about the show's creative team
Danny Salles
writer / director/ lyricist
Danny’s funny. Joan Rivers said so.
He’s thrilled to have directed episodes for the last four seasons of the long-running hit ABC comedy series “The Middle.” He’s had the pleasure of showrunning and directing numerous unscripted shows with great comic voices: Joan Rivers in “Joan and Melissa, Joan Knows Best, “Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List” (Emmy nominated), Andrew Dice Clay, “Dice Undisputed;” Kristen Wiig and Ralph Garman, “The Joe Schmo Show;” and Todrick Hall, “Todrick." He also directed the MTV sketch comedy “Scratch and Burn,” a pilot “I’ve Got a Life in Kalamazoo” starring Ed Asner, Marion Ross,Vicki Lewis and Greg Jbara and a Freeform comedy plot he co-created, “The Other Mall." Danny has written a comedy feature, “Inner Beauty, My Ass” a feature MGM and an animated comedy "Fashionista and Glamour Girl" voiced by Joan Rivers, Christina Milian, Michael Urie and Seth Rudetskys. His most recent feature spec script, “Three for All,” is currently in development at Jeremy Garelick's American High Productions.
Danny’s been working in-and-around funny since college, where he wrote and performed for the musical comedy troupe, the Princeton Triangle Club. Danny is also notorious for showing up at every friend’s birthday party with a character-skewering song parody. Though recently, fewer invitations give him this opportunity.
This show is proof of two things: Danny’s hatred of what is now happening to our country, and his desire to mock the guilty parties. And since he’s never getting invited to Trump’s birthday party, he had to create his own show.
Tor Hyams & Lisa St. Lou
music and additional lyrics
Grammy nominated songwriter, Tor Hyams, and veteran Broadway performer, Lisa St. Lou (The Producers) offer a unique blend of comedy and heart through musicals, plays and screenwriting. Original works include Stealing Time, a story about a woman struggling to reclaim her power after an abusive marriage (premiered at York Musical Theater Festival 2012 and further developed by Emerging Artists Theatre, The Pitch at the Finger Lakes Musical Theatre Festival and at Goodspeed Opera House by way of the Johnny Mercer Writers Colony), The Skylight Room, a story about asking for help through the lens of physical illness, with actor/writer, John Cariani, How We Do: Back in the Day, a family musical about belonging and race, based on the life experiences of Backstreet Boy, Howie D (work-shopped at the New Victory Theater in NY and scheduled for a production at the Rose Theater in Omaha, January 2020), Senior Living, a play about people dying to live in a retirement community (directed by Judith Ivey and premiered at Cherry Lane Theatre in NYC), and Collateral Beauty, an adaptation of the film starring Will Smith (in collaboration with screenwriter Allan Loeb).
The duo has been commissioned by Center Stage Capital to write a musical adaptation of the legendary television show, Green Acres. Additional commissions include Ensemble, a collection of letters by Tennessee Williams, Untitled, commissioned by Theatrical Rights Worldwide (TRW) to be performed by middle and high school students, and aTypical Family, a story about Autism Spectrum Disorder told from the perspective of the couple raising an atypical child.
Benjamin “Benji” Schwimmer
choreographer
Benji is a dancer, choreographer and actor. In 2006 he was the winner of the second season of "So You Think You Can Dance" and has choreographed for both the U.S. and international versions of the show. He co-starred in the 2010 film "Leading Ladies" and has performed and choreographed live performances and videos for the biggest names in the music business including Christina Aguilera and Paula Abdul. He most recently appeared as the on-camera choreographer on the Lifetime series, "The Pop Game."
Vanessa Leuck
costume designer
Currently designing the Off-Broadway premiere ofMidnight at the Never Get(York Theater Company). Recent designs:Broadway Backwards(Al Hirschfeld Theatre),Swipe!andThe Imaginary Invalid(Tribeca Performing Arts Center),Sex With Strangers(Capital Repertory Theatre)The Time Machine(Acorn Theatre) NYMF Best Overall Design nomination.Off-Broadway:Money Talks(Davenport Theatre),Disenchanted!(Westside Theatre) Henrey Hewes Design Award nomination,In the Bar of a Tokyo Hotel(New World Stages). National Tours:Disenchanted!(Starvox Entertainment),Disney on IceLet’s Celebrate(FELD). Associate Design:Disney on Ice Frozen. Assistant Design:The Little Mermaid(Broadway),Ringling Brothers’ Barnum and Bailey Circus,Disney Live! Vanessa is an Assistant Professor of Theatre Arts at BMCC-CUNY and a member of United Scenic Artists 829.www.vanessaleuckcostumes.com
Cindi Rush
off broadway casting
Cindi Rush Casting - NY: Shame Of Thrones, Promising,Ruthless, Disenchanted, Drop Dead Perfect, Under My Skin, Silence!,Rooms, Jacques Brel, Urinetown.The Thing About Men, Home Street Home, Regional Theaters including Triad Stage, 5thAvenue, Hudson Stage, Penguin Rep, Pittsburgh Public, Charleston Stage Co. Virginia Stage Co, Cape Fear Regional Film: A Bread Factory,The Grief of Others (SXSW/Cannes), Runoff (L.A Film Fest), Policy of Truth (SOHO Film Fest),The Woman (Sundance),Funeral Kings (SXSW) Ghoul, Theresa is a Mother, Jugface (Slamdance), In The Family (Independent Spirit) Consultant for NYU Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program (1999-Present).
Geralyn Flood
los angeles casting
Geralyn Flood has worked on projects for ALL of the major networks in the industry: ABC, NBC, CBS, The CW, The WB, Freeform, Disney, Nickelodeon, etc. Previous TV credits Jeff Greenberg's Assistant on "Frasier", "According to Jim" and "I’m With Her”. During her 4 years at Zane/Pillsbury Casting, some highlights include Casting Director on the Disney pilot, "Good Luck Charlie", as the Associate CD on the USA Network pilot, "White Collar" and "Gary Unmarried", as well as countless other unseen pilots. In addition to her TV credits, Geralyn has worked on indie and studio films including three Mark Waters features (with Marci Liroff)- as an Assistant on "Just Like Heaven", an Associate CD on "The Spiderwick Chronicles" and Co-Casting Director on "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past" starring Matthew McConaughey and Jennifer Garner. She also did all four seasons of the Nickelodeon show "Big Time Rush".
Since 2014 she's worked with Marc Hirschfeld where they’ve done multiple pilots for CBS (as Co-CD) the event series, "The Dovekeepers" (as Associate CD). They’ve also done the MTV pilot and first season of "The Shannara Chronicles" and “Sweet/ Vicious”. She also won an Artios award for casting the Emmy nominated web series, "Her Story" - find it at http://www.herstoryshow.com/ and is the Producer and Casting Director of 2 upcoming features.