The Gospel at Colonus

“No more time left to make beautiful things…” Lee 2/6/37- 1/3/21. Beloved & missed.
One of contemporary theatre’s most singular creative minds, Lee Breuer created wildly inventive work around the world both independently and with Mabou Mines, the company he co-founded in 1970. Breuer blended disciplines and techniques from widely different cultures, creating unique performance genres. His writing expands the concept of character and the use of biography in performance in works such as: Hajj, The Shaggy Dog Animation, A Prelude to Death in Venice, An Epidog, Red Beads and Porco Morto. Publications include: “La Divina Caricatura: Bunraku meets Motown”, “Sister Susie Cinema: Collected Performance Poems”, “The Fifth Voyage”, and “Getting Off: Lee Breuer on Performance”. Breuer’s celebrated stagings of radically adapted classics include: The Gospel at Colonus, Mabou Mines DollHouse, The Lost Ones, Peter and Wendy, Mabou Mines Lear, and Un tramway nommé désir (La Comédie-Française, Paris); his films include: The Book of Clarence, and Moi-même (original footage shot in Paris,1968). Breuer shone as an empowering collaborator directing 14 Obie award winning performances. His accolades include a MacArthur Fellowship and a Chevalier des Order of Arts and Literature. The Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library houses his archive. Lee has five children all of whom are artists.

Bob Telson is an American composer, singer/songwriter, and pianist best known for his work in musical theater and film, for which he has received Tony, Pulitzer, and Academy Award nominations. Telson grew up in Brooklyn, studying classical piano from the age of five. He studied pipe organ, counterpoint, and harmony with Nadia Boulanger and received his B.A. in music from Harvard. During the ‘70’s he played keyboards with the Philip Glass Ensemble, Tito Puente, The Five Blind Boys of Alabama, and Machito, among others. Telson’s collaboration with Lee Breuer began in 1979 with “Sister Suzie Cinema,” a doo-wop opera. Their major music theater works include The Gospel at Colonus, which received a 1984 Obie award for ‘Best Musical’ as well as Pulitzer, Tony, and Grammy nominations, and The Warrior Ant (BAM 1988). Telson’s Chronicle of a Death Foretold, an adaptation of the Gabriel Garcia Marquez novel, won a Tony nomination for Best Musical. Telson’s first movie score, for “Bagdad Café”, received an Oscar Nomination for the song “Calling You.” His songs have been recorded by Barbra Streisand, Natalie Cole, Jeff Buckley, George Benson, Joe Cocker, Celine Dion, Etta James, k.d. lang, Shawn Colvin, Caetano Veloso, Gal Costa, George Michael, and The Five Blind Boys of Alabama. His new musical, “Bantú,” created with the Uruguayan playwright Graciela Corso, was presented in Montevideo in December 2024.

Shayok Misha Chowdhury is an Obie Award-winning director and Whiting Award-winning writer, born in India, based in Brooklyn. His playwriting debut Public Obscenities (Soho Rep, NAATCO, Woolly Mammoth, TFANA) was one of three finalists for the 2024 Pulitzer Prize in Drama. The bilingual play, in Bangla and English, was a New York Times Critic’s Pick and named Best Theater of 2023 by the New Yorker. Misha is also the recipient of a Princess Grace Award, The Mark O’Donnell Prize, a Jonathan Larson Grant, and the Relentless Award for his musical How the White Girl Got Her Spots and Other 90s Trivia. He collaborated on the Grammy-winning album Calling All Dawns. Other favorite collaborations: Brother, Brother (New York Theatre Workshop) with Aleshea Harris; SPEECH (Philly Fringe) with Lightning Rod Special; MukhAgni (Under the Radar @ The Public Theater) with Kameron Neal. A two-time Sundance Fellow, Misha is the creator of VICHITRA, a series of sound-driven, experimental short films. Up next, Misha is collaborating with his physicist mother on a new project called Rheology (Bushwick Starr, HERE, Ma-Yi).

