Music & Theater

I’m a pianist/conductor, music director, accompanist, and generally can do whatever is needed musically. My main instrument is piano/keyboards (40+ years of mileage, including classical training, jazz improv, etc.) but I play others too.

Shows I’m Working On Now or Soon

Now playing: Pal Joey at Altarena Playhouse, Alameda, CA! Review in the Alameda Post, and our teaser trailer below!

Returning in August 2024: Cantos de Mi Tierra, an all-Spanish-language cabaret, is better than ever and coming to Feinstein’s at the Nikko on August 17! Tickets on sale now!

Here’s a short clip from our original show at Martuni’s…

See below for shows I’ve worked on recently.

Ways I support local theater

Here’s a list of theaters in the Bay Area I frequent and/or subscribe to.

I hope the advice in my book Piano/Conductor: So They Talked You Into Being Music Director will be useful to both new and experienced Music Directors. The link is to purchase hardcopy on Amazon, but you can download the PDF for free.
If you’re a musical theater actor but not a pianist/MD, you may find helpful this subset of chapters focusing on how the MD works with performers on both the technical and dramatic aspects of performing theater music.
I maintain Audience1st, the open-source ticketing/subscription/donation management/CRM for small theaters.
Much of what I learned serving on Boards and Advisory Boards of various theaters is summarized in my open-source Small Theater Growth & Development Field Manual.

Musical Direction Credits (* = original orchestration or reduction)

* Pal Joey (Altarena Playhouse, dir. Laura Morgan), Mar/Apr 2024
Sondheim On Sondheim (Contra Costa Civic Theatre, dir. Marilyn Langbehn), Aug/Sep 2023
Ruthless! The Musical (Altarena Playhouse, dir. Dana Anderson), Mar/Apr 2023
Camelot (Contra Costa Civic Theatre, dir. Diana Trotter), Sep/Oct 2022
* The Pajama Game (42nd Street Moon, dir. Becky Potter), BATCC Finalist Music Direction, May/June 2022
La Cage Aux Folles (Altarena Playhouse, dir. Noah Haydon), Mar/Apr 2022
~~Sunday In the Park With George (Gatehouse Theatre, dir. Rachel Pospíšil), June/July 2020~~ Cancelled due to COVID-19
~~Dreamgirls (Altarena Playhouse, dir. ShawnJ West), May/June 2020~~ Cancelled due to COVID-19
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson (Custom Made Theatre Co., dir. Brian Katz), Sep/Oct 2019
* Guys and Dolls (Altarena Playhouse, dir. Stewart Lyle), Mar/Apr 2018
In the Heights (Contra Costa Civic Theatre, dir. Ryan Weible), TBA Finalist Music Direction, Direction, Best Musical, Best Ensemble, Jul/Aug 2017
* Chess (Custom Made Theatre Co., dir. Brian Katz), BATCC Winner Music Direction, Ensemble, Best Overall (SF), Best Overall (entire Bay Area), Sep/Oct 2016
Next to Normal (Custom Made Theatre Co., dir. Brian Katz), BATCC Finalist Music Direction, Sep/Oct 2013
Rent (Altarena Playhouse, dir. Stewart Lyle), Mar/Apr 2013
The Fantasticks (Altarena Playhouse, dir. Stewart Lyle), Oct/Nov 2012
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Altarena Playhouse, dir. Stewart Lyle), Mar/Apr 2011
* Man of La Mancha (Altarena Playhouse, dir. Stewart Lyle), Feb-Apr 2010
* Gypsy (Altarena Playhouse, dir. Christina Lazo), Mar/Apr 2009
Chicago (Altarena Playhouse, dir. Christina Lazo), Mar/Apr 2008
Sweeney Todd (St. Mary’s College, dir. Reid Davis), Apr 2009
* Assassins (Custom Made Theater Co., dir. Brian Katz), TBA Top Ten, Jun/Jul 2007
The Last Five Years (Altarena Playhouse, dir. Corrie Lenn Borris), May/Jun 2007
You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown (Altarena Playhouse, dir. Ron Lytle), May/Jun 2006
Merrily We Roll Along (Altarena Playhouse, dir. Phil Lowery), Oct/Nov 2006
* The Man Who Saved Christmas (Altarena Playhouse, dir. Ron Lytle), Dec 2006
Cabaret (Altarena Playhouse, dir. Phil Lowery), Sep/Oct 2005
* Oh My Godmother! (Altarena Playhouse, dir. Ron Lytle), Jul/Aug 2005
Company (Altarena Playhouse, dir. Phil Lowery), Mar/Apr 2004
Company (Haste Street Players, dir. Phil Lowery), 1998
Bye Bye Birdie (Baker House Productions at MIT, dir. Liz Ambrogi), Apr 1990
Chicago (Baker House Productions at MIT, dir. Ben DeSousa), Apr 1989
Guys and Dolls (Baker House Productions at MIT, dir. Ben DeSousa), Apr 1988

Other Original Reductions for Small Theater Pits: Oklahoma! (Contra Costa Civic Theatre, 1998)

I Play Some Instruments

I play piano and keyboards very well, drums reasonably well, single reeds (clarinet and tenor/alto sax) not very well at all, and I’m slowly getting better on accordion, harmonica, and tin whistle.

As a really young kid, I tried to self-teach playing by ear on those cheap air-powered 70s home organs. We started with one of these Magnus mini-organs (2 octaves, 6 major chords), then upgraded to a GTR organ (3 octaves, 7 sets of major/minor/dominant-7th chords), and finally a Baldwin 2-manual “Interlude with FunMachine”.

I started classical piano training at age 5 with private instructors and later completed the Mannes College of Music (now part of the New School) Certificate Program including piano performance with concert pianist and educator Michael Boriskin and others, ensemble, theory, ear training, orchestration, choir, chamber performance, …the whole enchilada.

My graduation recital tracks are representative of that era, when my technical chops were slightly more in shape than now but my musicality was less developed. My jazz improvisation is decent; I still aspire to solo effectively over the Coltrane changes. I am a strong sightreader and I love to accompany soloists and participate in chamber music parties for fun.

I’ve been keyboardist and drummer (sometimes simultaneously) for original & cover bands Spoon, Reminiscent Jam, and More At Eleven, all MIT Battle of the Bands Finalists in 1990, 1987, and 1988 respectively.

My vintage 80s synthesizers (Roland Juno-106, Roland D-50, Yamaha DX7) used in those bands have a new lease on life in my 80s cover band Disposable Pop (currently on hiatus). Sure, I know those sounds are all available in software now, but where’s the charm in that?