Matthew Gardiner (Director) has directed and/or choreographed more than 25 productions at Signature Theatre, including 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: Ragtime, Sweeney Todd, Into the Woods, She Loves Me, 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 by Sondheim, Sunset Boulevard, Show Boat, Anyone Can Whistle, Spider Woman, Merrily We Roll Along, Into the Woods, Pacific Overtures, Elegies, Allegro, Follies, 110 in the Shade, Putting It Together, Forum, Sweeney Todd, Wings. BROADWAY: Ambassador Theatre: The Visit (Actor’s Fund Benefit); Marius Company: Les Misérables (Associate Conductor). DC AREA: Kennedy Center: First You Dream; 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’s 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.
Stage Manager: Taryn Friend
Production Assistant: Joey Blakely
Lighting Design: Max Doolittle