A "must-see" theatre experience for young audiences!
New Song! Step inside the recording studio with Brad:
Melissa Rose Hirsch & Christopher Hlinka (Authors) have been artistic collaborators since meeting at Marymount Manhattan College. They are thrilled to see "Bradical and the Pink Socks" come to life through the visions of this creative team! Based loosely on a personal story from Christopher's youth, this tale reveals the power that comes with inner confidence. Together, Melissa and Christopher have committed themselves to infusing confidence into young kids. It's collaborations like this that Christopher and Melissa hope will create and inspire the next generation of dreamers. We all need to strive to be a little more like Brad!
Preston Max Allen (Original Songs & Lyrics) is a writer and composer whose work has been featured at Lincoln Center, the New Amsterdam Theatre, Signature Theatre, Musical Theatre Factory, New York Musical Festival, Feinstein's/54 Below, and Joe's Pub. Preston conceived, wrote, and composed "We Are The Tigers" (Hudson Backstage, L.A. Stage Alliance Ovation Winner, Best Lyrics/Composition), "Never Better" (NYMF Developmental Reading Series), and "Carrie 2: The Rage, An Unauthorized Musical Parody" (Underscore Theatre, Jeff Nominee Best New Musical). Upcoming projects include music/lyrics/book for "Agent 355" (collaborator Jessica Kahkoska).
Sammy Lopez (Co-Director/Producer) is dedicated to telling diverse stories that inspire social change. He is a producer and director, working in Los Angeles & New York City. Current projects: "Be More Chill" on Broadway, "Gun And Powder" heading to the Signature Theatre in 2020, and "Bradical and the Pink Socks". He on the social media team at Marathon Digital, representing Broadway shows and other live entertainment clients in NYC and around the world. Recently, he spent time in L.A. developing the social media strategy at Center Theatre Group's Mark Taper Forum, Ahmanson Theatre, and the Kirk Douglas Theatre. Previously, he was the Associate Producer for the musical "Bandstand," winner of the 2017 Tony Award® for Best Choreography, as well as a recipient of the 2017 Rising Star Fellowship with The Broadway League. He was the Producing Artistic Director & Co-Founder of Diverging Elements Theatre Co., a non-profit dedicated to creating theatre experiences for young audiences that spark thought, stimulate discussion, and initiate change. Under his direction, they developed new shows at Barnes and Noble (where "Bradical" was born), Strand Book Store, Book Culture, The Children's Museum of Manhattan, and JCC Manhattan. He is a proud graduate of the L.A. County High School for the Arts, Theatre 360, and Syracuse University. For more, visit sammy-lopez.com & hlp.nyc.
Melissa Jessel (Co-Director/Producer) is a New York City-based performer, writer, and director. She is proud to have produced educational theatre over the last five years in New York, Massachusetts, and California that has created space for important conversations. Her proudest piece brings suffragist Inez Milholland to life and encourages viewers to exercise their right to vote. “Inez: The Suffrage Herald” (written, directed, and produced by Melissa) has been seen in schools, festivals, and Off-Broadway. Performance credits include The North Shore Music Theatre, The Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and "The Awesome 80's Prom" in NYC. Melissa is a proud graduate of the Syracuse University School of Drama. Melissa spends her days stretching her creative mind in a different way, leading lululemon's mobile retail strategy across North America. She brings lululemon's product and culture to hundreds of thousands of new people each year. See more at #thetesttruck and #lululemoninmotion.
Penny Wildman (Choreographer) Hailing from the East Coast, Penny is a Choreographer, DJ, & Producer. Choreography credits include Ryan Murphy’s FEUD: Bette & Joan, “Annie” at The Hollywood Bowl (Associate), “Merrily We Roll Along” at The Wallis Theatre (Associate), Enrique Iglesias, Marian Hill, Todrick Hall, Laidback Luke, Weird Al Yankovic, MirandaSings, etc. Educational Choreography credits include The Boston Conservatory, PACE University, Princeton University, Broadway Dreams Foundation, etc. Penny has produced marketing campaigns for the likes of Major Lazer, Smino, Tiesto, Gucci Mane, and beyond. She has also appeared on London’s West End in “West Side Story” & toured with the production throughout the US & Europe. Penny digitally releases original dance concept videos under the series entitled #PennyWildWednesdays, and you can find her original music on all streaming platforms. Say hi at @PennyWildMusic!
Ross Baum (Music Director & Arrangements) is thrilled to be working on "Bradical!" His musical scores include: "Gun & Powder" (2018 Richard Rodgers Award, 2018 NAMT Festival, Signature Theatre's Sigworks Lab), "Crowndation: I Will Not Lie To David" (National Black Theatre), "Anne Frank: My Secret Life" and "A Letter To Auntie Rosa" (Diverging Elements Theatre Company). He was selected as winner of NY City Center’s Sondheim Remix contest and Disney/NMI's 2018 New Voices Project. As founder and music director of RANGE a cappella, he has provided vocal arrangements for Nickelodeon, Sesame Street, Billboard, Playbill, the E! Network, and a YouTube channel totaling 30 million views. Ross is a proud graduate of NYU’s Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program, Syracuse University’s Musical Theatre Program, and the BMI Workshop.
Ben Holtzman (Producer) is a New York City based producer, director, and content creator passionate about telling authentic stories and collaborating with first-rate emerging artists. He is currently represented on Broadway as a co-producer of “Be More Chill”. Ben also works with legendary producer/director Hal Prince. With Hal, he’s worked on the 2017 production of “Candide” at New York City Opera as well as “Prince of Broadway” at Manhattan Theatre Club. Ben also worked with Hal on writing his memoir, ‘Sense of Occasion’, which was released in September of 2017. Ben is a founder and executive producer of RANGE a cappella. With RANGE, Ben has arranged and produced music videos for Nickelodeon, Sesame Street, Playbill, Billboard, and the E! Network’s 2015 Oscars Live from the Red Carpet. RANGE has over 50k subscribers on YouTube and their music videos have been viewed over 30 million times. Ben produced RANGE’s first studio album, RANGE volume one, which is available on iTunes, Spotify, and Amazon. Ben is the recipient of the 2019 T. Fellowship for Creative Producing in association with Columbia University School of the Arts and serves on the advisory board for The BringAbout. Ben is a proud graduate of Professional Performing Arts School and the Syracuse University School of Drama. For more, visit ben-holtzman.com & hlp.nyc.
Simpson & Longthorne Theatricals (General Managers) is a boutique producing and general management firm founded by partners Benjamin Simpson and Joseph Longthorne. For more: sltheatricals.com