Kim Rich, Lyrics & Libretto

Kim Rich is a professional libretist/lyricist and a musician. She has written lyrics for several operas, musicals and song cycles. She graduated from ChoirCollege in Princeton, New Jersey and she’s a member of American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP).

Kim Rich contributes music, lyrics, poetry and sketches to various singers, performance artists, and cabaret acts. She is also seen on stage as a cabaret performer herself. Kim Rich has worked with Gregg Smith and Heikki Sarmanto for a long time.

Heikki Sarmanto, Music

Heikki Sarmanto has worked with top names in jazz, including Sonny Rollins, Art Farmer and Helen Merrill (she recorded also with Quincy Jones) and performed at top venues like Carnegie Hall and Queen Elisabeth Hall (critic Ed Martin). Concerto for tenor saxophone, composed by Sonny Rollins was arranged & orchestrated by Mr Sarmanto. Premier was in Tokio, Japan in 1986 with TV broadcasting and videos, conducted by Mr Sarmanto with Nippon symphony orchestra. 

He collaborated closely with choir stalwart Gregg Smith and New York based Opera Ebony. He has contracts also with EMI and Warner. He has studied in Sibelius Academy Helsinki and he also studied in Berklee College of Music in Boston (advising Herbie Hancock to have the same piano teacher, Margareth Shaloff, what he had).   

The University of Minnesota arranged The Heikki Sarmanto Festival, a week of Sarmanto's music and master classes. In 1997, the university established the Heikki Sarmanto Fund to give grants to budding American composers. Mr. Sarmanto has been recognized as a top professional receiving countless accolades, top prize for pianist at Montreux Jazz festivals and having his works performed internationally around the world, for example Suomi-Symphony at Carnegie Hall, New Hope Jazz Mass in New York (New York Times was giving exellent statements of it, it is dedicated John Coltrane and Duke Ellington) and in South Africa. Like a Fragonard and Counterbalance were chosen the best Jazz albums in England. In 2009, Heikki Sarmanto received the PRO FINLANDIA medal from President Tarja Halonen. He has toured the United States, Europe, Latin America, Asia and Africa and continues to actively expand his musical horizons.

Howard Cherpakov, Casting Director

Howie Cherpakov is an Artios Award winning independent casting director based in New York City and member of the Casting Society of America. His Broadway credits include: Next Fall (2010 Artios Award Nomination-Outstanding Casting/Broadway Drama), The Seafarer, Coram Boy, Chicago, and Annie Get Your Gun (2000 Tony Award-Best Revival of a Musical). Off Broadway / Regional /  International credits include: Found (Atlantic Theatre Co.-Artios Award Nomination), Bright Star (Old Globe Theatre-Artios Award Nomination), Fault Lines (Winner 2009 Artios Award-Outstanding Casting Off-Broadway Comedy) (Naked Angels/Cherry Lane Theatre), This Isn’t Romance (Soho Theatre/London), the world premiere of Ahrens’ & Flaherty’s The Glorious Ones (Lincoln Center Theatre & Pittsburgh Public Theatre), Rock Doves, A Tribute to Brian Friel, A Terrible Beauty (Irish Arts Center) & The Opposite of Sex (Magic Theatre).  Mr Cherpakov has also cast over 65 new plays & musicals for the Powerhouse Theatre season at New York Stage & Film, including new works by Eric Bogosian, Richard Nelson, John Patrick Shanley, and for such directors as Judith Ivey, David Schwimmer, Alex Timbers, Michael Wilson, Sam Gold, Barry Edelstein, Kate Whoriskey, Scott Elliott, Peter DuBois, David Esbjornson, Daniel Aukin and Doug Hughes, among others.

Andy Peterson, Musical Director

Andy is a New York based composer, musical director, arranger and orchestrator originally hailing from the Land Down Under. He was directing the 29hour Reading of Manon in February 2018 at Theatre Row. Composer credits: Razorhurst (Luna Stage), Stalker: The Musical (New York, Chicago, [upcoming] Sydney), Outlaw  (in workshops). Selected Musical Director/Arranger/Orchestrator credits: OFF-BROADWAY: Red Roses, Green Gold (currently playing Minetta Lane Theatre), Atomic (Theatre Row). NEW YORK/REGIONAL: More Than All The World (Theatre for the New City), Night Tide (NYMF), Shaken, Not Stirred (The Django), Thrill Me (Luna Stage), Grindr: The Opera (CMTF), Baby Fat (La Mama). INTERNATIONAL: Sinbad: The Musical (arranger/orchestrator for the Malaysian Tour), Kiss Me, Kate (conductor for the Chinese Tour), Bare (Sydney), Pippin (Sydney).  FILM: Happy Yummy Chicken (starring Taryn Manning from Orange Is The New Black)  http://andypetersonmusic.com.au 

Manon in Manhattan 29 Hour Reading (2 performances) in February 2018 was featuring:

Jillian Gottlieb as Manon, Dan Tracy as David,

P.J. Griffith as Lescaut, Matt Hetherington as David Grey Senior,

Charissa Hogeland as Madalena, James David Larson as Jonathan

Terrance Johnson, James David Larson, Tara Martinez, Joseph Redman and Chloe Tucker. 

The Band: