Creative Team
Billy Van Zandt & Jane Milmore (Book and Lyrics)
Billy Van Zandt and Jane Milmore are two of the most often-produced playwrights in the world. “These two people are a riot!” New York Times.
Billy and Jane met at a high school drama competition in their home state of New Jersey. Together ever since, they have written and starred in twenty-five plays, including the international hit comedy “You’ve Got Hate Mail”; Off-Broadway’s tribute to slapstick comedy “Silent Laughter;” cult favorite “Drop Dead;” the Marx Bros. musical “A Night at the Nutcracker;” and the summer stock perennial “Love Sex, and the I.R.S.”
Billy’s solo play “The Property Known as Garland,” starring Adrienne Barbeau, broke house records at Off-Broadway’s Actors Playhouse.
Their plays have been produced in over 20,000 theaters worldwide, including two productions directed by Oscar-winner Olympia Dukakis (“Billy and Jane are funny, outrageous, off the charts writer/performers!”)
All plays are published by Samuel French, Inc., and translated into multiple languages around the globe. “You’ve Got Hate Mail” continues to be an ongoing international hit, currently playing in Poland, Hungary, and Slovenia. “Love, Sex, and the I.R.S.” is running in Warsaw; “Having a Wonderful Time Wish You Were Her” is running in Romania; “Wrong Window” in New Zealand; and “The Property Known as Garland” ran three years in Warsaw with Polish icon Hanna Sleszynska.
For television, these award-winning writers have produced over three hundred hours of comedy, including “Newhart;” “Martin” which won them a People’s Choice Award and two NAACP Image Awards; “The Hughleys;” “Suddenly Susan” with Brooke Shields; “Daddy Dearest” with Don Rickles and Richard Lewis; “Anything But Love” with Jamie Lee Curtis; “Bless This House” with Andrew Dice Clay and Cathy Moriarty; “The Wayans Bros.;” “Yes, Dear,” “Center of the Universe” with John Goodman and Jean Smart, and “I Love Lucy: The Very First Show” which won them an Emmy nomination.
On the big screen, Billy made his movie acting debut in “Jaws 2,” and appeared in “Taps” with Tom Cruise and Sean Penn; Star Trek: the Motion Picture,” and “A Wake in Providence” written by Billy and Jane, which won the Audience Award at both the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival and the Boston Film Festival.
Wayland Pickard (Music, music production, arrangements and orchestration)
"The Bucket List Boys" is the fifth original musical from this award-winning composer, actor, director, producer and headline entertainer. A national recording artist and four- time Grammy Award contender, Wayland is also a published playwright with Samuel French, a Television “Ace” Award Nominee for HBO, a Cine Golden Eagle Award winner and a Billboard Song Finalist.
As a performer, Wayland won the Los Angeles ADA Award for “Best Director” and “Best Actor.” As a solo headline performer, he filled large concert venues around the country with his symphonic tribute show to Victor Borge and also his Dueling Pianos "Greatest Vocal Duets” show.
Wayland studied arranging & composing with Henry Mancini, Nelson Riddle and others, and has scored music for film and television, produced albums and conducted symphony orchestras from Carnegie Hall to NBC’s "TonightShow.”
He has served as Musical Director & Conductor for many top celebrities including Andy Williams, Carol Channing, Mitzi Gaynor, Carol Lawrence, Phoebe Snow, Eartha Kitt, Danny Gans and many others. Wayland also authored a successful book entitled, “The Complete Singer’s Guide,” used in many colleges and now in its 4 th edition.
For more information,visit www.WaylandPickard.com. Also visit: DoubleGrandePianos.com, TheGhostofGershwin.com, PolyesterTheMusical.com, eLoveTheMusical.com, LiberaceConcert.com. and SamuelFrench.com.
CORCORAN PRODUCTIONS (Producer)
In 1988 Corcoran Productions produced the original New York Company of Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding. Since opening the original production, C/P, consisting of Joe Corcoran, Karen Cellini and Dan Corcoran have individually produced, or licensed the production, in over 250 locales all over the world. Including but not limited to three US national tours from 1999-2002 and the current production at Buca Di Beppo at Bally's Hotel in Las Vegas.
C/P has also produced close to a dozen other shows, on Broadway and off, including the Tony nominated production of Jesus Christ Superstar as well as the mega musical Doctor Zhivago in 2016. Off Broadway credits include include the New York production ofLate Nite Catechism, The Mayors Limo, Oldfriends.com starring Pat Carroll and Patricia Connolly, The World Beyond The Hill: The Life and Times of W.E.B. Dubois, starring Tony Award Winning actor Chuck Cooper, at The Berkshire Theatre Festival, and the New York production of Café a GoGo.
In 1999 Joe co-founded, and served as former CEO, of the online magazine and marketing/editorial/listings/ ticketing company, TheaterMania.com/Ovationtix. Founded in 1998, now with over One million registered members, TheaterMania.com has since become a formidable force in the development of new audiences, both on Broadway and regionally, throughout the United States and London. Upcoming projects include, but not limited to, a collaboration with producing partner Karen Cellini to present a multi-media art/music/theater installation.
Gary Shaffer (Producer)
Gary is a graduate of TDF’s Commercial Theater Institute for producers. Off- Broadway producing credits include “After Play,” by Anne Meara, “My Italy Story,” “Kosher Franks,” “Santa Claus is Coming Out” and Van Zandt & Milmore’s “You’ve Got Hate Mail.” “Directorial credits include the four-and-a-half year Off-Broadway run of “Hate Mail” and the world premiere of Van Zandt & Milmore’s musical comedy “High School Reunion, the Musical.”