Dionne is a musician, musical director, conductor, arranger, composer-lyricist, and actor.
Recent credits: Associate Musical Director and Actor, The Potluck (Soho Rep and Dartmouth College, Lincoln Center); Vocal Arranger, Composer, Co-Musical Director, Show/Boat: A River (Under The Radar Festival, Target Margin Theater and NYU Skirball); Composer-Lyricist and Musical Director, The Cotillion (Off-Broadway; Drama Desk Award Nominee, AUDELCO Award Nominee); Musical Director and Conductor, When We Get There (York Theatre), Sweeney Todd, Passing Strange (UNCSA); The Color Purple (Cape Fear Regional Theatre); BRECHT
ON BRECHT (off-Broadway’s Theater Breaking Through Barriers), children’s theatre works for Piper Theatre (Not So Fair-y Tales) and Brooklyn Children’s Theatre (Charisma’s Turn, adapted from the graphic novel; A Royal Roar in Brooklyn, book by playwright Christin Eve Cato; Rice and Rocks, adapted from the children’s book), a song honoring, and performed live for renowned actor Viola Davis; and a song on Rainbow Lullaby (Broadway Records), the world’s first collection of lullabies especially for the children of LGBTQ parents. TGBTG!

Recent work on Broadway includes: STEREOPHONIC, JAJA’S AFRICAN HAIR BRAIDING, THE NOTEBOOK, KIMBERLY AKIMBO, FUNNY GIRL, THE HUMANS, BOYS IN THE BAND, SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS, and FUN HOME. Off-Broadway: Playwright’s Horizons, The Shed, Roundabout, MTC, NYTW, LCT, 2d Stage, and the Public. Also: A.C.T., A.R.T, Berkeley Rep, Pasadena Playhouse, La Jolla Playhouse, Old Globe, and Steppenwolf. In London he recently opened HERE WE ARE at the National and STEREOPHONIC at the Duke of York’s; he’s also worked at the Young Vic and the Hampstead. In Europe he’s designed sets and costumes for the Berlin Staatsoper and at Theater Basel. He’s received Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critic’s Circle, Hewes and Obie Awards for his work.

Broadway: A Strange Loop, The Skin of Our Teeth (Tony Award). Select Off-Broadway: Fairview, Is God Is, Ain’t No Mo’, Fefu and Her Friends, Daddy, The House That Will Not Stand, The Death of the Last Black Man, In the Blood, He Brought Her Heart in a Box, Red Speedo, Fabulation, and O, Earth. Opera: El Niño, Champion (Metropolitan Opera House), Rinaldo (Glimmerglass & Detroit Opera), Hansel and Gretel (Houston Grand). Upcoming: Purple Rain (Pre-Broadway), Lincoln in the Bardo (Metropolitan Opera House), Prince F (Soho Rep/Playwrights Horizons). Winner of a Special Drama Desk, Lucille Lortel, two Henry Hewes, and two Obie awards. Education: Oberlin College & Conservatory of Music, Brown University, and the Yale School of Drama. www.montanaleviblanco.com

Grangeville (Signature Theatre), Teeth (Playwrights Horizons), The Counter & The Refuge Plays (Roundabout Theatre), The Welkin (Atlantic Theater), All the Devils Are Here (DR2), The Half-God of Rainfall (NYTW), Uncle Vanya (O’Henry), On Set with Theda Bara (Exponential Festival), Obie Design Award 2023, 2018 Lilly Award Daryl Roth Prize.

Garth is a leader in high fidelity theatrical and concert sound design. His intuitive approach to sound, acoustics, mixing and amplification are at the core of his process to immersively enhance the experience of both the audience, and the performer. Garth is an expert in spatial sound, Space Map and Constellations systems in partnership with Meyer Sound.Recent Credits: ‘Illinoise’ by Sufjan Stevens/Justin Peck/Jackie Sibblies Drury; ‘Magnificent Bird/Fellow Travelers’ by Gabriel Kahane; ‘The Old Man and the Sea’ by Paola Prestini; ‘The Night Falls’ by Ellis Ludwig Leone; ‘Song of Songs’ by David Lang and Pam Tanowitz; ‘In Our Daughter’s Eyes’ by Du Yun; Grammy-nominated ‘Soldier Songs’, ‘Black Lodge’ and ‘Dog Days” by David T. Little; Pulitzer Prize-winning ‘p r i s m’ by Ellen Reid; ‘Aquanetta’ by Michael Gordon; Nick Cave’s ‘The Let Go’ and Peter Sellars/Regg Roc Grey’s ‘FLEXN’ at the Park Ave Armory; ‘A God of Her Own Making’ by Jojo Abot/Esperanza Spalding and ‘Spatial…no problem’ by Lee Scratch Perry/Mouse on Mars.

