Rick Fox Joins Arena Stage's SMOKEY JOE'S CAFE as Musical Director; Victor Simonson Departs

Rick Fox will be taking over the role of musical director in Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater's production of Smokey Joe's Café--The Songs of Leiber and Stoller from Victor Simonson, who will be departing the show for personal reasons.

Smokey Joe's Café, under the direction of Randy Johnson and choreographed by Parker Esse, runs April 25-June 8, 2014 in the Fichandler Stage. The company features Tony Award winner Levi Kreis, Helen Hayes Award winners E. Faye Butler and Nova Y. Payton, along with Jay Adriel, Austin Colby, Ashley Blair Fitzgerald, Michael J. Mainwaring, Stephawn P. Stephens and Kara-Tameika Watkins.

Rick Fox (Musical Director) is pleased to make his Arena Stage debut. He has been musical director/conductor for over 100 theatrical productions in the U.S. and Canada. His Broadway credits include Jesus Christ Superstar (Broadwayworld.com Award), Rent and Blood Brothers. Rick has also been involved in numerous Canadian premieres such as Rent, The Who's Tommy, The Lion King, The Producers and We Will Rock You, amongst others. He was the director of music at the Stratford Festival from 2008-2013. Rick has provided musical direction, arrangements and orchestrations for numerous television specials including Colm Wilkinson and Patti LuPone In Concert at New York's Hammerstein Ballroom for PBS. As a composer/songwriter, he has written for Stratford's production of Caesar and Cleopatra. He also composed the score for the musical Cyrano with libretto by his brother Michael Fox. Rick has been an arranger/orchestrator for numerous theatrical productions and a musical director/arranger for a number of television specials for CBC Toronto. He is a much sought after pianist/accompanist performing in clubs and concerts. Rick is a four-time winner of the Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding Musical Direction.

For more information visit www.arenastage.org.

Photo Credit: Tony Powell

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