Cast / Creative

Cast

	Eric Hartman (Papa Bear) is thrilled to joining the cast of Berenstain Bears LIVE! in his Off-Broadway Debut. He is originally from Hanover, PA and went to school at Messiah College where he received his BA in acting and directing. Favorite Credits Include Pippin (King Charlemagne), The Fantasticks (El Gallo), Babes in Arms (Gus Fields), and Sunrise: World Premiere (King Shahryar). Eric would like to thank Holly Buczek, Nancy Renee Braun, and all of Matt Murphy Productions for this incredible opportunity. Lastly, none of this would be possible without the love and support of my family and friends so thank you all and enjoy your stay in Bear Country!
	Nicole Lamb (Sister Bear) is thrilled to be making her Off-Broadway debut in The Berenstain Bears LIVE! Favorite credits include: Les Miserables (Eponine), 42nd Street (Peggy Sawyer), Little Women (Jo March), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Olive), and Fame (Carmen Diaz). Thank you to everyone at Matt Murphy Productions and Holly Buczeck for letting me join Bear Country. Sending lots of love to my family for all their support. God Bless!
	Terry Lee III (Freddy/Gramps/Others). Off-Broadway debut! Favorite credits include: Ensemble, u/s Jesus in Saturday's Voyeur 2015 (Salt Lake Acting Company), Snail in A Year with Frog and Toad (Salt Lake Acting Company), Hanschen in Spring Awakening (Midvale Main Street Theatre), and Rod in Avenue Q (University of Utah Babcock Theatre). Special thanks to Holly, Nancy, Matt, and Alex! Lots of love to Mom, Grandma, Auntie, and Sis!
	Samantha Rose (Lizzie/ Grandma/ Others) is excited to be joining the cast of The Berenstain Bears, LIVE! She was recently seen Off-Broadway in Flight School (Owl) at Vital Theatre and as various characters in The Killing Kompany’s musical murder mysteries. Samantha is a proud graduate of Wagner College. Thanks to Holly, the creative team, & Matt Murphy Productions for this opportunity, and to Phil & my family for their endless love and support! www.samantha-rose.com
	Lauren Alice Smith (Mama Bear) is excited to be back on the New York City stage! She was last seen locally in the world premiere of Vestments of the Gods (FringeNYC 2014 Excellence in Ensemble Winner), produced by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Other favorite credits include Singin' in the Rain (Dora Bailey/Miss Dinsmore), The Medium (Mrs. Gobineau), Guys and Dolls: In Concert (Sarah Brown u/s/Hot Box Girl), and Little Women: The  Musical (Amy March). She holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from Western Carolina University. Big thanks to Matt, Nancy, Alex, and Holly for this opportunity! She also sends thanks and love to her friends and family for constantly supporting and believing in her!
	Chris Trombetta (Brother Bear) is thrilled to be making his NYC debut in The Berenstain Bears Live! He has recently moved out to Bear Country after receiving a BA in Musical Theatre from West Chester University. His most recent credits include: Interlakes Summer Theatre's production of West Side Story (Baby John) and The New Candlelight Theatre's production of Young Frankenstein (Igor). Some of his favorite roles include: She Loves Me (Arpad Lazlo); A Year With Frog and Toad (Snail); Hello, Dolly! (Barnaby Tucker); Godspell (Nick); The Spoon River Project (Actor 5)
	Caitlin Kellermeyer (Stage Manager) is ecstatic to join the cast and crew of Berenstain Bears LIVE!  Before Bear Country, Caitlin has spent the past three summers at the Forestburgh Playhouse where she worked as the Company Manager and this past summer as the Associate Producer. Before Caitlin joined the talented staff of the Playhouse she earned a BFA from Sam Houston State University in Acting and Directing with an emphasis in Stage Management. Post college she has worked for various theatres and companies including the La Jolla Playhouse, Mount Washington Valley Theatre Company and Theatrum Elysium. Caitlin also spent time working at both Walt Disney World and Disneyland.

Creative

Michael Borton (Book, Music & Lyrics) is thrilled that this production will entertain children this summer in NYC. Michael lives in the Philadelphia area and works as a composer, performer, music director, and private instructor. He’s composed for AFTY and the Walnut Street Theatre; including several of their outreach shows and annual A Christmas Carol. He has music directed at the Walnut Street Theatre, La Salle University, Theater Horizon and is currently the Director of Music at Waldron Mercy Academy.

Michael Slade (Additional Book Material) Playwright, librettist, Emmy-nominated television writer. Work for family audiences includes: Ten Theatreworks/USA musicals (Superfudge, Lyle, Lyle Crocodile, The Three Pigs). Pokemon Live! (Radio City Music Hall, national, international tours). Several shows for TADA! And A Child Shall Lead, (PlayScripts) inspiring play about a group of child concentration camp prisoners (opened to rave reviews in Chicago, November 2010). Children’s novel The Horses Of Central Park (Scholastic Hardcover/Apple Paperback) won ISAR Award for Children’s Literature.

