, CLO Cabaret, Prime Stage, and Quantum Theatre. Britton is a member of the USITT IDEAS Committee and is the co-coordinator for the USITT Gateway Program. For more visit brittonmaukdesign.com.

PAUL MILLER (Lighting Designer) 8 Seasons at Pittsburgh CLO. Internationally, Paul’s work has been seen on stage at the Stratford Festival, London’s West End, Vienna, Teatro alla Scala (Milan), South Africa, China, Manila, Iceland and São Paulo. On Broadway, he has designed 5 musicals and been the Associate/Assistant on 22 others. Notable Off-Broadway favorites include: Desperate Measures, Clinton!, Pageant, Vanities - the Musical, Waiting for Godot, Nunsense, Encores! (9 shows). National Tours: Hairspray, Elf, Wizard of Oz, Sweeney Todd, The Producers, RENT, Shrek. Regional: Arizona Theatre Company, The Old Globe, Dallas Theater Center, Chicago Shakespeare, Idaho Shakespeare, Asolo Rep, ACT, Cleveland Playhouse, Pasadena Playhouse, Goodspeed, and others. Television: Evil (CBS & Paramount+), Live from Lincoln Center, more than 20 Netflix specials, and the internationally televised New Year’s Eve Celebration from Times Square (for 25 years).

CLAUDIA BROWNLEE (Costume Designer) is a costume designer from the Washington, DC, metropolitan area. Throughout her career Claudia has worked in various positions in theatre, opera, and film. She is excited about projects that bridge cultural gaps, and costume history. Claudia is also interested in finding sustainable practices for the costume industry. She is currently the Costume Director of Pittsburgh Opera and an adjunct professor at Carnegie Mellon University.

CHRIS EVANS (Sound Designer) is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University (Drama ’83). He has been teaching the Advanced Sound System Design course in the School of Drama for the past 8 years and also advises student sound designers who are assigned to musical productions. He has served as the House Sound Engineer at the Benedum Center in Pittsburgh, PA since 1987. During this time, he has designed and engineered shows for the Pittsburgh Opera, Pittsburgh Ballet, and Pittsburgh CLO. In addition to his professional career in Pittsburgh, he has lectured for the Broadway Sound Master Class Series in New York City and designed sound for the Jimmy Awards at the Minskoff Theater.

TENEL DORSEY (Hair and Makeup Designer) is a passionate owner of Dreamz Hair Salon in Homestead, PA, boasting over 30 years of industry expertise. As a renowned wig designer for Pittsburgh Cultural District productions like A Midsummer Nights Dream in Harlem and Steel Magnolias, Tenel's talent shines on stage and in her salon. With an NPI accreditation, she extends care to clients battling hair loss, accepting health insurance. Committed to community engagement, Tenel nurtures her team, making Dreamz Empire a beacon of excellence. 

KYLEE LOERA (Video Designer) is a video designer for live theatre, dance, and musicals based in New York. Kylee has worked at The Kennedy Center, The Metropolitan Opera, The Lincoln Center, The Muny St. Louis, The Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, The 92 YMHA Theater in NYC, Signature Theater, Theatre Row, Arts Emerson, MCC Theater, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, and the Pittsburgh CLO.

MARTY SAVOLSKIS (Props Designer) is ecstatic to be spending his summer with Pittsburgh CLO! He has been designing and coordinating props with CLO since 2002. Memorable past productions include tick, tick... BOOM!, Once on this Island,  Natasha, Pierre, & The Great Comet of 1812, The Drowsy Chaperone, Disney and Cameron Mackintosh's Mary Poppins, Disney's Newsies, In the Heights, AIDA, Hairspray, Thoroughly Modern Millie, The Producers, Oklahoma!, Sunset Boulevard, West Side Story, and A Musical Christmas Carol. When not at Pittsburgh CLO, you can find Marty teaching at his family's dance studio in Munhall, Fran’s School of Dance, designing, choreographing, or directing locally. Marty is also an adjunct professor technical theatre and design with CCAC. Thank you to mom, dad, my husband Sam, and Colby for everything!  Cheers!  

