A Smash Hit!

DAVID JAMES ROBINSON

FOLLIES Production under the Direction of David James Robinson.

In addition to his responsibilities for FOLLIES, Mr. Robinson has directed and produced over 75 theatrical and nightclub productions in New York, Seattle and Las Vegas.  He received his education as part of the Conservatory Theatre Elite Training Program, at the Cornish Institute of Allied Arts, at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York, and at the BMI/Lehman Engel Music Theatre Writers' Workshop.

Mr. Robinson created and wrote segments for "15 Minutes with Andy Warhol" for MTV.  He also wrote and produced a 16-episode cooking series entitled "Learn How to Cook...and Eat Your Mistakes," and appeared in over 60 live cooking segments on NBC-TV in Albany, NY.

In Las Vegas, he was the co-creator, Executive Chef and Owner of three hugely popular supper club venues: The Vegas Room, The Nevada Room Piano Bar & Bistro, and The Nevada Room Showroom. The Vegas Room was named “Best New Arts & Entertainment Venue in Las Vegas” by Las Vegas Weekly in 2021.

Mr. Robinson was also a close friend of composer Stephen Sondheim for many years, making his tie to FOLLIES – and his desire to mount the production in Las Vegas for the first time – that much more personal and important.

About FOLLIES, Mr. Robinson said, “To have the pleasure of bringing Steve’s masterpiece to Las Vegas is such an honor.  Glorious and gothic, FOLLIES has no category or peer.  The cast and crew are so phenomenally talented, and to be able to tell this story in Vegas — the preferred address of the showgirl — is a flabbergasting joy!”

DAVE LOEB

Dave Loeb is director of the Division of Jazz and Commercial Music and a professor of music in the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, School of Music. 

He has performed as a jazz pianist with Arturo Sandoval, Nancy Wilson, Freddie Hubbard, Joe Williams, Tom Harrell, Anita O’Day, Bill Watrous, Tom Scott, Bobby Shew, Karrin Allyson, Paul Horn, Natalie Cole, Joe Farrell, Pepper Adams, Ray Brown, Joe Locke and many others. 

As a session pianist in Los Angeles recording studios, Loeb played for television shows including “Family Guy,” “Quantum Leap,” and The Emmy Awards, and movies including “Ted”, “The Birdcage,” and “Pocahontas.”

He was principal keyboardist with The Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, accompanying musical artists including Andrea Bocelli, Audra McDonald, Gil Shaham, Patti LuPone, Placido Domingo, Jewel, James Galway, Kristin Chenoweth, Joshua Bell, Jessye Norman and Quincy Jones. 

Loeb also played on television shows, movie soundtracks and recordings for Bette Midler, Herbie Hancock, Robin Williams, Norah Jones, Jim Carey, Jennifer Holiday, Curtis Mayfield, Alan Menken, Walter Murphy, Carl Anderson, Bonnie Raitt, Mike Post, Smokey Robinson, Jerry Lewis, Whitney Houston, Connie Francis, W.G. Snuffy Walden, Randy Newman, Dionne Warwick, and many others. 

At the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas, Loeb was conductor and co-musical director, with Don Was, for the CBS television special, “Sinatra 100: An All-Star Grammy Concert,” with Tony Bennett, Celine Dion, Harry Connick, Jr., Katharine McPhee, Garth Brooks, Alicia Keys, Seth MacFarlane, Nick Jonas, Carrie Underwood, Usher, John Legend, Tricia Yearwood, Zach Brown, Juanes and Adam Levine, musical director and conductor for Twyla Tharp’s “Sinatra Dance With Me” and Steve Wynn’s “Showstoppers,” and conductor for Lady Gaga’s concert appearance. 

Loeb orchestrated for George Benson, Miriam Makeba, Doc Severinsen and many others, arranged for The Academy Awards, Comic Relief, and The American Music Awards; and composed for PBS television and Dolly Parton.

Under his direction, UNLV Jazz Studies students earned prestigious DownBeat Magazine Student Music Awards, performed at the acclaimed Monterey Jazz Festival and Midwest Clinic and garnered outstanding CD reviews from JazzTimes Magazine. Loeb received the distinguished Nevada System of Higher Education Regents' Creative Activity Award and holds a master of music degree in jazz and contemporary media from the Eastman School of Music, and a bachelor of science in music education from West Chester University of Pennsylvania.

SARAH LeCLEAR

Producer, Director, Choreographer, Talent Manager and Entertainment Consultant, Sarah LeClear, has worked in the entertainment industry for over 20 years .

She has worked for a number of successful entertainment production companies with an extensive repertoire of clients, employees, and talent both nationally and internationally.

Additionally, her incredible dance talents have been witnessed and enjoyed by tens of thousands of visitors to Vegas! The Show, BAZ Star-Crossed Love, the Donny and Marie Show, MJ The Evolution, and The Piano Man, to name but a few.

Among her additional credits are being a professional NBA dancer for the Golden State Warriors, Assistant Director for Los Angeles' Lotus Dance Company, and performing as a dancer, singer and aerialist for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines.

