Creative

  • Disney The Magic Box Musical in Cape Town
  • Disney The Magic Box Musical in Cape Town

    THADDEUS
    MCWHINNIE PHILLIPS

    (Director, Book Co-Writer & Scenic Design) is a theater artist & director who creates unique theatrical, cinematic, musical & operatic stage productions that stretch the limits of what is possible onstage. Original creations include: Red-Eye to Havre de Grace, Zoo Motel, 17 Border Crossings, Flamingo/Winnebago, Lost Soles, The Adventures of Barry Seal, The Melting Bridge, ¡El Conquistador!, Inflatable Space, Capsule 33, Lost Soles, Lear, & The Tempest. He has been commissioned to devise, design and direct performances by BAM’s Next Wave Festival (A Billion Nights on Earth), Teatro de La Abadía in Madrid (Antropoceno) & Sweden’s Teateri (Midnight Train to Marrakesh, The Polar Eagle, The Pilot & The Arrival). His work has been presented the world over from Shanghai to Bogotá to Dublin to Denver to London to Los Angeles and been produced Off- Broadway by New York Theatre Workshop & Barrow Street Theatre. He has collaborated Geoff Sobelle, Steven Dufala, The Wilhelm Bros, Robert Lepage & Teller. Upcoming productions include A Day in the Life of Georges Méliès, Ghost Army, and ‘Doors'. www.thaddeusmcwhinniephillips.com

  • Disney The Magic Box Musical in Cape Town

    Felipe
    Gamba Paredes

    (Creative Producer and Book Co-Writer). Born in Colombia, Felipe started performing professionally on stage and television at age seven, later forming his own theater company. Following studies in Germany and Italy, he moved to New York City and graduated in Dramatic Writing from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. After five years working as a creative development executive for Sony Pictures Television in Mexico and Russia, he returned to NYC and his roots in live theatre, supporting international festivals to build partnerships with contemporary artists, producers and performing arts organizations around the world. From 2010 to 2024, Felipe was the executive in charge of International Strategy & Licensed Partnerships for Disney Theatrical Group, the Broadway division of The Walt Disney Studios and producers of the entertainment company’s global hits like The Lion King, Aladdin and Frozen around the world. Developing, producing and co-writing The Magic Box for Disney, led to Felipe’s full-time return to the creative path, which he now exercises independently under his own brand, Little Fresh Productions. Felipe is a member of the Broadway League. www.felipegamba.com

    Disney The Magic Box Musical in Cape Town

    Lynne
    Kurdziel Formato

    (Choreographer) For over forty years Lynne balanced a career in Academia with a professional career as a Director/Choreographer. She is grateful to, and proud of all her former students. In 2017 she received the Dance Masters of America President’s Award. With over 600 credits to her name, a few favorites include serving as Director/Choreographer for: The JEFF Award winning production of An American in Paris for the Drury Lane Theatre in Illinois, the European premiere of Disney's Aladdin, Danish Premiere of Disney’s Tarzan (winner of the 2019 Reumert Award for Musical Production,) and the Choreographer for the Scandinavian premiere of Disney’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame (winner of the 2017 Reumert Award for Musical Production,) all for the Fredericia Teater in Denmark. Memphis (regional premiere) for Arkansas Repertory Theatre in Little Rock. The Producers (2017 Artie Award winner for Outstanding Production of a Musical, Broadway World Award for Choreography) for the Kavinoky Theatre in Buffalo, NY. Her 50 years of work in Buffalo have earned her an Artie Awards Career Achievement and a star on the Theatre District Association of Western New York’s “Walk of Fame.”

    Disney The Magic Box Musical in Cape Town

    Isaac
    Saul

    (Music Director, Arranger & Orchestrator) Mexican composer, arranger, pianist and conductor. As a composer, his music has won prizes at several competitions and has been performed in the most diverse venues in Mexico and abroad. As a pianist, he performs frequently as recitalist, accompanist or soloist with major Mexican orchestras. He is professor and vocal coach at the Panamerican University in Mexico City. At the same time, Isaac has maintained an intense activity as Music Director for Theatre for more than 25 years. Among his more than 50 credits are: The Lion King, Les Miserables, The Phantom of the Opera, Chicago, Mamma Mia, Wicked, Mary Poppins, Beauty and the Beast, Anastasia, A Chorus Line, Man of la Mancha, Aladdin, Rent, and Jesus Christ Superstar

  • Disney The Magic Box Musical in Cape Town

    Michael
    Curry

    (Puppet Design) For over 30 years, Michael Curry has been among the most prolific live entertainment creative directors. He is best known for his innovative character and puppetry designs across multiple theatrical forms. These include award-winning productions in theater, spectacle, opera, dance, film, ceremonies, and themed entertainment. Throughout his career, Michael and his team have had notable success in bringing beloved Disney characters to the stage. Michael works closely with his long-term team in Portland, Oregon where they develop innovative solutions for future projects, as well as support multiple on-going theatrical productions around the world, including The Lion King and Frozen.

    Disney The Magic Box Musical in Cape Town

    Nthabiseng
    Malaka

    (Co-Costume Design) is a South African theatre-maker who works across stage, film and television as a costume designer, scenographer, production designer, art director, set dresser and props master. Since 2020, she has worked with the artist William Kentridge through The Centre for the Less Good Idea and, more recently, with The Head & The Load in Johannesburg. She currently works as The Centre’s Scenographer and Costume Designer. In early 2020, Malaka was mentored by the internationally-renowned costume designer Greta Goiris. She then went on to design sets and costumes for Seasons 8, 9 and 10 of The Centre as well as create Goraa Goreng?, a project that incorporated scenography as installation. Through her work with theatre, Malaka has designed for numerous well-known South African productions. To date, she has received Naledi Theatre Award nominations for her costume design for Shoes and Coups (2018) and set design for Strange Land (2019).

    Disney The Magic Box Musical in Cape Town

    Sofia
    Di Nunzio

    (Co-Costume-Design) She was Born in Buenos Aires in 1973. Studied Fine Arts and has been working as a costume designer in opera, musicals and theater since 2000. She designed costumes at the Teatro Colon of Buenos Aires, Teatro Avenida and Teatro Argentino de La Plata, in Argentina. Also at the Estonian National Opera in Tallin, Erfurt Theater in Germany, Opera Wroclaw in Poland and EDP Madrid. In Latinamerica she worked for the Teatro Municipal de Sao Paulo, Teatro Municipal de Rio de Janeiro, Fundacao Clovis Salgado and Teatro Amazonas, all of them in Brazil. She also designed costumes for the Teatro Solis in Montevideo. She created theatre costumes for the most important houses in Buenos Aires, such as Complejo Teatral de Buenos Aires, Teatro Cervantes, Paseo la Plaza, Teatro Metropolitan, Teatro Astral, Teatro Opera, etc. She is member of A.D.E.A.

  • Disney The Magic Box Musical in Cape Town

    David
    Seldes

    is a stage lighting designer born in Argentina. He holds a Master’s degree in Stage Lighting Design from the Universidad Nacional de las Artes (UNA) and has designed lighting for over 130 productions in theater, musicals, dance, opera, performance, and visual arts. He has collaborated with renowned directors and choreographers. His work has been showcased in prominent Buenos Aires venues and in international festivals in Germany, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Scotland, Spain, the United States, France, Great Britain, Greece, the Netherlands, Italy, Japan, Portugal, Switzerland, and Uruguay. Seldes has been nominated for numerous awards, including the Hugo Awards (2024, 2015), Trinidad Guevara Awards (2022, 2010, 2008), ACE Awards (2022, 2013), Atina Awards (2022), Teatro del Mundo Awards (2018, 2012, 2008), Florencio Sánchez Awards (2016), and Javier Villafañe Awards (2016). He has also been involved in education, delivering lectures and courses on lighting design, including presentations at the Argentine Congress of Stage Lighting, the University of Palermo, and Université Sorbonne Nouvelle in Paris.

    Disney The Magic Box Musical in Cape Town

    Maxi
    Veco

    (Projection Design) Director, Scenic Designer, and Audiovisual Artist from Argentina, with experience in over a hundred productions. He has received multiple awards, incluiding the Hugo for Multimedia in 2012 and the award for Audiovisual Design for Regreso en Patagonia in 2023, as well as two Carlos Award for Mahatma and the Metro Award for Best Video Design for Jesus Christ Superstar in Mexico. He is also the winner of the National Contest of Performative Activities in Virtual Environments for his work on Deathbook. Maxi has designed sets for productions such as American Idiot, The Little Pony, and I Want the Kiss. He co-directed Franciscus, Stravaganza Tango, and Siddharta, among others. He has collaborated with renowned international artists such as Gustavo Santaolalla, Bizarrap, and Aventura. He created the Scenic Video course at the University of Palermo and the Diploma in Stagecraft at INT-UNA. He served as an advisor for FUERZA BRUTA and was a content designer for the Youth Olympic Games BA2018. His latest notable work is the Video Design for the musical Vaselina (Grease), premiered in Mexico City in 2023. Other notable works include Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Network, Dante Conjetural, and Piazzolla Futuro.