GEOFF JOSSELSON (Casting Director) is a New York-based casting director, handling productions for theatre, film and television. Recent work includes productions for Arena Stage, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Baltimore Center Stage, Cape Playhouse, Denver Center, Ensemble Studio Theatre, The Irish Repertory Theatre, Merrimack Rep, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Paper Mill Playhouse, Pittsburgh CLO, Pittsburgh Public Theatre, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Round House Theatre, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Theaterworks Hartford, and Weston Playhouse.

MARSHA NORMAN (Book) won the Pulitzer Prize for her play, Night, Mother and a Tony Award for her book of the Broadway musical, The Secret Garden. Ms. Norman is co-chair, with Christopher Durang, of the Playwriting Department of the Juilliard School and vice president of the Dramatists Guild of America. Her other plays include Getting Out, Traveler In The Dark, Sarah And Abraham, Trudy Blue, and Last Dance. Her published work includes Four Plays, Vol. I: Collected Plays of Marsha Norman and a novel, The Fortune Teller. She has numerous film and TV credits, Grammy and Emmy nominations, and awards from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Rockefeller Foundation, the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters and the Fellowship of Southern Writers. She is a native of Kentucky who lives in New York City and Long Island with her two children.

BRENDA RUSSELL (Music, Lyrics) has a unique musical perspective, intimate voice, and prolific treasure-trove of lyrics, that prove that a truly glowing talent only deepens with time. Composer of the classics Get Here, If Only For One Night, and the Grammy-nominated Piano In The Dark, Brenda’s songwriting prowess and chameleon-like ability to shift between musical genres and combine styles trumpeted ovations in 2005 with the opening of the Tony Award-winning hit Broadway musical The Color Purple, for which she, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray co-wrote the music and lyrics. Brenda and her co-authors were also nominated for a 2007 Grammy in the Best Musical Show Album category for the original cast album.

ALLE WILLIS (Music, Lyrics)  is a one-woman creative think-tank. A multi-disciplinary artist and visionary thinker whose range of imagination and productivity knows no bounds, her success exuberantly defies categorization; ‘unique’ pales as a descriptor. Willis is a Grammy-winning and Emmy- and Tony-nominated composer whose hit songs – including Earth, Wind & Fire’s September and Boogie Wonderland, The Pointer Sisters’ Neutron Dance, Pet Shop Boys with Dusty Springfield’s What Have I Done To Deserve This, and The Rembrandts’ I’ll Be There For You (Theme From Friends) – have sold over 50 million records. In 2006, Willis’ songs were also featured in three of the top grossing films of the year, Happy Feet, Night At The Museum and Babel.

STEPHEN BRAY (Music, Lyrics) made their Broadway debut with The Color Purple. After beginning music studies with private instruction in Detroit, Bray continued training at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. Working with Madonna, he wrote and produced many of her top-ten recordings, including Angel, Into the Groove, Papa Don’t Preach, True Blue and Express Yourself. Performing with Breakfast Club, he earned a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist and a top-ten single. He has composed and produced for multiplatinum artists including The Jets, Gladys Knight and Kylie Minogue. Film and television projects include Beverly Hills Cop II, Who’s That Girl?, All About The Benjamins, and the theme for PBS’s California Connected. Stephen is developing artists for his Soultone label and looks forward to more musical theatre. He would like to thank his daughter Milena for her eternal patience and his family for their continuing support.

RENÉE RIMLAND (Production Stage Manager)  is so happy to be back for another fabulous summer at Pittsburgh CLO! Broadway: Beauty and the Beast, Cabaret, Fosse, Jekyll & Hyde, Steel Pier. National Tours: 42nd Street, Beauty…, Les Misérables, Joseph ... Dreamcoat, The Phantom of the Opera, Savion! Footnotes, Buddy! The Buddy Holly Story, Evita, Bye Bye Birdie. PSM for over 13 seasons at Pittsburgh CLO. Other credits include Off-Broadway productions and regional theatre. For JRR, always! Proud AEA member.

