RAY RODERICK (Director/Choreographer/Co-Writer) has most recently conceived/written and directed ‘S WONDERFUL! THE NEW GERSHWIN MUSICAL for the Gershwin Estate/Pittsburgh CLO and Maximum Entertainment for National Tour 2010. He will direct the new musical GARFIELD LIVE! for Broadway Across America’s national tour 2011. Ray adapted the script and directed the 1st National tour of CHITTY, CHITTY, BANG, BANG. His new version of CHITTY is now being used for 2009/2010 UK tour and is being licensed by Music Theatre International. He was associate director of A CHRISTMAS CAROL at Madison Square Garden for six years, where he was privileged to work with original director Mike Ockrent. He was also associate director for Susan Stroman’s Broadway revival of THE MUSIC MAN, and subsequently directed the successful 3 year North American Tour. He co-wrote, directed and Choreographed Irving Berlin’s I LOVE A PIANO (Carbonell Award nomination best choreography, Florida Stage) now heading in its 3rd year of National Tour and heading to Japan. Off-Broadway, Ray directed and co-wrote the new musical THE PRINCE AND THE PAUPER (published by Samuel French), and directed and choreographed THE ARK, LAMOUR THE MERRIER and THE STORY GOES ON. He also co-wrote, directed and choreographed HEAVEN HELP US! (Carbonell Award nomination, best new work, Florida Stage), A CHRISTMAS SURVIVAL GUIDE (published by Samuel French) and I LOVE NEW YORK (Bistro Award, Best Musical Review 1999). Ray was the founding artistic director of Tri-State Center for the Arts, where he remained at the helm for seven years. With partner James Hindman, he formed Miracle or 2 Productions (Miracleor2.com), a licensing and production company dedicated to the creation and development of the new American musical. Together, they have written the new musicals ARE WE THERE YET?, COMING TO AMERICA, and THE BIKINIS! At the Denver Center Ray has directed and choreographed THE LAST 5 YEARS, THE TAFFETAS and I LOVE YOU, YOU’RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE! (longest running show in Denver history). Ray begins his eleventh year as creative director for the United States Tennis Association’s US Open, where he creates on court ceremonies for ESPN and CBS live television and is the Director of ARTHUR ASHE KIDS DAY for CBS. He wrote the English adaptation and directed the Chinese production of CHUN YI, THE LEGEND OF KUNG FU now in its fifth year in Beijing and has toured Japan, Russia and played on the West End at The London Coliseum. Ray directed SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN and 42nd STREET at Goodpeed Opera House, DAMES AT SEA at Bay Street Theatre in Sag Harbor, and directed and choreographed an all new BARNUM for Westchester Broadway Theatre. He also directed BELIEVE, the award winning SHAMU (killer whale) show for SeaWorld in San Diego. As Broadway performer, Ray was seen in many shows, including BARNUM starring Jim Dale and Glenn Close, and originated roles in GRIND, CATS, THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS, CRAZY FOR YOU and A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM starring Nathan Lane and Whoppi Goldberg. Ray is a graduate of Illinois State University, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in the performing arts. He resides in New York, is married to Broadway actress Karyn Quackenbush, and is the proud father of SUNY Purchase student and lighting designer Jamie Roderick.

JAMES HINDMAN (Co-Writer) is currently performing on Broadway in MARY POPPINS. He wrote and conceived PETE ‘N’ KEELY which received an Outer Critics Circle Award nomination (Best Off-Broadway Musical) and two Drama Desk nominations. For the Off Broadway theatre, The Transport Group, he was wrote the book for BEING AUDREY and received a Drama Desk nomination for his contribution to their production of THE AUDIENCE. He co-wrote I LOVE NEW YORK (Bistro Award), A CHRISTMAS SURVIVAL GUIDE and HEAVEN HELP US which premiered at Florida Stage (Carbonel Award Nom.) and The Denver Theatre Center. His plays INCUBUS (The Pittsburgh Public’s New Play Series) and MERCADA (Vineyard Theatre reading) were both developed at The Lark Theatre Co. With partner Ray Roderick he has written the new musicals ARE WE THERE YET? and COMING TO AMERICA. He is currently working on a new play titled, THE YAG IN THE HAT. He and co-writer Ray Roderick were also commissioned to develop a show for BUSCH GARDENS Theme Park. As an actor, James' Broadway and touring credits include: THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL, 1776, CITY OF ANGELS, A GRAND NIGHT FOR SINGING, ONCE UPON A MATTRESS, FALSETTOS, DANCING AT LUGHNASA, CATS AND JOSEPH... Off-Broadway: THE FOREIGNER, FIRST LADY SUITE, A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE, BAT BOY!, MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG. Television: “Rescue Me”, “The Sopranos”, "Law and Order, SVU, CU" Member: Dramatist Guild of America.

JOE BAKER (Music Arranger/Composer)  has been working as a Conductor and Pianist on and around Broadway for over 20 years. Shows he has performed include: WICKED, THE LION KING, BLOOD BROTHERS, THE LIFE, GRAND HOTEL, STARLIGHT EXPRESS, THE TAP DANCE KID, LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, CATSKILLS ON BROADWAY, FOOTLOOSE, BELLS ARE RINGING, and LAUGHING ROOM ONLY. He has also done duties as Orchestrator, Vocal Arranger or Dance Arranger on shows as: BUBBLY BLACK GIRL, THE GREEN HEART, and FOOTLOOSE. Across the sea, Joseph has worked on the 1987 Japan tour of LITTLE SHOP as music director and conductor. Since 1999 he has been a guest conductor, arranger, and music director for the HYUNDAI Theatre Company in Seoul, Korea, performing their successful productions of TRIPITAKA, and CHANG POGO. He also went with the company to Europe as well. He has performed with several well-known artists on the concert stage, and especially enjoys work in the symphonic orchestra field. He has conducted for Artists such as Helen Reddy, Petula Clarke, Art Garfunkel, Chita Rivera, Leslie Uggams, Jackie Mason, Carole King, and David and Shaun Cassidy. He has recently had some success as a composer and producer in film and TV, He composed and arranged the score for the smash hit documentary MAD HOT BALLROOM, and is Composer Arranger –Producer for DITTYDOODLE WORKS, an exciting new children’s TV series on Public Television WLIW called, with a possible world wide release in 2007. He also works as a Recording Music Producer, and his work is currently on recordings by Jeremy Kushnier, (the current star in RENT), Petula Clark, Jonny Peterson, Steven Lutvak, and J. Mark McVey. His other “musical life” includes projects in his own midtown studio, (bakerboysmusic@earthlink.net), and when not being a musical-arranger, he arranges time with his wife Renae, and children Rosemary and David Baker. He dedicates his work on this concert to his father, who showed by example that anything is possible through love and generosity.