Occupation: Dragonslayer
A Contemporary Musical Fable
Bryan Williams (Book, Music & Lyrics) is Co-Founder, along with Lance Hewett and Annette Triquère, of Isle of Shoals Productions, Inc. With Lance he created the musical version of Christopher Marlowe’s Edward the Second. That Lady from Maxim’s received four coveted NYITA Awards (out of a record 7 nominations) for Outstanding Production of a Musical, and Bryan himself was honored for Outstanding Original Script and Outstanding Original Music. That show was also chosen for the New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF). Other Isle of Shoals collaborations with Lance (18 in all) include Café Coward, his cabaret arrangements of Noel Coward classics; Voices That Are Gone, which told the great composer Stephen Foster’s tragic story through his own songs; and Blue Songs, Gray Songs, a dramatic/musical flashback of songs of the Civil War. Bryan is the author of In This Fallen City, which, following development at the O’Neill National Playwrights Conference (with Tom Hulce and Mason Adams), was produced off-Broadway by Circle Rep, directed by Marshall W. Mason. It has been seen in theatres coast to coast, and his screenplay adaptation, Night of Courage, won ABC’s New Drama for Television Award and starred Barnard Hughes, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Daniel Hugh Kelly and Lili Taylor. His modern tragedy A World I Never Made was chosen for the inaugural season of New Jersey Repertory Company, where he was named Playwright-in-Residence. I, Lionel, which won both the Humboldt State and Ann White Theatre awards and received its professional premiere at Trenton’s Passage Theatre, is published by Dramatic Publishing Company. Icarus Variations, winner of the Nesburn Prize and runner up in the Julie Harris Competition, was mounted at the off-Broadway Promenade Theatre, starring Michael Higgins and Kelly Bishop, following a residency and developmental workshop at SUNY New Paltz. Playing Combs, an O’Neill alternate, received a John Gassner Award. Bryan’s comedy Homing Penguins won the McLaren Comedy Playwriting and David James Ellis Memorial Awards. His play for young adults, In the Garden of the Witch, published by Baker’s Plays, won both the IUPUI Youth Theatre and Discovery Awards. His musicals have been performed at Folger Theatre in DC (Love’s Labour’s Lost: The Musical), Brooklyn Academy of Music, Lincoln Center Theatre Festival, and a U.S. Army Special Services Tour of European bases. Bryan is an honoree of the elite Georgetown University Theatre Donn B. Murphy Hall of Fame.
Janet Goldberg (Costume Design)
Janet Goldberg - Janet is happy to be working once again with IOS. She appeared on stage with this company in Shadowlands, That Lady From Maxim's (NYMF) and and last season's Prelude To Tomorrow. She costumed or co-costumed those productions as well as 2014's Edward II.
Mitchell Ost (Lighting and Set Design) is very excited to be doing his third show with Isle of Shoals. A Chicago native, he is now a New York City based set and lighting designer with credits on both sides of the Atlantic and Pacific. Some favorite designs include Black Angels Over Tuskegee (St. Luke's Theater and first national tour), Future Honey (59E59), Where There's Smoke (Connect Dance Festival in Busan, Korea), Burq Off! (Soho Rep), Kings of Harlem (National Black Theater Festival in Winston-Salem, NC), Rhapsody in Swing (National Theater of Beijing). He is a resident designer for Joe's Pub at the Public Theater, Wingspan Arts Conservatory, and Tiny Starr Theater. www.mitchellost.com
Stephen Ryan* (Director) has been a member of the Isle of Shoals company for nine years and has been blessed with such roles as C.S. Lewis in Shadowlands, Noël Coward in Cafe Coward, and the gruff General Petypon in the award winning production of That Lady from Maxim’s. He has received praise from The New York Times, Newsday and others for his direction of productions such as Strider, Key Exchange, A.R. Gurney’s The Middle Ages, and Joanna Glass’ Artichoke(featuring Janet Goldberg). Directed touring productions of A Grand Night for Singing and Playing the Palace: A Vaudeville Revue. As an actor, Stephen has performed on stage in 38 of the 50 states, as well as Ireland and Great Britain. Highlights include the first national tour of Sunday in the Park with George and a long run in Jacques Brel is Alive And Well… in Washington D.C., and a British Isles tour of Godspell. He trained at The Folger Shakespeare Conservatory (now Washington Shakespeare), with Yale Drama head Bobby Lewis, and with Academy Award winner Beatrice Straight. This show is dedicated to Lance Hewett. He is greatly missed. And a special dedication to Captain Harry Thompson, Senior Court Officer Mitchell Wallace, and Senior Court Officer Tommy Jurgens who gave their lives rescuing others. And to all those who put their health and safety at risk working the pile in the aftermath of 9/11. To SW: 125.
