Drama Department: King David Oratorio

King David Biographies

Composer: Alan Menken; Lyrics: Tim Rice

David: Michael Parker
Saul: Stephen Mitchell Brown
Abner: Bill Fair
Michal: Shea Johnson
Joab: Dustin Lewis
Samuel: H. Thomas McDaniel
Bathsheba: Bethany Hayes Smith

Jonathan: Ryan Swearingen
Absalom: David White
Goliath: Thomas Ward
Music Director: Don Johnson
Conductor: Dr. Richard Bell
Director: Mark Smith
Scenic Designer: David Utley
Lighting Designer: Warren Flynn

Alan Menken

(COMPOSER), who has won more Academy Awards than any other living person, is world renowned as the composer of the songs and scores to The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Newsies, Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Hercules and Home On the Range as well as the songs to the stage and film versions of Little Shop of Horrors. Currently running on Broadway Beauty and the Beast; entering its 12th year. Other work includes the long running Madison Square Garden Theatre and NBC made for TV film productions of A Christmas Carol, plus the stage productions of King David, God Bless You Mr. Rosewater, Real Life Funnies, The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz, Weird Romance and Der Glöckner Von Notre Dame. In addition to winning 8 Oscars, he has been nominated 14 times. He has also won 7 Golden Globes and 10 Grammys as well as the London Evening Standard, Olivier, New York Drama Critics and Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards. His other achievements include: Billboard's # 1 album (Pocahontas ) and # 1 single (A Whole New World ). Upcoming projects include stage versions of Leap of Faith, Sister Act, The Little Mermaid, an ABC television production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame and the newly remade Disney film A Shaggy Dog.

Tim Rice

(LYRICS) was born in 1944. He began songwriting in 1965, the same year he met fellow budding songwriter Andrew Lloyd Webber. They teamed up and wrote 4 musicals together from 1965-1978 (The Likes Of Us, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus Christ Superstar, and Evita. Feeling certain that they could never top this lot, the pair went their separate ways in the early eighties. Rice then wrote Blondel, Chess, Starmania. In the nineties he worked primarily and happily with the Disney empire: contributing lyrics to the movies Aladdin (music Alan Menken) and The Lion King, (music Elton John and Hans Zimmer) and to the stage shows Beauty and the Beast (Alan Menken), The Lion King, and Aida (both Sir Elton). Between Disney commitments he wrote the words for Heathcliff. Rice is currently reworking the operatic musical King David, which he wrote with Alan Menken and is also reworking Chess for both stage and screen. Rice lives in London and Cornwall, has three children, his own cricket team, and a knighthood.

Michael Parker

(DAVID) is a 1995 graduate of Kentucky Christian College where he studied voice under Mark Deakins and Vacille Venetotzi. He was also a member and music director of their premier traveling vocal group "Destiny" for two years. Mike then moved to Indianapolis, IN to record and travel with "The Watchmen" quartet. After a year-long stint, he relocated to Lexington , KY to work as music director for Northern Heights Christian Church. While in Lexington , he directed two sold out performances of Scrooge, The Stingiest Man In Town . Since leaving Lexington over seven years ago, Mike has served as the Creative Arts Director and worship leader for Community Christian Church in Sharpsburg, GA where he has produced one worship recording for their Student Ministry and one solo recording entitled Here Am I . Mike is married to his lovely wife Julie and has one son, Ethan.

Stephen Mitchell Brown

(SAUL) comes straight from playing the Beast in Disney's Beauty & The Beast at the Fireside Theatre in Fort Atkinson , WI . This past Christmas he had the honor of being a vocalist behind Linda Eder at her concert at the Palace Theatre on Broadway. Leading roles in two national tours including Chauvelin in The Scarlet Pimpernel and "Leadville" Johnny Brown in The Unsinkable Molly Brown . New York credits include the serial comedy The MacGuffin?, Romeo & Juliet: A New Musical by Terrence Mann and Jerome Korman, and Road at Present Street Theatre Company. Regional credits include Capt. Albert Lennox in The Secret Garden at Theatre By The Sea, Ravenal in Showboat , Barrett in Titanic , Cinderella's Prince / Wolf in Into The Woods , Thurston Wheelis, et al. in Greater Tuna (done with Mark Smith), Terry Conner in Side Show , Oliver Hix (Quartet) in The Music Man , and featured roles in Guys & Dolls, Joseph...Dreamcoat , and The Lost Colony . He can also be seen in the film A Beautiful Mind . A graduate of Muhlenberg College in Allentown , PA , he now resides in NYC with his wife, Leah. www.stephenmitchellbrown.com

