Compton & Bennett (Songwriters), could get cast in other shows but frankly, it's easier to learn lines they've written themselves. During the past 15 years, they have created a dozen original musicals with material drawn from the hubris and foibles of life in their beloved Naples, FL. Their shows, A Cracker At The Ritz and Trouble In Paradise skewer politicos, figureheads and wannabes in songs such as “Ya Gotta Do Balls”, “The Hurricane Song (Blow Me)” and “There Ain't No Golf In Prison”.
OUR TEAM
-
Rick Compton In addition to his role in Compton & Bennett, Rick Compton is an author, an award-winning freelance writer, a musician and founder of Via Colori®.
Rick’s first book, The Essential Street Painter (Cider Mill Press, Simon & Schuster) was launched June, 2009, and won him a guest appearance on CBS’s The Early Show.
Writing for regional media in Southwest Florida, Rick has won 6 Florida magazine Association awards for features and humor. He is a regular contributor to national publisher CPAmerica’s accountancy newsletter More Than Money on topics important to not-for-profit organizations.
Rick has played piano and synthesizer in pit orchestras for dozens of musical plays and served as music director for several. He has toured Japan as keyboardist with Rock-and-Roll Hall of Fame artists The Platters.
In 1993, Rick founded Via Colori®, a street painting festival to raise funds for important social causes. Since then, it has grown to become an annual event in seven cities in the United States, involving more than 1000 artists and raising more than $1 million dollars a year.
read more
-
Betsy Bennett has been acting and singing since she began talking. At the age of seven Betsy was writing and performing productions in her basement. At fifteen Betsy was doing summer stock and at twenty interned in New York City at Playwright's Horizons. Betsy has a degree in theater from Albion College. Betsy's roles have spanned Shakespeare to Sondheim, and Miller to Osborne.
Regionally Betsy has become well known for her comedic and satiric characterizations.
In addition to her work with Compton & Bennett, Betsy has appeared with Centerstage Productions up and down Florida's West Coast where she has performed comedic portrayals of Janis Joplin, Maria Callas, and The Frito Bandito among others.
Betsy is one of the founders of Chicago's Arcane Theatricks, producers of experimental theater.
Some of Betsy's memorable and more recent roles include Mama Rose in Gypsy, the psychiatrist in Agnes of God and Sue in Arthur Miller's All My Sons with the Naples Players. Betsy also played Casey in Anton in Show Business and Martha in The O'Conner Girls at Stage 88, and Dr. Kelekian in The Player's Tobye Studio production of Wit.
Betsy was chosen to direct the winner of The Naples Players' Readers Theater Original Play Competition and additionally has directed a stage reading of Lysistrata for The Naples' Players' ETC. Betsy is also technically qualified as a sound operator and has run sound for large musical productions such as Music Man, My Fair Lady and Four Part Thunder.
Many of Betsy's early acting credits may be listed under her maiden name, Betsy Klopp.
read more
-
Gray Matters Presents (Producer) Douglas Gray. With producing partners, Douglas presented the astounding eleven-year run of Late Nite Catechism in Seattle. Also in the Pacific Northwest: Shear Madness and Tony'n Tina's Wedding. On the east coast, Respect: A Musical Journey of Women, The Jackie Wilson Story (at the famed Apollo Theatre) and Showdown (a cross between American Idol and Survivor).
As General Manager for Seattle's historic Paramount Theatre, Douglas planned and supervised the $32 million renovation. As a theatre and feasibility consultant, he specializes in work with non-profits in planning the adaptive re-use and operation of historic buildings.
Douglas was Production Manager for Harry Belafonte, Twyla Tharp, The Brooklyn Academy of Music, John Houseman's Acting Company and several Broadway shows. In addition Douglas planned and supervised the theatre design and all of the entertainment for Holland America Line and Norwegian Cruise Line.
read more
-
Bill Castellino Bill directed World Premieres:Jolson at the Wintergarden, Reflections, Dr. Radio, Some Kind of Wonderful, Cagney Dorian Gray, Lizzie Borden, Heartbeats, Miklat, Singing, Weatherman, Happy Holidays, The Presidents, Crash Club, Beautiful Dreamer, Rhythm, Rox, Another Summer, Breathe and Theatre Smash.
Also, productions of ROCKY HORROR SHOW, SPELLING BEE, RENT, CAROUSEL, EDWIN DROOD, GODSPELL, LA CAGE, MUSIC MAN, WEST SIDE STORY, CHICAGO, JOSEPH, TOMMY, LITTLE SHOP, BEEHIVE, EVITA, SLAB BOYS, OLIVER, CABARET, ABYSSINIA, RAP MASTER RONNIE, LAST FIVE YEARS, SPITFIRE GRILL, SMOKEY JOE’S CAFÉ, and HAIR. U.S. Tours: FAME, THE PRESIDENTS, JOLSON, CHESS, NIGHTCLUB CANTATA. International Tours: FAME, TOMFOOLERY, ESTHER, LES MISERABLES. TV: BELL’ARIA, THE PRESIDENTS, MARTIN MULL, RAP MASTER RONNIE and STOP THE WORLD. He has written books to the musicals: DR. RADIO, SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL, A HOLIDAY FOR HOPE, BEAUTIFUL DREAMER, CRASH CLUB, THEATRE SMASH and JOLSON AT THE WINTER GARDEN. He co-created HEARTBEATS, FISHWRAP, RHYTMN ROX, and HAPPY HOLIDAYS.
read more
-
Skip Brevis (Musical Director) is a busy musical director / composer / arranger / producer in NYC, working with top artists in theater, music, cabaret and film. He co-created, arranged, and musical directed the original production of Beehive, the 60's Musical, in New York City as well as on tour, and co-created Winner Take All (A Rock Opera). Other original works include Showdown!, now in its third year in Europe.
Assisted Living Hotline: 888 88-LAUGH (888-885-2844)