    Disney The Magic Box Musical in Cape Town

    Gaston
    Briski

    (Sound Design) His career began more than 30 years ago. Around the globe, Gaston Briski’s credits as Sound Designer in musical theatre include: Les Miserables, Wicked, Matilda, Mamma Mia, Billy Elliot (Awarded), West Side Story (Awarded), Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Jesus Christ Superstar (Awarded), The Book of Mormon (Awarded), School of Rock (Awarded), Sunset Boulevard, Cats, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Evita, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Awarded), Grease, Harold Prince´s The Kiss of the Spider Woman, Sam Mendes’ Cabaret, Jaimie Lloyd´s PIAF (Awarded), Mel Brooks’ The Producers, Disney´s Mary Poppins, The Beauty and the Beast, Stephen Sondheim´s Sweeney Todd (Awarded), Kinky Boots (Awarded), The Sound of Music (Awarded), Priscilla (Awarded), Once, Waitress, A Chorus Line, Hair (Awarded), Spring Awakening (Awarded), Sweet Charity, David Levoux’s Nine, The Rocky Horror Show, Singing in the Rain, The Full Monty, Blood Brothers, Claudio Segovia’s Tango Argentino and Brasil Brasileiro, Zorba, Victor Victoria, Eva(Awarded), Tango Feroz (Awarded), High School Musical, August, Fiddler on the Roof, to name a few, including the new Sound Design for Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera in

    1. Awarded 17 times for best Sound Design around the world.

    Disney The Magic Box Musical in Cape Town

    Steve
    Cuiffo

    (Illusions Design) is a magician and theater artist who creates solo performances, as well as collaborative works with other artists and creators. He incorporates aspects of sleight of hand, misdirection, imitation, and reenactment to create unique performance, art, theater, and magic. His work includes: A Simulacrum with Lucas Hnath (Atlantic Theater); Elephant Room (CTG); Lucas Hnath’s The Thin Place (Playwrights Horizons) and Dana H. (Broadway); Geoff Sobelle’s Food; Home; and The Object Lesson (BAM); Thaddeus Phillips’ Zoo Motel and Zoo Mundo; Search For Signs Of Intelligent Life In the Universe (CTG); Antipodes, Old Hats (Signature Theatre); Lypsinka’s The Passion of the Crawford; Lenny Bruce at Carnegie Hall (St. Ann’s); Magic Consultant for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel; Magic Director for David Blaine Live; Wooster Group associate; Co-Founder of Secret Arts.

  • Disney The Magic Box Musical in Cape Town

    Johanna
    Wilhelm

    (Props & Animated Objects Design) She was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She is a production designer, graphic designer, and visual artist. She specializes in papercutting and in shadows and silhouettes in motion. Her stage work for theater and music shows involve art, audiovisual design, lighting, and real-time projections. She co-directed the children’s play El hombre que perdió su sombra, at the Cervantes Theater, honored with the Hugo Award, the Teatros del Mundo Award, and the National Award, given by the Ministry of Culture. Her stage design work includes La enamorada, Ensayo para Güemes, La trampa, Tesoro, and Centauro. She’s collaborated with renowned music artists, and she received the Gardel Award for Best 2020 Music Video. She’s created site-specific installations, such as Siete Vientos at the Museo Oriental, and Tempestad (in honor of Piazzolla’s 100th anniversary) at the CCK.

    Disney The Magic Box Musical in Cape Town

    Feliciano
    San Roman

    (Wig and Makeup Design) A wig and makeup designer with over 34 years of experience, specializing in the creation of wigs and period pieces. He has worked in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Milan, Italy, and Madrid, Spain. His extensive resume includes major Broadway musicals such as Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Anastasia, The Phantom of the Opera, Les Misérables, Evita, The Addams Family, The Producers, El Médico, West Side Story, My Fair Lady, Chicago, Cabaret, Anna and the King, Cats, Hello Dolly, and Funny Girl. He has worked in distinguished capitals for musical theatre, such as Buenos Aires, Argentina, Mexico City, Mexico; Madrid, Spain; São Paulo, Brazil; Bogotá, Colombia; and Caracas, Venezuela. In 2004, he was invited to join the creative team for Beauty and the Beast in Seoul, South Korea by Zemiro and Disney Theatrical Group. He also contributed to the wig creation for the ballet The Sleeping Beauty in Melbourne, Australia. In 2023, he premiered the musicals Matilda, Pretty Woman, Funny Girl, Something Rotten!, SpongeBob SquarePants in Brazil, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, and The Magicals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. In 2024, he will premiere the musicals Legally Blonde, Rock in Rio, Fabela, Shakespeare in Love, Mrs. Doubtfire, and Hairspray in São Paulo, Brazil.

    Disney The Magic Box Musical in Cape Town

    Nahuel
    Delgado

    (Associate Sound Designer) Nahuel Delgado is a sound technician with 11 years of experience in theater, having started his career at the age of 13. Currently working as an associate designer with Gaston Briski for The Magic Box, Nahuel has contributed his expertise to several renowned musicals in Argentina, including Sugar, Cabaret, Tootsie, Hereafter, Little Women, and Little Shop of Horrors. His portfolio also includes theatrical productions such as The Bridges of Madison County, The Play That Goes Wrong, and the stage adaptation of the popular Argentine sitcom Casados con Hijos, based on Married with Children. Nahuel is constantly looking to grow and learn with each new project.

    Disney The Magic Box Musical in Cape Town

    Eva
    Cordoba

    Licensed in Spectacle Design, Scenography Technician, and Creator. She has worked as a set and lighting designer in various independent theater productions in Buenos Aires, including Papá Bianco at Teatro del Pueblo and La Mudita at the Celcit space in Buenos Aires. She began her professional career as an art director and assistant in different types of audiovisual productions, from short films to advertising and music videos. For over 5 years, she has been working alongside Maxi Vecco in his scenic design studio, providing assistance, production, and team coordination for various scenic projects, including musical theater, live shows, and concerts around the world, specializing in audiovisual design and production for shows.

  • Disney The Magic Box Musical in Cape Town

    Edward
    Pierce

    (Design Supervisor): Twenty-five Broadway productions; Select Broadway/Tours: Angels in America (TONY nomination); Wicked (all worldwide productions); Phantom of the Opera (World Tour); To Kill A Mockingbird (Madison Square Garden & National Tour); Love Never Dies (International Tour); Bright Star; Amazing Grace; Holler If Ya Hear Me; The Other Place; A Streetcar Named Desire; Shatner’s World; Billy Elliot; Pippin; 9 to 5; The Pirate Queen; Aida; Ragtime; Cabaret; Noise/Funk. Television: NBC’s Maya & Marty and NBC Universal Kids Sprout House. Edward represents designers as President of United Scenic Artists, Local USA 829. www.edwardpierce.com

    Disney The Magic Box Musical in Cape Town

    Alistair
    Kilbee

    (Technical Director), Gearhouse Splitbeam's Managing Director is well-known in the Theatre industry. He has been involved in lighting design and Technical Direction for many years. He was the Lighting Designer on Eclipse the Opening Show at Emperors Casino in South Africa, then became the resident lighting designed for Emperors, lighting all the productions in the Cabaret Bar and the Theatre including P. J. Powers – A Tribute to Janis Joplin, A Night With Johnny Clegg, Nataniel’s Walking with Wizards and Harry Sideropoulos’ My Favorite Swing, Batmaina and many more. A development of Alistair’s career, in the last Eighteen years, took him into the Technical Directors field, working on “Fame – The Musical”, “The Merry Widow”, “Chicago” “Rent”, “We Will Rock You” “Beauty and the Beast” “High School musical”, “Cats”, “Mamma Mia”, “Dream Girls”, “Dirty Dancing”, “Jersey Boys” “The Sound of Music”, “West Side Story”, “ Emotional Creature” “Singin in the Rain” “West Side Story”, “Priscilla Queen of the Desert” , “Evita” He has also toured extensively in the last Twelve years throughout Asia with “We Will Rock You”, “Chicago”, “High School Musical”, “Jersey Boys”, Dirty Dancing, “The Sound of Music”, Singin in the Rain”, “Evita” , “The Phantom of the Opera – World Tour.” Alistair now also runs Gearhouse Splitbeam a theatre and professional rental company in South Africa, designed to cater for the Theatre market. Alistair is excited about being involved with Disney and this production of “The Magic Box”

Disney The Magic Box Musical in Cape Town
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