KRIS KRINGLE The Musical in Development In Cleveland

KRIS KRINGLE The Musical is a new Broadway-bound production being developed in Cleveland by New York's Angel Polar Bear LLC in association with Broadway's Creative Licensing Group, one of the producers of the Tony Award-nominated musical Little Women.

KRIS KRINGLE The Musical will hold auditions, a staged reading, rehearsals and performances at Olmsted Performing Arts located at 6941 Columbia Rd., Olmsted Falls, Ohio, and will have its World Premiere engagement from December 4 - 13, 2015.

KRIS KRINGLE The Musical lights up the stage in a new Christmas musical filled with unforgettable songs destined to become holiday classics. This captivating new holiday musical reveals the untold story of Kris Kringle. Discover what happens when an evil toy company CEO crosses paths with a young, jobless toy maker whose family name carries a curse that has the power to destroy Christmas.

The musical book is written by Maria Ciampi based on Maria's original book and screenplay. Music and lyrics are by Tim Janis. Fred Sternfeld will be Director, Tim Janis will be Music Director, and Charles Eversole will be Associate Music Director.

Tickets are available for KRIS KRINGLE The Musical online at opatickets.com. For group tickets, contact Brandon Smith at 440-235-6722 or brandon.smith@olmstedperformingarts.com.

Maria Ciampi (Book Writer and Producer), who was born on Christmas Day, brings inspiration to this production of KRIS KRINGLE The Musical. She is the author of KRIS KRINGLE The Musical, which is based on her screenplay and her book entitled Kris Kringle.

She is also the author of the screenplay Principal Meany's Last Detention and is currently writing a musical adaptation of a lesser-known work of Charles Dickens. Maria has also produced an abridged version of KRIS KRINGLE The Musical that was performed before international audiences at the Javits Center in New York City during Book Expo America, as well as staged readings of the musical at the Manhattan Theatre Club in New York City and the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. In addition to her writing talents, Maria is a practicing attorney, a former law school professor, and the author of the legal treatise, The Question Presented, which has been used as part of the curriculum at Harvard Law School.

Tim Janis (Music and Lyrics/Music Director) has two No. 1 Billboard charting CD's in Classical and Classical Crossover, 5 National Public Television Specials and has worked with some of the top artists in the music and entertainment business, including Sir Paul McCartney, Billy Joel, Kate Winslet, Dick Van Dyke, Ray Charles, Andre Previn, Sir James Galway and James Earl Jones. His music has travelled a long and fascinating journey from Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center in New York City to Africa, Japan, China and Eastern Europe. He has conducted and performed with The American Symphony Orchestra and numerous international Symphony Orchestras and has recorded with Kurt Masur, New York Philharmonic, David Snell, and The London Symphony Orchestra. His music transcends Symphony and Orchestra with his production of The Christmas Rose starring Jane Seymour which debuted at Carnegie Hall in 2012 (script and music written by Tim Janis) to his music arrangements for QVC (2001 - Present).

Fred Sternfeld (Director) has served as Artistic Director for Hathaway Brown Theatre Institute and the Fairmount Performing Arts Conservatory in Cleveland, Ohio. He has worked at the top Northeast Ohio theatres including Beck Center for the Arts, Cain Park Summer Theatre, Dobama Theatre, Ensemble Theatre, JCC Halle Theatre, Cesar's Forum and Karamu Performing Arts Theatre. Fred's shows have collectively won more than 100 awards, including Cleveland Critic's Circle, Cleveland Scene and Times Tribute Awards.

Charles Eversole (Associate Music Director) is the Artistic Director of Cleveland's world-renowned youth chorus "The Singing Angels." He holds vocal music degrees from the University of Michigan and Baldwin-Wallace Conservatory of Music. He has served as a musical director for over 40 productions, including the national tours of The Who's Tommy and A Grand Night for Singing. He is also the Music Director of the Cleveland Cabaret Project, an organization dedicated to the advancement of cabaret performance in and around Cleveland.

Creative Licensing Group (Executive Producer) Principals are John Thomas and Danita Thomas, and together they have been a major force in the Licensing business that has expanded to include Broadway and Broadway tours. They have represented Memphis, Million Dollar Quartet, Chicago, The Addams Family, Ghost, Cathy Rigby is Peter Pan, Toxic Avenger, Breakfast at Tiffany's and the entire Rodgers and Hammerstein estate. John and Danita began their Broadway careers over a decade ago when they produced the Tony nominated musical Little Women starring Sutton Foster and Maureen McGovern. They created and developed the enormously successful brand, Kid Concoctions, and set records during the 15 years they appeared on QVC. They have appeared on many national talk shows and have written several international best-selling children's books.