Bobby was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, where he developed a passion for jazz, funk, and gut bucket blues. He has been playing guitar for over 35 years. During his early years, he developed his musical talents in clubs in Southern California and touring with artists such as Arkansas Larry Davis and Smokey Wilson.

In the 90’s, Bobby worked at the world-renowned Babe’s & Ricky’s Inn, whose proprietor, “Mama” Laura Mae Gross was known for cultivating blues talent. Babe’s& Ricky’s offered Bobby the opportunity to play with various artists, including Keb Mo’, Lowell Fulsom, King Ernest, Louie Bluey, Mickey Champion, Barbara Morrison, Joe Houston, Zac Harmon, Deacon Jones, Finis Tasby, and Guitar Shorty.

Bobby moved to Madison, Wisconsin in 1999. In addition to earning a master’s degree in social work, he and his band, Bobby Bryan and the Original Downtown Players were the winners of the 2007 Madison Blues Challenge and proudly represented Wisconsin at the 2008 International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee.

Bobby now resides in New York. You can catch him as a regular at Terra Blues, in New York’s Village. He also performs and tours with other artists, including Henry Butler. Bobby is a true Blues man, who is not limited to the blues. Don’t miss an opportunity to see Bobby with his band.

Clayton Craddock is the founder of Broadway Drumming 101, an online platform dedicated to educating, mentoring, and inspiring the next generation of theater musicians. The site features expert interviews, curated resources, and real-world advice designed for aspiring and working professionals alike.

Clayton’s Broadway and Off-Broadway credits include tick, tick…BOOM!, Altar Boyz, Memphis The Musical, Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill, Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of The Temptations, Cats: The Jellicle Ball, and The Hippest Trip: The Soul Train Musical. As a trusted sub, he has played on Motown, Evita, Cats, Avenue Q, The Color Purple, Rent, SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical, Hadestown (tour), and many others.

Clayton has also performed on national television, appearing on The View, Good Morning America, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, The Today Show, and the TONY Awards. Over the years, he’s worked with iconic artists including The Stylistics, The Delfonics, Mario Cantone, Laura Benanti, Kristin Chenoweth, Kerry Butler, Christian Borle, Norm Lewis, Deniece Williams, Chuck Berry, and Ben E. King.

He proudly endorses Ahead Drum Cases, Paiste Cymbals, Innovative Percussion drumsticks, and Empire Ears.

Discover more at www.claytoncraddock.com.

Taja Graves-Parker is a Bronx-born tenor trombonist whose passion for music began early in life. She picked up the trombone at the age of eight and, by ten, had already decided to pursue a career as a professional musician.

She honed her skills at the Special Music School for both middle and high school before earning her Bachelor’s degree from the State University of New York at Purchase College and her Master’s degree in Trombone Performance from New York University.

In addition to performing, Taja discovered a deep love for music education while working at French Woods Festival of the Performing Arts. She is dedicated to sharing her knowledge and passion with the next generation of musicians.

A versatile performer, Taja excels in jazz, hip hop, r&b, classical, contemporary and broadway styles. She has graced some of New York City’s most renowned stages, including Carnegie Hall, Birdland, Roulette, the DiMenna Center, NYU Skirball, and Jazz at Lincoln Center.

Extremely accomplished and highly sought after, bassist/composer Booker King has toured the world laying down thunderous grooves across multiple genres of music. From orchestral melodies to fusion funk to metal anthems, Booker’s signature bass lines are not only visceral expressions of the compositions, but of the stories within the music. His resume features recordings and performances with Santana, Paul Simon, Angelique Kidjo, Billy Cobham, Jane Siberry, Defunkt Big Band, Yoko Kanno, Corey Glover, Dean Brown, Mary Wilson, Stephanie Mills, Bill Sims and the American Roots Orchestra, Femi Kuti, Bobby Caldwell, Lila Downs among others. Now, Booker is thrilled to join the monster band, Sonic Universe and his phenomenal playing can be heard on their debut album, “It Is What It Is.”