Aaron Alon (book, music, lyrics, arrangements)

Aaron Alon’s classical music has been performed around the world, released on four CDs, and awarded numerous national and international composition honors. Since 2009, he has also been an active playwright and musical theatre composer-lyricist. His recent projects include a full length play (POSITIVE – read in Houston in 2015), as well as several short plays and full-length musicals and musical revues.  He is a member of ASCAP and DGA and is a founding member and president of the Board of Directors of Thunderclap Productions. He holds a doctorate in music composition from Rice University and is an Associate Professor of Music at Lone Star College-CyFair and the Director of the Composition Department at the American Festival for the Arts.

Learn more at aaronalon.com.

Monica Cummings (Ensemble)

Monica Cummings is a vocal performance major and is currently a student at Lone Star College-CyFair. Her love of music started at the age of 9 and continues to grow. Monica’s experiences in musicals and operas include The Marriage of Figaro (chorus), Little Shop of Horrors (Audrey), The Mikado (Pitti Sing), and Phantom of the Opera (La Carlotta) at LSC-CyFair. She is very excited to take the opportunity to be a part of this great project. She plans to transfer to a university in the future to continue to pursue her love of music.

John Dunn (Ensemble)

John Dunn is a UT Austin alum whose theatre roots began in his hometown of New Orleans.  Houston roles include Chinglish (Peter Timms) – Black Lab Theatre, Company (Harry) – Texas Rep; Tamarie Cooper’s Doomsday Revue (Kirk Cameron) – Catastrophic Theatre; Kriegie Wartime Log (Clarence) – Gingerhead Productions; See Rock City (Niagara Guide), The Story of My Life (Alvin) and Reefer Madness (Jack/Jesus) -Theater LaB; The Adding Machine (Shrdlu) – Ornery Theatre; and Dog Sees God… (Beethoven) – Country Playhouse.

Joshua Estrada (Ensemble)

Joshua Estrada is excited to be joining Thunderclap Production’s newest project Bully. He was last seen in their staged reading of WILDE. Joshua most recently played Mike in The Philadelphia Story at Unity Theatre and will soon be performing in Stages Repertory Theatre’s Panto Mother Goose. Last summer he had the privilege of playing the title role in The Wedding Singer with College of the Mainland Theatre. Joshua has been seen on stage at the Alley Theatre in the world premiere of Ether Dome and their annual production of A Christmas Carol. As a company member with The Texas Repertory Theatre he appeared in Art (Yvan), Little Shop of Horrors (Seymour), The Miss Firecracker Contest (Delmount), and Lend Me a Tenor (Max) to name a few. Other Houston credits include Tom Foolery with Main Street Theater and Reefer Madness at Theater LaB. Joshua received his B.F.A. in Theatre from Stephen F. Austin State University.

Brad Goertz (Mr. Bradley, Man 1, Ensemble)

Brad Goertz is a native Houstonian whose recent credits include: Next Fall (Adam) at Obsidian Art Space; Next to Normal (Dan Goodman) and The Great American Trailer Park Musical (Norbert Garstecki) at Stages Repertory Theatre; The Coitus Plays – POST (Dennis) at Obsidian Art Space. Other credits include: Gone Missing (multiple characters) at TheatreLaB; Forever Plaid – Plaid Tidings (Smudge) at Texas Repertory Theatre; RENT (Roger), Hello, Dolly! (Cornelius Hackl) and Little Women – the Musical (John Brooke) at Country Playhouse; Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (Gus Esmond) at BCCM.

Mitchell Greco (Ensemble)

Mitchell Greco is an actor/director living in Houston, TX. He is also Artistic Associate at Stages Repertory Theatre. At Stages, he directed the long running hit Life Could Be a Dream, and served as Assistant Director on Next to Normal and Winter Wonderettes. Directorial credits include The Busy World is Hushed and On the Verge: or the Geography of Yearning at Sam Houston State University, where he earned a BFA in Musical Theatre. Regional credits include A Wonderful Life at TUTS, Sweeney Todd (Tobias) at CAST, [title of show] (Jeff) at Theatre LaB, Plaid Tidings (Jinx) at Texas Repertory Theatre, as well as On the Town, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Finian’s Rainbow, and One Touch of Venus at Bayou City Concert Musicals.

Beth Lazarou (Mrs. Connolly, Woman 1)

Ms. Lazarou is thrilled to join this exciting project and is grateful for a career that has afforded a range of characters! Recent roles include Main Street Theater: Life Is a Dream (Rosaura), Dog Act (Jojo, the Bald-Faced Liar). Stages Repertory Theatre: Panto Red Riding Hood (BaaBra Blacksheep), Panto Pinocchio (Ensemble). Bayou City Concert Musicals: Finian’s Rainbow (Sharon McLonergan). Theater LaB: See Rock City! And Other Destinations (Dodi/Lily), [title of show] (Heidi), Gone Missing (Various Roles), Reefer Madness (Sally), I Sing (Heidi). Masquerade Theatre: RENT (Joanne), Little Women (Jo March), Guys and Dolls (Sarah Brown), Sweeney Todd (The Beggar Woman), Hello Dolly (Irene Molloy), You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown! (Sally Brown). AD Players: Godspell (Gilmer), You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown! (Sally Brown), 84 Charing Cross Road (Meagan Wells). Bayou City Theatrics: The Rocky Horror Show (Janet). The Music Box Theater: The Rocky Horror Show (Eddie/Dr. Scott), Travelsty (Swing). COM Community Theatre: Chicago (Hunyak).  Beth holds an Honors BA in Theatre (Acting and Directing) from the University of Houston, and is a Certified Personal Trainer. Upcoming projects include Panto Mother Goose and The Language Archive at Stages Repertory Theatre.

Natalie Orozco (Ensemble)

Natalie Orozco is currently a student at Lone Star College Cy-Fair. She is honored to be apart of such an inspiring project, and feels privileged to work with such talented performers/composers. She is vice-president of the Lone Star College Glee Club and recently starred in her debut musical performance as Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee). She is currently pursuing a degree in Music Education and hopes to inspire and train young people to be great musical performers. Other interests include spending time with family, traveling and improv.

Amanda Passanante (Mrs. Bradley, Woman 2, Ensemble)

Amanda Passanante is thrilled to be part of the demo recording of Bully, having previously appeared in Aaron Alon’s Wilde! (Connie Wilde US/Ensemble).  Other Houston-area credits include the US Regional Premier of Road Show (Ensemble) and The Great American Trailer Park Musical (Pippi) at Stages Repertory Theatre, as well as Camelot (Guenevere) at Unity Theatre in Brenham. Recently, Amanda had the opportunity to meet and receive feedback from Charles Strouse while portraying “Rebecca” in the regional premier of his updated Rags (Rebecca) at Lyric Stage.  Off-Broadway: Di Yam Gazlonim! (Drama Desk Award-nominated Yiddish adaptation of The Pirates of Penzance).  Regional: Jekyll and Hyde (Lucy), Sunday in the Park with George (Dot/Marie), Sweeney Todd (Johanna).  Amanda is a proud member of Actor’s Equity.  She resides in the Woodlands with her husband, Josh, and golden retriever, Lily.

Lauren Salazar (Ensemble)

Lauren Salazar is a recent graduate of Langham Creek High School (Class of 2012) and is currently a student at Lone Star College-Cyfair, where she is extremely active in Musical Theater, Choir, and the school’s Glee club. She is extremely excited to be a part of such a beautiful and inspiring project and thankful for the wonderful opportunity to work with such talented performers. Previous roles include Cypress Academy of Performing Arts: Little Red (Into The Woods); Langham Creek High School: Napkin #2/Ensemble (Beauty and the Beast), Ensemble (Footloose); Lone Star College-Cyfair: Eva Peron (Evita), Olive Ostrovsky (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee). She is planning to pursue a Musical Theater degree from Sam Houston State University. Her interests include Barbra Streisand, gold stars, baking, and obsessing over television.

Tamara Siler (First Mourner)

Tamara is a veteran of over 50 stage productions in and around the Houston area, most recently playing Hildy in Bayou City Concert Musicals’ On The Town and the title character in Main Street Theater’s acclaimed regional premiere of Caroline, or Change. Tamara graduated from the HSPVA and Rice University, where she is Senior Associate Director of Admission and Coordinator of Minority Recruitment.

Ryan Stowe (Hunter Sikes)

Ryan Kern Stowe is excited to be joining Thunderclap Productions and their newest project, BULLY. Ryan is a senior at Episcopal High School (EHS) and will be attending Vanderbilt University in the Fall of 2014. Productions include: Professor Callahan (Legally Blonde), John Proctor (Crucible),  General Genghis Khan Schmitz and Ensemble (Seussical),  Oberon (Midsummer Night’s Dream), Sailor and Ensemble (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels), Charles Lang (Mr. Happiness and The Water Engine); Cinderella’s Prince and the Wolf (Into the Woods); Willy Wonka (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) and Jafar (Aladdin). Ryan is very passionate about music. He has been playing the piano since the age of 6, playing guitar since he was 12, and songwriting for the last several years. He is the lead vocalist and guitarist for the band “Mile 26”. Ryan is an honor roll student, a member of EHS Honors Council and EHS Senate. Other interest include hunting and traveling.

