ELLEN BULLINGER is delighted to be returning to BRT for Once Upon A December after appearing in The Song Is You, Songs of the Great American Songbook, and I’ve Got You Under My Skin, Songs of the 1930’s.  Off-Broadway: Our Sinatra (Leading Lady), Lend Me A Tenor (Diana).  International: The Phantom of the Opera (Madame Giry, Hamburg, Germany).  Regional: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (Gymnasia), Christy (Opal).  Concert:  Broadway Showstoppers and A Night at the Cabaret (The Ocean City Pops Orchestra), Dream and Here’s to Life (The Legend of the Seas Orchestra), Holiday Swing (The Bud Forrest String of Pearls Orchestra), The Music of Michael Leonard (with Mickey Leonard).  Benefit Concerts: What the World Needs Now…Music to Lift the Spirits (The 9/11 Fund), The Story Goes On (The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation).  Recordings: Love is on the Way (All proceeds go to The Red Cross/Oprah’s Angel Network for The Hurricane Disaster Relief).  Ellen has performed at upscale venues worldwide and in many of New York’s elegant hotspots with her jazz ensemble, The Smooth Spot Trio.  Ellen holds a Bachelor of Music in Opera from the Hartt School of Music, and is a proud member of The Actors’ Equity Association.  All my love and thanks always to Mom & Dad and my extended family of friends.

BEAT KAESTLI began his musical journey in his homeland of Switzerland. When faced with the choice of a promising singing career in his homeland or broadening his musical horizon in the US, he decided to make New York City his new home. A Scholarship Recipient at the prestigious Manhattan School of Music, he enjoyed special attention from lauded Jazz vocalist Nancy Marano and Grammy Nominee Luciana Souza. While honing his craft alongside young Jazz note worthy’s like Jane Monheit, Stefon Harris and Jason Moran, he immersed himself in Manhattan’s fiercely competitive music scene, emerging as a seasoned performer. He now appears in clubs such as Birdland, The Bitter End, B.B. King’s and The BlueNote and in 2005, Beat was the chosen vocalist for the Glenn Miller Orchestra, thrilling audiences in concert halls across the USA. Beat is featured on numerous recordings in the US and Europe and he released two solo CDs, his critically acclaimed debut CD “Reasons” (Billboard Magazine10/05/02), a collection of original songs, and the 2005 release “Happy, Sad and Satisfied”, his tribute to the American Standard.  In the summer of 2004, his first appearance in a Musicale in Bristol opened a new musical world to Beat. He has since then been part of several other musical productions in New York and across the USA, and he is exited to once again be part of the cast at the Bristol Riverside Theatre.

EDWARD KEITH BAKER (Creator/Director) trained under Sanford Meisner and Martha Graham at the Neighborhood Playhouse, under John Houseman at Julliard and music studies at The University of Freiburg.  Privately, he has studied with Lehman Engel (BH1 Musical Theatre Workshop), Michael Langham (former head of the acting department at Julliard and Artistic Director, Stratford Shakespeare Festival). He has been Artistic Director for the Kentucky Shakespeare Festival and the Florida Repertory Theatres.  In 2001 Keith was invited by the US State Department to be a representative of the American Theatre to Armenia.  He was so impressed with the theatrical tradition he found, he invited the renowned director of the Yerevan State Drama Theatre, Armen Khandikian, to make his American debut at BRT with his production of Forget Herostratus.   Keith most recently directed BRT’s 2005 Summer Musicale Series as well as Olympus On My Mind, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Tete-A-Tete, The Skin of Our Teeth and The Woman In Black.  Prior to that he directed Jake’s Women followed by Communicating Doors and The Dresser.  He was last seen as Claudius in Hamlet and Herostratus in Forget Herostratus.  In 2002 he was seen as Fredrik in A Little Night Music and Teddy Brewster in Arsenic and Old Lace. Prior to that, he played James Tyrone Jr. in A Moon for the Misbegotten and Harry Roat in Wait Until Dark. Recently he took over the role of Jeeves in the Andrew Lloyd Webber and Alan Ayckbourn musical By Jeeves at the Goodspeed Opera House.  Besides creating and directing BRT's summer musicales (for the past 10 years), Keith has directed over 25 productions for BRT including Chicago (nominated for six Barrymore Awards). His production of The Balkan Women won the 1998 Barrymore Award for Best New Play.   Keith has been nominated eleven times for the prestigious Carbonell Awards.  He was twice the recipient for Best Actor.  Most recently Keith was nominated as Best Director of a Play for The Dresser for the 2002 Barrymore Awards.  Keith most recently appeared in two episodes of Stella for Comedy Central.