Bill Fair

(ABNER) was born in Augusta , Georgia but moved to Atlanta nine years ago, following law school. When not running a private law practice, he spends as much time as is humanly possible pursuing his real passion - singing. He studies voice with Walter Huff, chorus master for the Atlanta Opera and has been seen in several Atlanta Opera performances including Otello , Un Ballo in Maschera , and Falstaff . He has also performed lead roles in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat , Babes in Arms , You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown and 1940's Radio Hour . Bill also traveled internationally with the contemporary Christian group, The Continental Singers. When not performing on-stage, Bill fills up his "free time" with on-camera, print and voiceover work. He is a member of Buckhead Community Church , where he is part of the praise and worship team for Upstreet, the children's ministry within the church. He is very excited to be part of this production of King David Oratorio !

Shea Johnson

(MICHAL) is originally from Alabama . Shea recently relocated from California and is thrilled to be back home in the South. While touring with domestic and international theatre companies, the USO or her big band/jazz cabaret, Shea's career has taken her to over fifty countries. Her music theatre roles include Betty Blake in Will Rogers' Follies , Lyla in Radio Days , Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors , Dinah Shore and Pattie Page in Nostalgia , and the mezzo in the Atlanta Lyric's 25 Years of Gilbert and Sullivan . Vocally, she has studied with Ray Holcomb of Julliard, Charoline Khella of New York City Opera and Atlanta 's own Bruce Stephens. Shea has opened for Harry Connick Jr., the Smothers Brothers, headlined the QEII, Laguna's Afternoon of Jazz and The Stork Club. Currently, Shea is a fine arts instructor, continues on the stage in theatrical roles and you may spot her on television as a commercial actress. However, the roles closest to her heart are that of wife to Don, mommy to four-year-old daughter, Avery, and ever grateful child of God.

Dustin Lewis

(JOAB) started performing at the age of 9 and by the age of 16 had performed or helped produce over 60 productions. He attended Butler University for a short time and started performing professionally at the age of 18 with Busch Gardens in Williamsburg , VA. He has performed on Royal Caribbean and Cunard Cruise lines as both lead dancer and singer. In Atlantic City Dustin was lead dancer in Dick Clark's American Bandstand Live! . After a move to NYC, he landed the Broadway hit, Miss Saigon , in Stuttgart , Germany covering 12 roles and singing in German. He covered and performed all the roles of the brothers in the original German production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and can also be heard on the cast recording. While in Germany he performed in Larry Hart's Sisterella. produced by Michael Jackson. Dustin founded the At Home Players dinner theatre outside of Chicago having produced, directed, choreographed and performed in The All Night Strut and Some Enchanted Evening . One of his favorite roles to date was the Chicago premier of Pageant, working with writer Bill Russell ( Side Show ) and original choreographer Warren Carlyle. Other favorite roles include: My Way (Man #1); Into the Woods (Rapunzel's Price); Honk! (Drake/Bullfrog); Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up? ( Eddie); Das Barbecu (Segfried/Various Roles); and Assassins (John Hinkely, Jr.). Currently Dustin resides in Illinois and is working on his Cabaret entitled In My Life .

H. Thomas McDaniel

(SAMUEL) draws upon a diverse musical background to produce the sound you hear today. His earliest influences came during childhood, singing southern gospel around the piano with his family, participating in church choirs, and, of course, listening to Elvis records. Later, during his years as a student, came a more formal classical training. In the 70's, after a hitch in the Marine Corps, he sang lead with the rock band Haywire. In the years following, Thomas sang extensively in spiritual presentations, musical stage productions, and even performed in concert with local opera groups. Theatrically, he has been seen around Atlanta as Michael in I Do, I Do ; El Gallo in The Fantastiks ; Ronnie Frank in Della's Diner ; and Johnny Cantone in 1940's Radio Hour . Thomas is a native of South Atlanta, growing up in Hapeville , GA. He currently resides in Newnan , GA with his wife and best friend, Sharon. They have three daughters: Kelly, Maureen, and Sarah and one granddaughter, Keara. Thomas is employed by Delta Air Lines as an International Customer Service Agent. Thomas' wish is for you, the listener, to experience the same joy as he does in performing for you.