Devanand Janki (Director and Choreographer) New York credits: Zanna, Don’t! (Lortel, Callaway & GLAAD awards), Junie B. Jones (Lortel nom.), Cupid & Psyche, Henry & Mudge (Lortel nom.), Romantic Poetry, This One Girls Story. Broadway concerts: Funny Girl, Hair, Dreamgirls, Seth’s Broadway 101. Lincoln Center: Amahl and the Night Visitors, Babes in Toyland, Anything Goes in concert (assoc.). Regional: RENT, Aladdin, Man of La Mancha, The Full Monty, The Scarlet Pimpernel, How Can You Run With a Shell on Your Back?, Asphalt Beach, One Man’s Dream II (Tokyo Disney). Broadway Bares (9 years). Performance: Miss Saigon, Cats, The King & I, Side Show (Broadway), A Chorus Line, West Side Story (tour). www.devanandjanki.com

Lora LaVon (Costume Design) Credits include Junie B. Jones and Click Clack Moo with Theaterworks USA, A Child’s Christmas in Wales for the National Theater of the Deaf, The Time of Your Life and King John at the Shakespeare Theater of New Jersey, Lonesome West, Three Days of Rain and Proof at Hartford’s Theaterworks, ART and M. Butterfly at Syracuse Stage, South Pacific and Suddenly Last Summer for Barrington Stage, and Measure for Measure at Yale Rep. Lora earned her MFA from the Yale School of Drama.

Luke Hegel-Cantarella (Scenic Design) NY: Make Me a Song (New World Stages), Human Error (Atlantic), Cam Jansen (Lambs), Junie B. Jones (Lortel); Regional: Lyric Theater of Oklahoma, Two Rivers Theater Company, Berkshire Theater Festival, Barrington Stage, Pittsburgh Public, Repertory Theater of St. Louis, Adirondack Theater Festival, TheatreWorks, Prince Music Theater, Yale Rep. International: Woody Sez (West End/London), Blue Shade (Amsterdam). Opera/Dance: The Wooden Floor, Peabody, Curtis, Wolftrap Opera Company, New England Conservatory, Eastern Connecticut Ballet, Hartford Ballet. Film/TV: Julie & Julia, Damages, Pink Panther 2, State of Play, Synecdoche, NY. Luke is the Head of the Set Design program at the UCIrvine.

R. MacKenzie Lewis (Orchestrations) has music directed, composed, orchestrated and performed for theatres, bands, and orchestras all over the country including the world premier musical with Ben Vereen, Soaring on Black Wings and the upcoming Wings at the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts. He is also the Co-Executive Director for 8th Wonder Productions and full-time composer/MD for Eastern Michigan University.

Nancy Renee Braun - (Associate Director/Choreographer) NY Choreography: Fantasy Football: The Musical? (NYMF Best of Fest Runner-Up), Godspell Times Square Flash Mob (over 40,000 YouTube hits!), Henri Gabler (Theatre 54), I’m Gonna Love You Forever (The Gene Frankel Theatre), A Night With Northwestern (Hudson Theatre). NY Associate Choreography: Fat Camp (NYMF Outstanding Choreography Award), Robber Bridegroom (Roundabout Theatre workshop), Perez Hilton Saves The Universe! (Joe’s Pub), Babes In Toyland (Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center), Funny Girl (Revision Theatre), If You Give A Pig A Pancake (Theatreworks), and three years as an assistant for Broadway Bares. NY acting credits: Broadway revival of Patti LuPone’s Gypsy, and the upcoming Off-Broadway show Fat Camp.Northwestern University graduate.

Alex James (Associate Director) is a New York City based director and stage manager, and is proud to have worked in multiple positions with The Berenstain Bears Live! since 2012. Off-Broadway credits include: Pinkalicious and Fancy Nancy Splendiferous Christmas with Vital Theatre Company, Jay Allan Zimmerman’s Incredibly Deaf Musical. Other favorite NYC and regional credits include: The Uncanny Valley (The Brick Theater), Infallibility (Fringe NYC 2013), SoundBites (Theater Now New York), The Untitled Ginsberg Project, Betrayal, Spring Awakening, and Floyd Collins. Graduate of Pace University.

Matt Murphy (Producer) is currently one of the producers for the Tony Award-Winning musical Memphis. Other Broadway and Off-Broadway productions include Thurgood starring Laurence Fishburne, Impressionism starring Joan Allen and Jeremy Irons, and Altar Boyz, which became one of the longest-running Off-Broadway musicals in history. In addition to his work on Broadway, Matt is also currently producing an original musical for today’s texting, blogging, and Facebooking generation called Virtually Me!, which was recently profiled on Fox News and NBC for its efforts to educate young students today on how to use modern technology responsibly. Special thanks to wife Julie and daughter Hazel for supporting Papa as Producer Bear! www.mattmurphyproductions.com