CAST & CREW Singers & Dancers Emilie Bienne (Vocalist) From a modest start as an acting intern at the Looking Glass Theatre and a backup vocalist for Brother Joscephus and the Love Revolution, Emilie Bienne has earned respect from fans and fellow performers around the world as a passionate artist and dedicated professional. With a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre from the Boston Conservatory, she has traveled the world starring in world-class productions from the Caribbean with Royal Caribbean Productions to Tokyo with Disney’s Big Band Beat, and back again to the USA. Emilie resides in New York, NY where she is a resident actor at The Flea Theater and is working and writing with her rock band E Vex. She is thrilled to be returning to IN THE MOOD and is excited to be traveling all over the United States. Emilie would like to thank her friends and family for all of their love and support. Sarah Lindsey (Swing Dancer, Vocalist) is originally from Cincinnati, Ohio and moved to New York City to pursue a career in musical theatre. She attended AMDA (The American Musical and Dramatic Academy) and trained as a Singer/Dancer/Actor under a conservatory program. Sarah is pleased and beyond excited to make her National Tour debut with IN THE MOOD. To go back into the 1930s and 40s is such a treat and she is grateful to share this experience with all involved! Past credits include traveling the world on AIDA Cruises, where she was a Dancer/ Singer for 2 years. Sarah would like to thank the IN THE MOOD team for this wonderful opportunity and is ready for the amazing journey ahead! Daniel Fuentes (Vocalist) is originally from South Florida and is based out of both the Atlanta and Chicago areas. He received his BFA Degree in Musical Theater from the University of Florida. This is Daniel's second time touring and could not be more excited to join the IN THE MOOD family once again. When Daniel is not on tour you may find him playing soccer, recording music or cooking a mean fettuccine. If none of the above apply, then he is probably somewhere auditioning for the role of Alexander Hamilton. He would like to thank his high school teacher Lori Sessions for making him take a leap of faith all those years ago. Alex Markowitz (Vocalist, Narrator) is thrilled to be rejoining his IN THE MOOD family for one last hurrah! He just recently wrapped up a new project in New York, entitled Yosef, The Musical! Other regional and NYC credits include: The Prince in Cinderella at The Players Theatre in Greenwich Village, Lt. Joe Cable in South Pacific at the Alhambra Theatre & Dining, Curly in Oklahoma! at the Southern Colorado Repertory Theatre, and Danny Zuko in Crane River Theatre's production of Grease. As always, he would like to thank his friends and family for their constant love and support. In this period of disunity, the arts are more important than ever. Keep supporting and enjoy the show, it's the bees knees! Brittney Leigh Morton (Vocalist) is excited to return for a 3rd season with IN THE MOOD! She is originally from Salamanca, NY, and is now a New York City based singer/actress/dancer/songwriter. She holds a Bachelor of Music in Musical Theatre from Baldwin-Wallace University’s Conservatory of Music. Past regional credits include: Little Women (Jo), White Christmas (Judy), and Shrek (Fiona) at the Crown Uptown Dinner Theatre, Wichita, KS, Grease (Sandy) at the Tibbits Opera House, Coldwater, MI, Grease (Cha-Cha), The Sound of Music (Sister Margaretta), and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Jacob's Wife) at the Bucks County and Pocono Playhouses, Godspell (Joanne), Crazy For You (Tess), and The Wizard of Oz (Dorothy) at the Arundel Barn Playhouse, Arundel ME. In 1999, she sang the National Anthem for the Buffalo Bills. Her website, Brittney Leigh Morton includes her full resume and her professional covers of Lean On Me, At Last, and I Will Always Love You. Thank you to Dave Secor at Daniel Hoff Agency, and Mr. Bud Forrest for this opportunity! Ryan Kleinman (Swing Dancer/Vocalist) Ryan Kleinman is over the moon to be making his debut with In the Mood. Regional credits include: Will Parker, Curly (Oklahoma!); Lt. Joe Cable (South Pacific); Tin Man (Wizard of Oz); Dr. Parker (Bat Boy; The Musical); Belarius (Cymbeline); Drosselmeyer (The Nutcracker); Mainstage performer (Disney Cruise Lines). He would like to thank Bud Forrest for this great opportunity, and his family for their never ending support, guidance, critiques, and most of all love!!! ryankleinman.com STRING OF PEARLS ORCHESTRA Bud Forrest (Music Director and Pianist) is a former Juilliard student who earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY and did graduate work in music at Catholic University in