Jacqueline Rosa (Stage Manager) - Associates in Science (Theatre Major) graduated highest honors, from LaGuardia Community College in LIC, New York. Throughout her years at LaGuardia she performed in three college productions: In the Heights (Abuela Claudia), Anna in the Tropics (Ofelia Alcalar) and Little Shop of Horrors (Mrs. Luce, the fan, dentist asst.) 2010 – 2013 and two Off-Off Broadway productions with Isle of Shoals Production Inc.: The Runner Stumbles (Erna Prindle) andEdward the Second (Alais – Clerk of the Crown), at the Robert Moss Theatre in NYC, October 2014. She is a mother of three, grand-mother of two and devoted wife. She made a promise to herself to return to school when her youngest went to college and has kept that promise, working full time, attending school part-time and interning to learn the stagecraft. Prior to our performance of That Lady from Maxim’s in 2012, Jacqueline proved to be a great asset to our company, assisting with costume and set design and working back stage as prop supervisor and assistant manager. She still takes on these rolls in many productions even while performing as she did during The Runner Stumbles and Edward the Second. Currently she is pursuing her Bachelor’s Degree in Multi-media Theatre at Lehman College. She would like to thank her husband, children, family and friends, and Isle of Shoals Productions Inc. for all their love and support.
Giovanni Oritz
Assistant Stage Manager Giovanni Ortiz, Assistant Stage Manager for the production Occupation DragonSlayer. Worked as Stage Manager for Almost Maine and performed in Anna in the Tropics, The Factory, and Lonely Leela. He's a Theatre Major at Lehman College and is greatful to be working in this Production.
Creative Team
Book, Music & Lyrics by Bryan Williams
Directed by Stephen Ryan
Lighting and Set Design: Mitchell Ost Stage Manager: Jacqueline Rosa
Costume Design: Janet Goldberg Musical Director: Bryan Williams
Lance Hewett (1947-2015) (Coauthor of Book) was Co-Founder, President and Artistic Director of Isle of Shoals Productions, Inc. from its inception in 1995, directing all 41 of its productions in those 19 years, and usually designing sets and costumes as well; most memorably Shadowlands by William Nicholson, his new “intimate” adaptation of Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet, The Runner Stumbles, his own adaptation of Chekhov’s The Seagull, Our Town, and 18 original musicals and revues with Bryan Williams, including the World Premiere of That Lady from Maxim’s, twice revived and winner of the 2012 New York Innovative Theatre Award for Outstanding Musical, for which Lance was nominated as Outstanding Director. Their final collaboration, an ambitious musical adaptation of Christopher Marlowe's Edward the Second, received a New York Innovative Theatre nomination as Outstanding Musical Production. Lance conceived, directed and wrote the book for IOS's sold-out Noël Coward double bill at the Dorothy Strelsin Theatre, Still Life paired with Café Coward, a 1930s cabaret tribute to the Master's words and music, following this with the two-act version of Café Coward for Hofstra Entertainment. He also worked extensively outside of Isle of Shoals, staging the NYC revival of A Hatful of Rain at PC II theatre, a new translation of Hecabe by Euripides for the Cyprus Embassy and NYC boroughs tour, and the Bram Stoker Centennial revamped revival of Dracula for Gallery Players, as well as numerous world premieres and 6 amazing productions for his beloved Fordham University Mimes and Mummers. Lance directed the 7-month run of Guys and Dollsat Resorts Casino, Atlantic City; another production (Donna Pescow, Joey Travolta) played Pocono, Falmouth and Bucks County Playhouses. Treasured regional directing: Shadowlands, Real Inspector Hound/15 Minute Hamlet (Laughing Horse, Ellensburg, WA); Servant of Two Masters (Northeastern Theatre Ensemble, PA); Road to Mecca (Athol Fugard Festival). Lance began his career as an actor/singer (AEA, SAG). NYC/Regional roles included his highly praised Rutledge in 1776 with Howard da Silva, Christmas Past opposite John Carradine in A Christmas Carol at Town Hall, Japheth in Two By Two with Milton Berle, Solomon Rothchild in The Rothschilds with Shelley Berman, and leading roles in National Tours/productions with Leonard Nimoy, Chita Rivera, Joel Grey, Josh Logan, Jan Peerce, Don Ameche, Barbara Eden, Eva Gabor, Dorothy Lamour, Betty Grable, John Raitt; many others. Lance was tremendously proud to be a Founding Member of the celebrated Creede Repertory Theatre, which grew to be the State Theatre of Colorado.
*Denotes a member of Actors Equity Association
Michele Smith (flute, percussion) a jazz and classical flutist, has performed for several theater works including DadaNewYork at Theatre for the New City; “America America” with Teatromania, Village Playback Theater drama company, Sound of Music at the Academy of Mount St. Ursula, and the Church of Stop Shopping Gospel Choir. She performs regularly with the T. Ericson Ensemble, the Tom Blatt Project jazz groups, and classical works with Vassilis Kyriakou. Visit her FaceBook page at michelesmithflute.
Bobbie Lee Crow III (cello) A cellist by training and an orchestrator by passion, Bobbie Lee Crow III has credits in many performing arts industries – classical, film & television, jazz, pop, theater, and video games. As a composer, Bobbie has written pieces for the web, the concert hall, and the stage including his first musical The Tale of Murasaki. As an arranger, Bobbie has had the privilege of collaborating with Blake Pfeil on his debut EP “Wallpaper" and ABC’s X-Factor finalist Khaya. As a cellist, he has worked alongside award-winning composer Bobby Cronin, Academy Award-winning director Tom Hooper, Japanese pop singer KIYOTAKA, Tony Award-winner Patina Miller, and Grammy-nominated composer David Tolley. Bobbie currently works as an assistant to The Lord of the Rings composer Howard Shore.
THE BAND
