Annie - Broadway Creative Team

Martin Charnin is perhaps best known for conceiving, directing, and writing the lyrics for the hit Broadway musical Annie. Charnin began his career as an actor, playing the role of "Big Deal" in the original production of West Side Story, both on Broadway and on tour. He then began writing music and lyrics for Off-Broadway and cabaret revues, as well as nightclub performances for the likes of Dionne Warwick, Nancy Wilson, Leslie Uggams, and more. His first time writing lyrics for a Broadway musical was Hot Spot in 1963, which starred Judy Holliday. In the 1970s, Charnin worked in television where he conceived, produced, ... read more ... read more Thomas Meehan won the 2003 Tony for co-writing the book for Hairspray, the 2001 Tony for the book of The Producers and the 1977 Tony for the book of Annie, which was his first Broadway show. He has since written the books for Young Frankenstein, I Remember Mama, Ain't Broadway Grand, Annie Warbucks and Bombay Dreams. He is a long-time contributor of humor, including "Yma Dream," to The New Yorker; an Emmy-winning television writer; and a collaborator on screenplays, including Mel Brooks' Spaceballs, To Be or Not to Be and The Producers. He is a member of the Council of ... read more ... read more Ken Billington is a highly acclaimed lighting designer with over 50 years of experience in the theatre industry. Born in 1944 in Long Island, New York, Billington attended Hofstra University where he studied theatre and lighting design. After graduating, he began his career as a lighting designer in the Off-Broadway scene in the 1960s, eventually making his way to Broadway. Billington has designed the lighting for over 100 Broadway productions, including the original productions of Sweeney Todd, Chicago, and The Drowsy Chaperone. He has been nominated for the Tony Award for Best Lighting Design 21 times, winning three times for his ... read more Martin Charnin is perhaps best known for conceiving, directing, and writing the lyrics for the hit Broadway musical Annie. Charnin began his career as an actor, playing the role of "Big Deal" in the original production of West Side Story, both on Broadway and on tour. He then began writing music and lyrics for Off-Broadway and cabaret revues, as well as nightclub performances for the likes of Dionne Warwick, Nancy Wilson, Leslie Uggams, and more. His first time writing lyrics for a Broadway musical was Hot Spot in 1963, which starred Judy Holliday. In the 1970s, Charnin worked in television where he conceived, produced, ... read more Additional producing credits include: Erotic Broadway [Off-Broadway, 2009] Carmen (La Cuadra de Sevilla) [London, UK tour, Producer Swing! [US tour, 2000] Producer The BFG [London, 2002] Producer Annie [US tour, 1999] Producer A Christmas Carol [Los Angeles 1993] [London 1996] Producer James Mapes (hypnotist) [Westport Country Playhouse, 1993] Producer Jeffrey [Los Angeles, 1993] Producer The Flying Karamazov Brothers Do the Impossible! [Broadway, 1994] [West End, 1994] Producer Directorial Credits include: To Kill a Mockingbird [Ford's Theatre, D.C.; 2001] Director One Touch of Venus [King's Head Theatre, London; 2001] Director Inherit the Wind [Ford's Theatre, D.C.; 2001] Director American Song [Coeur D'Alene Summer Theatre, 2000] Director Inherit the Wind [King's Head Theatre, London, 1999] Director Six Characters in Search of an Author [Off-Broadway, 1995] Director Scotland Road [American Place Theater, NYC Paint Your Wagon [Coeur D'Alene Summer Theatre, 1998] Director Let's Play Two [American Actors' Theatre, NY; ] Director South Pacific [Coeur D'Alene Summer ... read more Additional producing credits include: Erotic Broadway Off-Broadway, 2009 Carmen (La Cuadra de Sevilla) London, UK tour Producer Swing! [US tour, 2000] Producer The BFG [London, 2002] Producer Annie [US tour, 1999] Producer A Christmas Carol [Los Angeles 1993] [London 1996] Producer James Mapes (hypnotist) [Westport Country Playhouse, 1993] Producer Jeffrey [Los Angeles, 1993] Producer The Flying Karamazov Brothers Do the Impossible! [Broadway, 1994] [West End, 1994] Producer ... read more Tamar Climan, founder of Climan Producing LLC (CPL), is a Tony Award®-winning theatre producer with almost three decades of experience producing and general managing on Broadway. Currently, Tamar is producing the national tour of A Soldier’s Play along with Roundabout Theatre Company. She is on the producing team of 1776 for the American Repertory Theater and serves as the Consulting Producer for the Tony Award® and Grammy-winning Jagged Little Pill on the West End and for its North American and Australian tours as well as the North American tour of the Tony Award®-winning revival of Oklahoma!. Previous producing credits ... read more Stephen Cowles is a member of United Scenic Artists - Local 829 as a Scenic Designer for theatre, opera, ballet, and industrial shows and as a Computer Graphics Artist. Stephen has worked on Broadway, in opera and commercial entertainment, most recently as the assistant to the scenic designer, Kenneth Foy, on The Little Mermaid at the Paper Mill Playhouse, the national tour of Disney’s High School Musical, Dame Edna, The Royal Tour, the revival of Annie for Broadway and London, the world tour of Porgy and Bess, the 132nd Edition of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, ... read more Keith Levenson has conducted and created arrangements for KISS, Meatloaf, Alice Cooper, Yes, The British Rock Symphony, Peter Frampton, Paul Rodgers, Darlene Love and Nigel Kennedy among many others. As a Broadway/National Tour Music Director/Supervisor, Keith has conducted the musicals 'Annie' with Nell Carter and Sally Struthers, 'The Best Little Whorehouse' in Texas with Ann Margret, Jason Robert Brown's 'The Bridges of Madison County', Franco Dragone's 'India!', 'Grease', 'Peter and Pan' with Cathy Rigby and countless others. ... read more