PAM BRUSOSKI (Assistant Stage Manager) This is Pamela’s second season with Pittsburgh CLO and she is thrilled to be back. Broadway: Little Women and Disney's Beauty and the Beast. Off-Broadway: 20 years and over 45 shows at Irish Repertory Theatre, also Primary Stages, New Federal Theater, York Theatre, Mint Theatre, Carnegie Hall. Regionally: Pittsburgh Public Theater, Pioneer Theater, PICT Classic Theatre. MFA in Directing from Brooklyn College, CUNY.

KELLY HAYWOOD (Assistant Stage Manager) is excited to spend her 9th summer at Pittsburgh CLO. Favorite past Pittsburgh CLO productions: Aida, Shrek The Musical, Peter Pan, In The Heights, Mamma Mia!, A Musical Christmas Carol, 42nd Street, A Chorus Line, Disney’s High School Musical, Into the Woods, Titanic, Pittsburgh Public Theater: A Christmas Story, Little Shop of Horrors, Steel Magnolias, Dragon Lady, Baltimore Centerstage: The Importance of Being Earnest.

THEATRICAL RIGHTS WORLDWIDE (Licensing) Founded in 2006, Theatrical Rights Worldwide (TRW) is an innovative, plays and musicals licensing company thriving with every opportunity presented – where writers, artistic directors, educators, and theatre administrators are authentically engaged to balance the integrity and demands of theatrical performance with that of commerce in a dynamic, growing and ever-changing marketplace. TRW license their shows to a broad range of customers, including schools; colleges and universities, community, civic, amateur and religious organizations; summer stock and dinner theatres; regional, professional and residential theatres; youth theatres, and producers of touring and Off-Broadway or off-West productions. | Theatricalright.com

MARK FLEISCHER (Executive Producer) serves as the artistic and administrative head of the Pittsburgh CLO producing the company’s 6-show summer season, Kara Cabaret Series and its annual production of A Musical Christmas Carol. Mark’s passion for developing new musicals led to the creation of CLO’s SPARK Festival initiative to develop new small musicals – a program made possible by the CLO’s Next Generation Capital Campaign. Prior to joining the CLO, Mark was the Producing Artistic Director of Adirondack Theatre Festival from 2007–2014 where he was named the Region’s Best Artistic Director by Metroland in 2009. From 1993–2002 he served as the Managing Artistic Director of Plano Repertory Theatre in suburban Dallas. With a passion for new plays and musicals, he has directed readings and world premiere productions for theatres across the country. He is a Board Member of the National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT), chairing the organization’s Educational Resources Committee and is also a member of The Broadway League where he serves on the Intra-Industry committee. Mark holds a BA in English Literature and Communication Arts from Austin College and MFA in Directing from the Theatre School at DePaul University.

PITTSBURGH CLO (Producing Company) has been the driving force for 78 years behind the preservation, creation and promotion of live musical theatre since 1946. Founded in the years following WWII as a way to bring Pittsburgh together for a community experience, the company has grown to become one of the largest regional musical theatre organizations in the country. The organization's commitment to preserving, creating, and promoting live musical theatre is evident in its diverse programming, which includes beloved Broadway classics as well as the development of new works. PCLO's dedication to nurturing emerging talent is commendable, with numerous artists (Billy Porter, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Rob Marshall, Kathleen Marshall, Shirley Jones and many more) launching their careers under its wing.  The mission extends beyond the 6 show summer series with other ongoing initiatives such as the Pittsburgh CLO Academy of Musical Theatre, the Construction Center for the Arts, the acclaimed Gene Kelly Awards for Excellence in High School Musical Theater and The National High School Music Awards (The Jimmys). Every ticket purchased impacts our own hometown, Pittsburgh, in a variety of ways beyond the stage performance. Pittsburgh CLO has always been a proud economic generator, hiring local theatre professionals to bring the best musical theatre to life. Since 1946, loyal Patrons, Subscribers, and Donors have stood beside our organization to ensure production of Broadway caliber shows right here in our hometown.  Pittsburgh CLO is excited to continue creating magical musical memories that are by Pittsburgh, for Pittsburgh and partnered with Pittsburgh all year long!  For more information, please visit PITTSBURGHCLO.ORG.