Bethany Hayes Smith

(BATHSHEBA) recently moved to Atlanta with her husband, Mark, from New York City , where she lived for seven years as a professional singer, actor, dancer, and choreographer. While in New York City , Bethany starred in a solo cabaret of new works entitled Uncharted Territory . Favorite regional acting credits include Into the Woods (Witch); Smokey Joe's Café (Shimmy Girl); Annie (Lily St. Regis); and The Taffetas (Kaye). Most recently she had the privilege of performing at the Fabulous Fox Theatre with Atlanta 's Theatre of the Stars in Disney's Beauty and the Beast . Bethany has toured the world on Carnival, Princess, Cunard and Saga Holidays cruise lines as a principal vocalist and dance captain. She is also an award-winning choreographer and a member of Dance Educators of America. She has choreographed for various professional theatres, universities, theme parks, special events, show choirs and dance teams. She currently teaches and choreographs for Doris Russell School of the Performing Arts in Tyrone , GA. One of her favorite "gigs" to date was performing for the NBA's Indiana Pacers as an Indiana Pacemate. In addition to performing, Bethany started her own entertainment company for special events and birthday parties, Purple Umbrella Entertainment (purpleumbrellaentertainment.com).

Ryan Swearingen

(JONATHAN) is honored to be part of this special performance of King David Oratorio . Originally from New Jersey , he holds a BA in theatre, as well as a minor in Broadcast Production, from Abilene Christian University , in Abilene , Texas . He has since called New York City home, working as a professional actor in musical theatre all over the world, beginning with a performing stint on the famed Queen Elizabeth II cruise ship. He was most recently seen onstage as Tommy in The Who's Tommy at Surflight Theatre, following productions of Footloose (Ren McCormick), and Cabaret , both at Trump Plaza in Atlantic City . Favorite roles have included Bat Boy in Bat Boy: The Musical at Stage One, in Wichita , KS , and Dick in Dames at Sea (a joint production of Helen Hayes Theatre Co, in Nyack , NY and Queens Theatre-in-the-Park in Queens , NY ). He has appeared twice at the prestigious Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam , CT, in new productions of Babes in Arms (Dick) and Call Me Madam . He appeared in the national tours of 42nd Street , Titanic (radioman Harold Bride), and Footloose (Travis, Willard u/s) Las Vegas and tour. He performed the last two holiday seasons with the Omaha Symphony in Omaha , NE and has been a soloist at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall.

David White

(ABSALOM) David White, a native of Clinton, Tennessee, has lived and worked in the Atlanta area since 1991. He has performed in various roles and in a variety of venues in the city over the past fifteen years. As a youngster, he spent several summers on the stages of Six Flags over Georgia where he made many lifelong friends. Favorite local roles include Jesus in Godspell, Joseph in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and BJ Gibson in 1940s Radio Hour. David has been featured in several Atlanta area industrials onstage with NBA star Magic Johnson and Nobel Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu. He has been a featured soloist in productions for the Coca-Cola Company as well as the Alliance Theater Company’s 25th Anniversary Show at the Woodruff Arts Center. Local TV credits include solo work for the Lighting of Rich’s Great Tree, Atlanta’s Salute 2 America July 4th Parade, and New Year’s Eve at Underground Atlanta. An administrator in public education, David holds degrees from East Tennessee State University, Oglethorpe University, Clark Atlanta University, and Georgia State University. Currently, David focuses his onstage endeavors to further the causes of worthy charitable organizations. Last month, he performed in a cabaret benefiting AID Atlanta. This Christmas he will be featured in a production for CHRIS Kids Rainbow House Program. In February, 2006 he will perform in the annual benefit “Seasons of Love” at the Roxy in Buckhead. David enjoys studio and voice-over work from time to time and is currently featured on the compilation CD “Together We Make a Difference,” proceeds benefiting AID Atlanta. He is presently recording an album of holiday music. He is proud to be involved with this production of King David Oratorio. Cheers!

Thomas Ward

(GOLIATH) is an actor and writer based in Atlanta , GA where he has worked with Georgia Shakespeare (Macbeth) and Theatre in the Square (Incorruptible) . Other regional credits include the Alabama Shakespeare Festival ( Hamlet, Merry Wives of Windsor , Relative Values, A Midsummer Night's Dream, King John, Much Ado About Nothing, among others), Actors Theatre of Louisville, and the Cumberland County Playhouse. Thomas recently won the Christians in Theatre Arts 2005 Play Development Contest for his full length play Keeping Watch, of which a short adaptation is currently in pre-production with Haven Productions in Nashville TN. Thomas is married to Sherry Jo Ward and they have a son, Christopher.

