MATTHEW GARDINER (Director) has directed and/or choreographed more than 25 productions at Signature Theatre, including A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, HAIR, Ragtime, Into the Woods, No Place to Go, She Loves Me, RENT, A Chorus Line, West Side Story, La Cage aux Folles, Jelly’s Last Jam, and The Threepenny Opera, as well as several world premieres including Really Really, Soon and Midwestern Gothic. With Signature’s special commitment to producing the work of Stephen Sondheim, Gardiner has directed and/or choreographed many Sondheim musicals, including Into the Woods, Passion, Sunday in the Park with George, Company, Sweeney Todd, and the world premiere of Simply Sondheim. Prior to being named Signature’s Artistic Director in the summer of 2021, Gardiner was Signature’s Associate Artistic Director for over a decade, helping to build several groundbreaking seasons, cultivating relationships with prominent and emerging artists, and overseeing several of Signature’s new work development initiatives. Outside of Signature, Gardiner has directed and/or choreographed at the Washington, DC theaters Arena Stage, Ford’s Theatre, the Kennedy Center, Round House Theatre, Shakespeare Theatre Company, and Studio Theatre. Gardiner has also worked abroad, choreographing Titanic and directing and choreographing Doctor Zhivago for OD Musical Company in Seoul, Korea. Gardiner is the recipient of three Helen Hayes Awards for Outstanding Director of a Musical and has been honored with more than a dozen nominations.
JON KALBFLEISCH (Music Director)
SIGNATURE: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Ragtime, Sweeney Todd, Into the Woods, She Loves Me, Broadway in the Park (Wolf Trap), Simply Sondheim, Chorus Line, Assassins, Passion, Crazy for You, A Little Night Music, West Side Story, Cabaret, Sunday in the Park, Gypsy, Company, Hairspray, Saturday Night, Side by Side, Sunset Boulevard, Show Boat, Anyone Can Whistle, Spider Woman, Merrily…, Into the Woods, Pacific Overtures, Elegies, Allegro, Follies, 110 in the Shade, Putting It Together, Forum, Sweeney Todd, Wings.
BROADWAY: The Visit (Actor's Fund Benefit), Ambassador Theatre; Les Misérables (Associate Conductor), Marius Company.
DC AREA: First You Dream, Kennedy Center; National Theatre; Warner Theatre; Round House Theatre; Everyman Theatre.
OTHER: Carnegie Hall, Lawton Philharmonic Orchestra, New Jersey Symphony.
TV: Celebration of the Arts (Executive Producer), Good Morning America.
AWARDS: Grammy nomination; Bernstein MASS, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, pianist; Anderson-Hopkins Award; 10 Helen Hayes Awards and 30 nominations; Distinguished Alumni Award, Cameron University.
EDUCATION: Master of Music, Southern Methodist University.
TARYN FRIEND (Stage Manager)
SIGNATURE: Soft Power, Ragtime, The Bridges of Madison County, Broadway in the Park (’22-’24), The Color Purple, Assassins, Passion, A Little Night Music, Jelly’s Last Jam, Sunday in the Park with George, Miss Saigon, Spin, Hairspray, The Visit, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Merrily We Roll Along, The Witches of Eastwick.
DC AREA: Sister Act, Little Shop of Horrors (2024), A Christmas Carol, Shout Sister Shout!, Grace, Come From Away: In Concert at the Lincoln Memorial, Into the Woods, The Wiz, Ragtime, 110 in the Shade, Freedom Song, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Hello, Dolly!, 1776, Liberty Smith, Little Shop of Horrors (2010), One Destiny, Meet John Doe, State of the Union, Shenandoah, Leading Ladies, Ford’s Theatre; Oklahoma!, Arena Stage; 50th Anniversary Concert; Bud, Not Buddy; Oliverio; Snow White, Rose Red (and Fred!); Barrio Grrrl!; Unleashed!, Kennedy Center; The Vibrator Play, or in the next room, Woolly Mammoth Theatre.
EDUCATION: University of Mary Washington.