Katherine McCann, Writer/Producer/Vocalist
Katherine was one of 36 vocalists from around the world selected to participate in the 2007 Yale Cabaret Conference, created by former Manhattan club owner Erv Raible (Eighty Eight’s, Don’t Tell Mama, The Duplex) in partnership with the Yale School of Drama and Yale Repertory Theatre. She has had the life-changing pleasure of training with consummate performers including Julie Wilson, Tovah Feldshuh, Jason Graae, and Laurel Masse, and master pianists/arrangers Hubert “Tex” Arnold, Alex Rybeck and Ron Abel. Katherine studied voice with tenor Denes Striny (NY) and soprano Marilyn Cotlow (DC), has worked as a singer for church services, weddings and parties, and as a vocalist for alternative ensembles. She has performed in various showcases, most recently the 2007 and 2008 D.C. Cabaret Network Showcases at the Arts Club of Washington. A graduate of the Studio Theatre Acting Conservatory, her recent acting credits include Mrs. Hale in Trifles and Nanette in For All Time, part of the American Century Theater production Drama Under the Influence; Lily in Theatre Lab’s Washington Premiere of the Ahrens/Flaherty musical A Man of No Importance; and Allison (u/s) in the Studio Theater Second Stage production of Crestfall. Katherine is an Artistic Associate of the Journeymen Theater and a member of the D.C. Cabaret Network.
George Fulginiti-Shakar, Music Direction/Arrangements/Orchestration/Piano
Nationally renowned music director, composer, and pianist George Fulginiti-Shakar won the 2007 Helen Hayes Award for his outstanding musical direction of Cabaret at Arena Stage, where he is an Affiliated Artist. In addition to music directing many shows at Arena, such as Damn Yankies, South Pacific and Camelot, George’s credits include The National Portrait Gallery’s grand re-opening production of 1776; Ford Theatre’s Christmas Carol; the Shakespeare Theatre’s historic presentation of The Oedipus Plays at the Athens Theatre Festival; and The Long Season at the Public Theater in New York and the Perseverance Theater in Juneau, Alaska. He has also worked at The Kennedy Center, Studio Theatre, Woolly Mammoth Theatre, Source Theatre and Roundhouse Theatre. George has received seven Helen Hayes Award nominations for his work in musical theater and was chosen for the Theatre Communications Group Artists Bulletin for Music Directors, Composers and Arrangers in Washington, DC. He is Board President of the D.C. Cabaret Network and was recently listed among 15 artists credited as being “pioneers of cabaret in America” by Cabaret Ville, an international magazine published by the Federation of American Musicians, Singers and Performing Artists. In addition, George serves as Choral Master for the International Soldier Shows Tours and is a member of the folk sextet Bright Morning Star.
Steven Scott Mazzola, Stage Direction
The Associate Artistic Director of the American Century Theater, Steven Scott Mazzola has directed several productions for this company including Drama Under the Influence: Celebrating Women Playwrights of the Prohibition Era, A Flag is Born and Tea and Sympathy. For the Shakespeare Theatre Company, he served as assistant director for the company’s production of Love’s Labor’s Lost at the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Courtyard Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, and directed the company’s ReDiscovery Series and The South East Project. His production of A Street Car Named Desire with the Keegan Theatre traveled to the Galway Arts Festival in Ireland. For the Washington Shakespeare Company, Steven directed The Royal Hunt of the Sun (which featured original music by Washington Sängerbund Conductor Mariano Vales) and In the Summerhouse. He has also worked with Theatre J, Imagination Stage, Charter Theatre, MetroStage, Theatre Alliance, and Source Theater.
Hubert “Tex” Arnold, Arrangements
A New York based pianist, arranger, conductor and composer, Hubert “Tex” Arnold’s credits include writing and directing the legendary Margaret Whiting’s radio, television, recording and symphony orchestra performances, for over 25 years. He has also played and/or conducted for Larry Adler, Sally Mayes, Ruth Brown, Sally Ann Howes, Marilyn Michaels, Julius LaRosa, Rita Moreno, Carol Hall, Dick Shawn, Laurel Masse and Melissa Erico, among many others. Tex was the music director for the O’Neill Theater Center’s concerts in St. Petersburg, Russia, featuring the songs of Johnny Mercer performed by a company of American artists including Julie Wilson and wrote orchestrations for the Lincoln Center American Songbook Series and the Carnegie Hall tributes to the songwriting teams of Comden & Green and Alan & Marilyn Bergman.
Bruno Nasta, Violin
Bruno Nasta has performed/contracted with The Three Tenors, Three Irish Tenors, 3 Mo Tenors, Luciano Pavarotti, The Who, The Moody Blues, Yes, Gloria Estafan, Tony Bennett, Ray Charles, Lyle Lovett, Denyce Graves, Josh Groban, John Denver and Liza Minnelli to name just a few. He is featured on Eva Cassidy’s “Imagine” and “American Tune” CDs, multi-platinum selling recordings, and has recorded for the Intersound Label as Concertmaster of The Taliesan Orchestra which received a #1 position on Billboards record ratings for three weeks in the summer of 1997 for the classical crossover category. Bruno was the solo violin player on the Grammy-award-winning CD “Bon Apetite” by Kathy Fink/Marcy Marxter and won the 2003 Washington Area Music Association Wammie for best classical artist. Currently, he is the Music Contractor for the National Gallery of Art, Personnel Director of National Gallery Orchestra, and a performer with the Richmond Chamber Players in residence at the Virginia Museum of fine Arts. As well as maintaining a vigorous freelancing schedule, Bruno is the Violinist with Impresario and the Gypsy Strings and is very active in the Washington and Baltimore recording, Opera and Theater circuits.
Matt Murray, Bass
Bassist Matt Murray has a Bachelor’s of Music in Double Bass Performance from Lawrence University in Appleton WI and a Masters of Music in Double Bass Performance from The New England Conservatory In Boston MA. He arrived in Washington DC in 2000 after getting a job with the US Air Force Band. In addition to the Air Force Band he regularly freelances in the DC area in a wide variety of styles and ensembles.