Washington, DC. He was accompanist to the world famous “Singing Sergeants”, the official chorus of the United States Air Force. Throughout his thirty years in Washington, DC he had been pianist for events at many of Washington, DC’s political events including performances at the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House of Representatives and the Smithsonian Institution. In addition, Bud was a pianist for touring Broadway shows appearing in the Washington, DC area. In 1993, World USO selected IN THE MOOD to be an official entertainment for the 50th Commemoration of World War II. From 1994 to 2015 this show has traveled to over 48 states (Alaska and Vermont here we come!), Canada, Europe, New Zealand and three times to Australia for over 80 sold-out performances. In 1997, Bud and his String of Pearls Orchestra were featured at an Inaugural Ball for President and Mrs. Clinton. Now celebrating the 23rd year of touring, Bud and IN THE MOOD are looking forward to many more years of bringing the best decade of 20th century American popular music—the 1940s and the Big Band era to fans worldwide. Bill Repavich (Drums) is a freelance percussionist who dreams of making records and having the opportunity to use music to travel the world. He completed his B.M. in Percussion Performance at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh with Dr. Alison Shaw and his M.M. in Jazz Studies at the University of Central Oklahoma with Mr. David Hardman. Mr. Repavich has served as an adjunct instructor for both Oklahoma Christian University and the University of Central Oklahoma and has been a guest clinician at several other universities. He can be found regularly in Oklahoma City and Tulsa performing in a wide variety of musical settings including jazz clubs, popular dance, orchestra, and musical theatre. After filling in for the wonderful Tom Dupin on our previous tour of Australia, Mr. Repavich is excited to carry on the great tradition that is IN THE MOOD. Stephen Schultz (Bass) Is a versatile bassist and guitarist, born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Stephen studied music performance at Northeastern State University, and Transferred to the University of Central Oklahoma where he became involved with the jazz program and local music scene. Stephen has had the opportunity to perform with many jazz greats including Terrell Stafford, Bob Mintzer, Seamus Blake, Geoffrey Keezer, Vince DiMartino, and others. Stephen is thrilled to be traveling and playing for the production of IN THE MOOD. Christian Ortiz (Lead Alto Saxophone) is thrilled to be joining the String of Pearls Orchestra and the rest of the IN THE MOOD cast! Originally from Walnut Creek, CA, Christian studied saxophone, clarinet, and flute with accomplished Stan Kenton alum, Mary Fettig, who taught him the value of learning each instrument as if it were his primary one. From 2011-2015, Christian continued his education at the University of North Texas where he studied saxophone with Brad Leali. While at UNT, he recorded on an album with the renowned Two O’ Clock Lab Band and on two Downbeat Award winning albums with the Latin Jazz Ensemble. Christian has toured in Europe, performing at the North Sea, Montreaux, and Umbria Jazz Festivals among others, and has performed and recorded recently with jazz greats James Morrison, Jon Faddis, and Bob McChesney. He is currently based in the Dallas/Ft. Worth metroplex, and would like to thank all his friends there for making this opportunity possible. Gene Thorne (Alto Saxophone) is a former member of the sax section, arranger and featured soloist with the U.S. Army Jazz Ambassadors from 1975 to 2009. He attended the University of Miami from 1972-1975, later earning his Bachelor of Music degree in performance from Catholic University in 1984 and a Master of Music in composition from the University of Maryland in 1995. Gene has written arrangements that featured jazz great Phil Woods as well as pops arrangements that have been performed by the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, DC, the New York Pops and the Seattle Symphony conducted by the late Marvin Hamlish. He is now active as a clinician and freelance musician in the Baltimore, MD – Washington, DC area as well as 9 years with IN THE MOOD. John DeSalme (Tenor Saxophone) is an alumnus of the University of Iowa. From ’74-’81 he played in rock, pop, polka and swing bands in the SE Iowa area. In 1981, he became a member of the Jazz Ambassadors, the United States Army’s premier touring jazz ensemble. In 1988 he won the audition for the prestigious Army Blues, the official jazz ensemble of the United States Army based in Washington D.C. from which he retired in 2012. John toured the Middle East in a USO show in 2002.