Jack Kyrieleison (Concept,
Book, Story)
Reunion was Jack's first script, receiving its world
premiere as
Battle Cry of Freedom at the Goodspeed Opera House's
Norma Terris Theatre in 1996.
He began research for
Reunion in 1992, drawing from
collections at the Library or Congress, university and public libraries
throughout the U.S., antique booksellers, military book dealers and the
Internet. The book
for
Reunion is drawn from, adapted from, or suggested by these original
sources, and the music he chose is all traditional American from the Civil
War or before.
As an actor, Jack toured the U.S., Canada and Japan in
Can-Can, starring
Chita Rivera and played Cameron in Arena Stage's 25th anniversary revival
of
The Great
White Hope. He has performed in New York
at Perry Street Theatre, Theatre Off Park, York Theatre, Equity Library
Theatre and
Music Theatre Works, among others. Regional credits include The Goodman
Theatre, Paper Mill Playhouse, Kennedy Center, Milwaukee Rep, Alabama Shakespeare
Festival, Marriott Lincolnshire Theatre, Birmingham Theatre and Olney Theatre.
Television
appearances include
Homicide--Life on the Street. He has completed
the book and lyrics for
A
Cowboy's Carol, a John Ford western
treatment of
A Christmas Carol. He lives outside Washington, DC with
his wife, Michele,
and their son, Michael.
Ron Holgate (Story, Director) has starred in National Tours of Annie,
42nd Street, Can Can and Lend Me A Tenor. He originally directed Battle
Cry of Freedom, renamed Reunion, at the Goodspeed Opera House's Norma Terris Theatre
in Chester, CT. He has also directed Kaufman and Hart's Once in A Lifetime at the Helen Hayes PAC, Trevor Griffiths' Comedians for the Phoenix Theatre
at SUNY Purchase, and two production for the Birmingham Theatre in Birmingham,
MI: Ray Cooney's Two Into One, which he also adapted, and Lend
Me A Tenor. As an actor, he toured in Funny You Don't Look
Like A Grandmother, and played
Big Jule in Guys and Dolls on Broadway. He received rave reviews for his
first Broadway show Milk and Honey. He originated the role of Miles Gloriosus
in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, and he starred in Lend
Me A Tenor on Broadway and in London. He won a Tony nomination for The
Grand Tour and the Tony Award for his performance as Richard Henry Lee in 1776.
He recreated this role in the film version. Ron has appeared in over 30
operas, including the Don in Don Giovanni, Mephisto in Faust, and Scarpia
in Tosca. Ron portrayed Daddy Warbucks in the Goodspeed Opera's 20th anniversary
production of Annie and has starred in the World Premiere productions of
The Singing Weatherman; Topper; in the touring production of Big; and as
Buffalo Bill in the Broadway revival of Annie Get Your Gun. Ron has a daughter,
Melissa, is married to Anny DeGange and they have two daughters, Chloe Hartley
and Lily LeClair.
Michael O'Flaherty (Musical Supervisor and Arranger) was the musical supervisor
and cabaret director of the Williamstown Theatre Festival for 11 years.
On Broadway he composed the score for Nikos Psacharapoulos' production of
A Streetcar Named Desire and conducted Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, which originated
at Goodspeed. Off-Broadway he supervised the music and vocal arrangements
for Carol Hall's To Whom It May Concern. He has also worked at the Royal
Alexandra Theatre in Toronto, Playwrights Horizons, the Smithsonian Institute,
and Columbia Pictures. He has served as conductor for the National Tour
of George M! Now entering his 8th season as Goodspeed's resident musical
director, Michael has conducted 17 musicals at the Opera House and Good
Sports; Starcrossed; By Jeeves; and Just So at the Goodspeed at Chester.