Christina Stroup (Mrs. Sikes)

Christina is so thrilled to be a part of such a wonderful project! Credits include: Stages Repertory Theatre: The Winter Wonderettes and The Marvelous Wonderettes (Betty Jean), Panto Sleeping Beauty (Mrs. Bookworm); Mainstreet Theater: It’s Only Life (Andrea track), A Catered Affair (Jane Hurley), Light in the Piazza (Franca Naccarrelli); Theater Under The Stars: A Wonderful Life! (Mrs. Martini/Karen), Hello Dolly!; Texas Repertory Theater: Company (Marta), Beehive the musical and Smokey Joe’s Cafe (Patti track); Clinton Area Showboat Theater: Sweeney Todd (Beggar Woman), Chicago (Mama Morton); DLP Productions: Guys and Dolls (Sarah Brown); Old Town Theater: Lend Me A Tenor (Diana). Christina graduated with a B.F.A. in musical theater from Sam Houston State with a minor in music. College credits include: Rent (Joanne), The Secret Garden (Lily), Talk Radio (Linda), The Full Monty (Estelle), Oedipus (Greek Chorus Leader), South Pacific, Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. Christina is an alumni of Broadway Theater Project and was a faculty assistant in 2009. Christina has won several vocal competitions including classical and musical theater NATS.

Eduardo Tercero (Man 2)

Eduardo Alberto Tercero, tenor, a native of Panama City, is described as a “dashing” performer by the Houston Chronicle and was listed in Symphony Magazine’s 2008 Guide to Emerging Artists. Concert Works: Marcus in Robert Nelson’s Nicholas of Myra (world premiere); Piacere in Handel’s Il Trionfo del Tempo e della Verita and Adamo in Scarlatti’s Il Primo Omicidio (Houston premieres); Obidah in Mendelssohn’s Elijah; Handel’s Messiah with the Des Moines and La Cross S.O., Houston Chamber Choir, and Bethany (KS) and Augustana (IL) Colleges; Montiverdi’s Vespro della Beata Vergine with Ars Lyrica Houston; and his Houston Symphony debut as the Narrator in Copland’s The Lincoln Portrait. Recent Appearances: Amahl and the Night Visitors with the River Oaks Chamber Orch.; performances of works by DeLalande and Mondonville with Cecilia Early Music Festival. Frequent performer with Houston Chamber Choir, Ars Lyrica Houston, and Christ Church Cathedral (Houston). Recordings: Newport Classics 2001 recording of Dominick Argento’s Cassanova’s Homecoming; MSR Classics recording of Giovanni Paolo Colonna’s Psalmi ad Vesperas (tenor soloist); solo debut album of of musical theater standards to be released in fall 2013.

Nicholas Leh Baker (Conductor)

During past seasons, Nicholas has appeared as Conductor-in-Residence with the Foundation for Modern Music and the Houston Symphonic Band, where he has held the position of Principal Guest Conductor since 2006 and has also performed as soloist on numerous occasions. He has also been principal conductor of the Sonus Chamber Orchestra and has made guest appearances with the Austin Symphony, Alia Musica Pittsburgh, Rose City Chamber Orchestra, Cabrillo Contemporary Music Festival, Shepherd School of Music, Greater Houston Youth Orchestra, and studio orchestras in LA. Nicholas has also collaborated with such soloists as pianist John Hendrickson, Rick Rowley, and Charlsie Griffiths, violinist Chloe Trevor, Maxine Kuo and members of Tre Voci. He is the violinist and founder of new music ensemble Duo Scordatura. Most recently, he conducted a world premiere work by Federico García at the Cabrillo Festival in Santa Cruz, and in 2010, he hosted the Naxos CD release concert of Avner Dorman. Nicholas studied conducting with Brett Mitchell, Rebecca Miller, other teachers include Gustav Meier, Marin Alsop, Cliff Colnot, and Richard Fiese.

Justin Doran (Director)

Justin Doran has over 100 professional credits regionally and locally as an actor, director, and producer, including have twice directed for Thunderclap Productions.  He also teaches at Rice University and The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts at the University of Houston. He is a member of the Actors Equity Association and the Screen Actors Guild.

Ely BAMS (Cinematographer)

Learn more about Ely BAMS and see samples of his work at his website elybams.com.

Jean-Michel BAMS (Assistant Cinematographer)

Jonathan Schroeder (Lighting Technician)

Erin Volkman (Hair and Makeup)