 Sarah has also  directed, produced and choreographed multiple production shows, corporate events and large scale arena events including the National Finals Rodeo.  

Her husband, dancer Alejandro Domingo, is a featured performer in this production of FOLLIES. 

 LOU ANNE CHESSIK

 Lou Anne Chessik’s preparation for her career as a Showgirl/Dancer in the stage show spectaculars began with ballet lessons at age six in Bellingham Washington. 

She danced with Tacoma City Ballet as a teenager, and received a full dance scholarship and Liberal Arts Degree from Stephens College.

Chessik performed on some of the largest showroom stages in the world with a career spanning from 1979 to 1991.  She danced in four stage show spectaculars in Las Vegas; "Hallelujah Hollywood" at the MGM Grand, "Jubilee"at Bally’s Las Vegas, and the "Lido de Paris" and "Enter the Night" at the Stardust Hotel. 

Lou Anne also performed in "Hello Hollywood Hello" at the MGM Grand in Reno, Nevada and "Las Vegas by Night" at the Mikado Theatre in Tokyo, Japan.

Chessik is the Founder and President of the Showgirl Legacy Foundation. The mission is to preserve the historic significance of the iconic showgirl as a performing artist through educational programs and exhibits in schools, museums, conventions and other venues.

 BRANDY ERICKSON

Roberta “Brandy” Erickson was born and raised in Alpena Michigan. In her humble beginnings she was very close with her grandmother, who taught her how to sew. 

After Brandy moved to the Las Vegas area in 1992, she found a high demand for her skills as a seamstress, gathering a vast experience in multiple Wardrobe/Costuming departments of legendary acts and shows, including:

-David Copperfield 

-Siegfried and Roy Show

-Michael Flatley’s Lord of the Dance

-Cirque Du Soleil's “O” and "KA"

-Pokemon Live! Tour 

-Lena Prima 

-Kelly Clinton-Holmes' Variety Shows

-Forbidden Vegas

Brandy currently works for Cirque du Soleil's KA Show for the last 16 years.   She is married to her husband Steven, and has two fur babies “Bella” and “Dodger”. 

In her free time, she enjoys working on her food trailer business, riding her Harley-Davidson motorcycle and traveling to her off-grid cabin in Arizona.

CATHERINE M. PRATT

  Catherine M. Pratt is a theatrical, dance, and opera Lighting Designer based in Las Vegas, Nevada. 

Some of her recent lighting design credits include Approaching Ali (Opera Las Vegas, A Capacity for Evil (Opera Las Vegas), Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (Rainbow Company Youth Theatre), Elf the Musical (Sierra Repertory Theatre), Letters to Lily (Opera Las Vegas), Proving Up (Opera Las Vegas), La Canterina & Der Scheuspiedirektor (UNLV Theater Opera & Nevada Conservatory Theatre), Little Shop of Horrors (Nevada Conservatory Theatre), Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow (UNLV Department of Dance), This Moment of Movement (UNLV Department of Dance), Marcus; or the Secret of Sweet (Nevada Conservatory Theatre), and DramArt (a collaboration between UNLV and Cirque du Soleil). 

Prior to moving to Las Vegas, Catherine has previously worked with The Civic Theatre (Kalamazoo, MI) and New Harmony Theatre (New Harmony, IN). 

Some of the recent awards Catherine has received are the Joe Aldridge Award for Outstanding Graduate in Design/Technology (May 2022), 3rd place in the 2021 SETC Design Competition for her Lighting Design of Marcus; or the Secret of Sweet at the Nevada Conservatory Theatre, and being a mentee in the 2021 Fred Foster Mentorship Program. 

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Outside of her work as a freelance lighting designer, Catherine is currently employed full-time with 4Wall Entertainment in Las Vegas, NV as the Prep Coordinator. 

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She has received her Master of Fine Arts in Theatre Arts with an emphasis in Lighting Design at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) and her B.A. in Theatre from Mount Marty University in Yankton, SD. 

SEAN STEPHENSON

Michelle Johnson, Las Vegas' "First Lady of Jazz," has said that Sean Stephenson is one of the best sound engineeers in Las Vegas.  We agree.

At just 29 years old, Sean oversaw the sound for over three years at the Vegas and Nevada Rooms to great acclaim, performing his duties exceptionally for over 500 performers of all musical styles...no easy task.

He is a graduate of BYU and one of seven children.

In addition to his demanding sound responsibilities for this production of FOLLIES, Sean is also one of the founding producers of the organization that is presenting the production, Metropolis Theatricals Las Vegas LLC.

  ALLEN BRACKEN

Allen Bracken started his career in entertainment in Atlanta, Georgia as an actor, comic and magician. 

After a short stint in New York, he moved to Los Angeles where took a job as an onstage assistant and props manager for magician Harry Blackstone Jr., ultimately touring with the Blackstone show for 13 years and becoming Production Manager.

