Production Staff Biographies DEREK ALFANO (Wig Designer/Stylist) is thrilled and honored to return as wig designer for the third time at MPAC, after designing for Hairspray and Les Mis. Derek holds a BA in Communications with a minor in Theater from FDU. He has been employed at the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, NJ for the last 9 years. Regional theater credits for wig/hair design include Hairspray, Mary Poppins, A Christmas Story, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Annie, Bullets Over Broadway, etc. A special thanks to the late Mickey McNany and Bridgid Kelleher. “Mickey and Bridgid you both believed in me more than I believed in myself. I love you both now and forever. My sweet Angels, this one’s for you!” CHRIS BALL (Production Director) Chris is the House Production Director for all events at MPAC. Mary Poppins is Chris' fourth production with the MPAC Performing Arts School, having formerly been the Lighting Designer for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat, Hairspray and Les Miserables. He is very happy to once again be working with this talented production team and cast! Chris was the former House Lighting Designer for MPAC having held that position from 2003-2008 and again from 2013-2015. Chris also recently served as Shop Manager and Union Steward in the lighting shop at Christie Lites Broadway, a professional lighting company specializing in providing lighting equipment to Broadway shows in NYC as well as professional Broadway tours. Chris lives in Manville, NJ with his wife Heather, 7 year old daughter Ainsley and 1 year old son Wesley. HEATHER BALL (Scenic Design Consultant) has worked as a professional scenic artist and set designer in the theatre industry for the past twenty years. She began her career running the paint department at George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick NJ. After six years and countless plays Heather took time off to have her daughter Ainsley. It was during this maternity leave that Heather discovered a new career path as an educator. In 2008 she became an adjunct faculty member for the Department of Theatre & Dance at Montclair State University. This position allowed her to be a working artist as well as a mentor and educator. After seven years Heather once again took time off for her family. This time it was to welcome her son Wesley into the world. She is currently working as a freelance artist throughout the state of New Jersey. KARLEY BERRIOS (Production Stage Manager) is so grateful to be returning to MPAC for Mary Poppins after working on Hairspray in 2014! Favorite credits include- New York: This is the How (Playroom Theater) New Jersey: The People Before the Park, By the Water, Three Rules for the Dragon (Premiere Stages) Bottle House, Steel Magnolias, and The Laramie Project (Ramapo College). Karley
graduated from Ramapo College of New Jersey with a BA in Theater (Stage Management) in May 2015. A huge thanks to everyone involved in Mary Poppins, and her friends and family for their endless support! WILLIAM DAVID BROHN (Orchestrations) received the 1998 Tony Award (Best Orchestrations) for Ragtime and Drama Desk awards for both Miss Saigon and The Secret Garden in 1991. Other Broadway musicals he has orchestrated are Crazy For You, Carousel, Show Boat, Oklahoma!, Sweet Smell of Success and Wicked. After Cameron Mackintosh commissioned Brohn to orchestrate Miss Saigon (1989) for London’s Drury Lane Theatre, the association continued with Oliver!; Witches of Eastwick; Martin Guerre; and Hey, Mr. Producer! And co-productions at the National Theatre of Carousel, Oklahoma!, My Fair Lady and South Pacific. Brohn’s output includes arrangements for solo singers and instrumentalists, choruses, ballet companies and symphony orchestras. BARBARA CANACE (Costumer Designer) Barbara is delighted to be working with the talented cast, crew and production team at Mayo Performing Arts Center's production of Mary Poppins. For several years she has designed costumes for The Theater Project, an award winning New Jersey professional company (selected credits: The Groundling, The Hound of the Baskervilles, The Further Adventures of Hedda Gabler, Miss Witherspoon). She has been privileged to design for many productions at Columbia High School's theater program where she received nominations for Paper Mill Rising Award for Costume Design for CATs and Ragtime. Other credits include: Legally Blonde, West Side Story, Peter Pan, Grease, Annie, and Little Shop of Horrors. ANTHONY DREWE (New Songs & Additional Lyrics) During his 23-year writing collaboration with composer George Stiles, Anthony has written the book and lyrics for Tutankhamun, Just So, Soho Cinders, the multi award-winning Honk! And the lyrics for Peter Pan-A Musical Adventure (book by Willis Hall). With composer Tony Hatch, he wrote lyrics for The Card and, with Singaporean composer Dick Lee, the lyrics for A Twist of Fate. Work as a director include Snoopy, Honk! (South Africa, Chicago, Tokyo, and Singapore) and former, recent work include Rogues to Riches, The Three Musketeers, and A Twist of Fate. Mary Poppins marks his Broadway debut. www.StilesAndDrewe. com. JULIAN FELLOWES (Book) – A British, Oscarwinning screenwriter, Julian is also an actor and director. He studied at Ampleforth College, Yorkshire, and Magdalene College, Cambridge. His first script for cinema, Gosford Park (2001) won him the Best Original Screenplay Oscar plus honors from the Writers Guild of America, among others. He recently received the National Board of