Don Johnson

(MUSIC DIRECTOR) is Landmark Christian's middle school and high school choral teacher, and he was born and raised in Southern California . He attended the University of Redlands where he studied music and played football. While in California , Mr. Johnson performed and studied with some of the best in the music theater business, including John Raitt, Joanna Gleason, Noel Coward and Carlos Noble. He received his Bachelor of Music degree in vocal performance from the New England Conservatory of Music. He has performed both nationally and internationally on the operatic and musical theater stage. His biggest thrill though has come from fulfilling his dream of teaching in the performing arts and coaching football. Mr. Johnson is also the head coach for the LCS Middle School football team. Mr. Johnson is active in music ministry and also teaches private voice lessons.

Dr. Richard Bell

(CONDUCTOR) is founder and conductor of the Southern Crescent Symphony Orchestra. He is in his 23rd year as a music educator in Georgia where he is highly regarded as an educator, conductor, clinician and composer. Richard holds bachelors and masters degrees from Florida State University and a doctoral degree from the University of Georgia . After 21 years in the Clayton County Schools, he began an orchestra program in Henry County at Union Grove Middle and High Schools in 2003. Richard has earned many honors and awards during his career, including: the STAR Teacher Award, the Atlanta Journal Constitution Honor Teacher Nomination and the Wal-Mart Foundation Teacher of the Year Award.

Mark Smith

(DIRECTOR) This is Mark's second year as the theatre arts and film teacher at Landmark Christian School . He recently moved to Atlanta from New York City , where he was pursuing a career as a director and actor. Mark graduated from Abilene Christian University in Abilene , TX with a BA in theatre in 1998. After graduation he had the honor of performing with various professional theatres in New York, Virginia, Texas, Kentucky, and North Carolina . He toured internationally for three years with California Theatre Center, an award-winning children's theatre based out of Sunnyvale, CA. Favorite roles include Arles Struvie in Greater Tuna , Macduff in Macbeth , and Jewell Estes in the southwest premiere of Floyd Collins . Favorite directing credits include Driving Miss Daisy , Schoolhouse Rock Live! , Schoolhouse Rock Live Too!, Landmark Christian's production of Seussical , and the RSC's adaptation of Peter Pan for Jenny Wiley Theatre. His production of The Tempest was voted "Best Play of the Year" by the Abilene Reporter News in Abilene, TX for its 2002-2003 theatre season. He is married to Bethany Smith, a professional choreographer and actress. Learn more at www.marksmith76.com.

David Utley

(SCENIC DESIGNER) is a native of Durham, North Carolina and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre from Abilene Christian University. He is currently a third year graduate student at The University of Texas at Austin and will receive his M.F.A in Scene Design this upcoming May. He is a founding member of the Itinerant Theatre Group with his friend, and colleague Monty Taylor. David's design credits include Disney's Beauty and The Beast, Jesus Christ Superstar, Footloose, Into The Woods, Guys and Dolls, Seussical the Musical (for Landmark Christian School), Hello Dolly, A Grand Night for Singing, Macbeth, A Lie of the Mind, Two Rooms, No Exit, Curse of the Starving Class, Hamlet, The Tempest, Steel Magnolias, You Can't Take It With You, and Much Ado About Nothing. David also recently served as Design Department Production Assistant under Production Designer, Nelson Coates, for Man of the House, starring Tommy Lee Jones.

Warren Flynn

(LIGHTING DESIGNER) is a cross-media lighting designer and programmer currently working on Broadway productions, corporate evens, television, feature films, and live music. As a developer of moving light designs and a collaborator with conventional lighting designers, he has produced light shows recognized as among the finest in the business. He has toured internationally with acts that included Michael Jackson, Paula Abdul, Kiss, and Barbara Streisand. He has worked on productions as diverse as Disney’s The Lion King, Thoroughly Modern Millie, La Cage Aux Folle, Brooklyn, The Radio City Music Hall Easter Extravaganza, the Olympic Games, the Daytime Emmy Awards, the Species feature films—and even lighting the Times Square Ball for New Years Even 2000. His most recent work includes the Tony Award winning production of Wicked: the Untold Story of the Witches of Oz; corporate theatre productions for clients like Wendy’s, Sprint/Nextel, Morgan Stanley, and the 2003 US tour for Dashboard Confessional. Warren lives in Orlando, Florida.