Mr. Bracken was then hired by magician Lance Burton to help build his new show at the Monte Carlo Hotel and Casino, which went on to run for 14 amazing years. His other credits include being the Production Manager for the critically acclaimed “Cherry Boom Boom” at the Tropicana Hotel, and “Masters of Illusion” at Bally’s.

Mr. Bracken now consults with companies regarding live show production and is honored to bring his wide range of knowledge and unique skills to any project. 

He is married to a former Showgirl and now attorney, Lauri S. Thompson (in this production of FOLLIES), and they have two very accomplished sons, one a Casino Host at Wynn and the other an aspiring cinematographer.

TIM MOLYNEUX

Tim Molyneux is a creative, well versed in logistics that turn dreams into realities for over 30 years as a creator, producer, and manager of entertainment for theaters, theme parks, television, film, and star name acts. 

He is credited with many industry firsts, including Las Vegas’ first and only vampire-themed cirque, song and dance show, BITE, that ran six nights a week, 52 weeks a year for nearly nine years on the Strip at the Stratosphere, and his 360-degree immersive and interactive digital theater in 2005 called the Vault, that is now known as the Sphere Las Vegas.

Tim also has five patents for his customizable live entertainment technology with virtual and augmented reality that allows viewers the ability to alter whatever performance they are watching in real-time. 

He was the first to create Repertory Theater At Sea, a protean series of renowned works from playwrights such as Shakespeare, Arthur Miller, and Neil Simon, performed by Equity and non-Equity actors in rotation for Crystal Cruises, which is now a standard in the cruise ship industry. 

As a managing showrunner and producer, Tim's credits include work with Netflix, Lifetime, E! Entertainment Television, Disney and Six Flags theme parks, Universal Music Group, Capital Records, Celebrity Cruises, and Royal Caribbean.  

He has also worked with legendary name acts including Bob Hope, Joel Grey and Dolly Parton. 

Tim is delighted to be a part of the FOLLIES team, doing what he loves to do with people who are equally passionate about and love the world of theater. 

SHERI ZANGER

In addition to her love of music and the arts, Sheri Zanger earned a BA in Society & Justice from the University of Washington.

She recently retired as a Captain from a 36 year career in law enforcement, and is the current President of the Washington State Patrol Retirees Association.

During her career, Sheri also managed two local Seattle-area bands and worked with one that was nationally focused.  

She is also a former Co-Chair of the Seattle Buddy Walk in support of the Naitonal Down Syndrome Society, a former Planning Commission Member for the City of Woodinville, Washington, and she oversees Pit Safety for Seafair - a week-long summer celebration in Seattle that concludes with a hydroplane race on Lake Washington.

FOLLIES is honored to have someone with Sheri's skills and passion as part of its Production Team.

TOM MICHEL

Tom Michel has 40+ years of hands-on senior level marketing, branding, programming, hospitality, customer service and organizational management experience, focusing primarily on live entertainment, television, the arts, and culinary. 

In addition to his producing role at the not-for-profit he founded with his partners, Metropolis Theatricals Las Vegas LLC, Mr. Michel is the Lead Marketing Consultant and Project Manager for the revitalization of Historic Commercial Center, reporting directly to two of the seven Clark County Commissioners.

Prior to that, Mr. Michel was the President of The Vegas and Nevada Rooms, two highly acclaimed supper clubs located at Commercial Center, with The Vegas Room being named "Best New Arts & Entertainment Venue" in Las Vegas in 2021. 

Before that, Mr. Michel held leadership roles with several major West Coast-based fine arts organizations, including Director of Marketing for Arizona Opera in Phoenix and Director of Development for Nevada Ballet Theatre in Las Vegas.

Immediately prior to his relocation, Mr. Michel was New York City-based and held the role as Head of Development for the Film Society of Lincoln Center, the nation’s premiere film organization and the producer of the prestigious New York Film Festival. 

Also in New York, he commanded the senior most marketing roles at The Film Society, The Metropolitan Opera (the largest arts organization in America), New York City Ballet, and The Public Theatre/Shakespeare in the Park. 

In television prior to his arts work, his extensive background includes Vice President of Marketing roles at MTV Networks, Bravo, AMC and Time Warner Cable. 

Mr. Michel also served as President and Chief Operating Officer for Broadway Inner Circle, the first premium ticketing service for Broadway, founded by the producers of the hit show, The Producers. 

He is an avid arts-goer, pianist, animal lover, and maintains his residence in Las Vegas – another of his passions.

DIANE TAYLOR

Diane Taylor began her writing career at Webster Groves High School in Webster Groves, Missouri. She later studied journalism at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa (where, incidentally, she met and wrote about Ronald Reagan). 

Professionally, Diane worked (and wrote) at S&C Electric Company in Chicago for 39 years.  In Las Vegas, Diane has been a contributor to the Las Vegas Review-Journal and now writes regularly for Living-Las-Vegas.com.  

A long-time fan of Broadway, Diane is loving the idea of following the creative process of the Las Vegas premiere of FOLLIES.