1985-1986 Tales & Scales Forms
In the fall of 1985, the original concept of combining music making, storytelling and creative movement was formed by flutist Bridget Muldoon McDaniel and first developed with the following musicians: Valerie Forstman (flute), Donna Connaty (oboe), Ted Rubright, (percussion), Ken Friedenburg, (french horn). These musicians improvised music and movement to well known stories and performed them in elementary schools and pre-schools in an effort to find creative ways of more fully engaging and educating young people with live performing arts rather than the typical “classical” music exposure programming that they were trained to present.
Additional artists invited to experiment during early formation: Diane Fowler (cello), Tomoko Sakata (violin), William Bootz (trombone), Ron Tucker (bassoon), Adrian Jones (percussion), Diane Friedenburg (violin), and Sue Barncik (storyteller).
The innovative process that they discovered in creating these “musictelling” programs and the direct and overwhelming positive response of the young audiences inspired them to continue developing. They came up with the name Tales & Scales through brainstorming with friends and family, and in the spring of 1986, with the help of the local arts council and enthusiastic community members, became a not for profit arts education organization with the mission “to ignite the imaginations of young people through musictelling-a unique blend of music, story and creative movement.” The founding purpose was to create and present original musictelling productions and experiences that fully engaged young people in the performing arts.
1986-1987 Season
Tales & Scales introduces musictelling concept through public premiere at the Reitz Home Carriage House (Evansville, IN) followed by first tri-state area elementary school and library tour.
THE SPRIGHTLY TAILOR AND OTHER FOLK TALES
- Adaptation by Bridget Muldoon McDaniel
- Music created through improvisation by Tales & Scales
- Guest Theater Director: Nicholas Kryah of Metro Theater Company
- Founding Artistic/Executive Director: Bridget Muldoon McDaniel
- Musictellers: Ken Friedenberg (french horn), William Bootz (trombone), Rose Marie Straeter (harp), Adrian Jones (percussion), Lisa Dove (cello), Roberta Veazey (soprano), Ron Tucker (bassoon/oboe), Bridget Muldoon (flute)
1987-1988 Season
Tales & Scales first commissioned collaboration with writer, composer, and theater director
THISTLE
- Story (published children’s book) by local, nationally-known author Walt Wangerin Jr.
- Composer: Don Diekneite from Indiana University
- Guest Theater Director: Nicholas Kryah of St. Louis based Metro Theatre Company
- Artistic/Executive Director: Bridget Muldoon McDaniel
- Musictellers: Roberta Veazey & Glory Heyde (soprano), William Bootz (trombone), Gregg Martin (percussion), Ron Tucker (bassoon), William Eash & Marc Satterwhite (string bass), Bridget Muldoon McDaniel (flutes)
1988-1989 Season
LOVE AT FIRST SOUND
- (Rapunzel with stories and poetry by young authors)
- Written/Adapted & Directed by Nicholas Kryah of Metro Theatre Company
- Composers: Margaret Brower; Michael Schelle; Glenn Gass; as well as improvisational music set by Tales & Scales
- Artistic/Executive Director: Bridget Muldoon McDaniel
- Musictellers: Cary McCool Gray (voice), Claire Tafoya (french horn), Ron Tucker (bassoon/oboe), Jeff Young (trombone/synthesizer), Bridget Muldoon McDaniel (flutes) Gregg Martin (percussion)
1989-1990 Season
JAMBO!
- Stories by Linda Goss
- Composed by David Baker
- Directed by Nicholas Kryah
- Artistic/Executive Director: Bridget Muldoon McDaniel
- Music Director: William Bootz
- Musictellers: Kathy Culmer (voice/storyteller), Claire Tafoya, (french horn), Cary Gray (soprano and violin), William Bootz (trombone), Ron Tucker (bassoon), Gregg Martin (percussion), Bridget Muldoon McDaniel(flute)
1990-1991 Season
STONE SOUP
- Adapted & Directed by Nicholas Kryah
- Composed by Joseph Klein
- Musictellers: Kathy Culmer (voice/storyteller), Claire Tafoya, (french horn), Cary Gray (soprano and violin), William Bootz (trombone), Ron Tucker (bassoon), Gregg Martin (percussion), Bridget Muldoon McDaniel(flute)
1991-1992 Season
THE LITTLE DRAGON
- Story by Jay O’Callahan
- Composed by Scott Wheeler
- Adapted and Directed by Catherine Chuplis
- Artistic/Executive Director: Bridget Muldoon McDaniel
- Music Director: Ron Tucker
- Musictellers: Claire Tafoya (french horn), Kathy Culmer (storyteller), Cary Gray, (soprano), Gregg Martin (percussion), William Bootz (trombone), David Eby (cello), Bridget Muldoon McDaniel (flutes). Later in season: Robert Caron (saxophone), Curtis Pendleton (flute)
1992-1993 Season
CHICKEN CIRCUS & OTHER BITZ
- Poet/Writer: Gregory Bitz
- Music created through improvisation by Tales & Scales
- Directed and Choreographed by Judith Leber
- Artistic/Executive Director: Bridget Muldoon McDaniel
- Music Director: William Bootz
- Musictellers: Dee Dee Lawrence (soprano), Curtis Pendleton (flute), Robert Caron (saxophone), David Eby (cello), Gregg Martin (percussion), Kathy Culmer (storyteller)
1993-1994 Season
ONLY ONE ME!
- (Based on personal childhood stories of musictellers)
- Adapted and Directed by Nicholas Kryah
- Music created through improvisation by Tales & Scales*
- Artistic/Executive Director: Bridget Muldoon McDaniel
- Music Director: William Bootz; *Composer Michael Schelle assisted with musical improvisation/group composition process
- Musictellers: David Eby (cello), Dee Dee Lawrence (soprano), Curtis Pendleton (flute), Robert Caron (saxophone), Gregg Martin (percussion)
1994-1995 Season
PIED PIPER
- Composed by William Friedeman
- Adaptation by Catherine Chuplis
- Directed by Bridget Muldoon McDaniel
- Choreographed by Mercedes Ellington
- Artistic/Executive Director: Bridget Muldoon McDaniel
- Musictellers: Dee Dee Lawrence (soprano), David Eby (cello), Gregg Martin (percussion), Curtis Pendleton (flute), Robert Caron (saxophone)
1995-1996 Season
MEDUSA
- Written by Margaret Muldoon
- Composed by Charles Threatte
- Directed by Bridget Muldoon McDaniel
- Artistic/Executive Director: Curtis Pendleton
- Musictellers: Bruce Blomquist, Audrey Blomquist, Curtis Pendleton (flutes), Robert Caron (saxophone), Joined mid-season: Deborah Moore (percussion), Jay Heltzer (trombone)
1996-1997 Season
JABBERWOCKY
- Adapted by Catherine Chuplis
- Composed by Doug Lofstrom
- Directed/Choreographed by Judith Leber
- Artistic/Executive Director: Curtis Pendleton
- Musictellers: Jay Heltzer (trombone); Deborah Moore (percussion), Curtis Pendleton (flutes), Robert Caron (saxophone)
1997-1998 Season
THE ENCHANTED HORN
- Story Adapted by Wayne Anthony
- Composed by Marc Satterwhite
- Directed by Gary Race
- Artstic/Executive Director: Curtis Pendleton
- Musictellers: Robert Caron (saxophone), Deborah Moore (percussion), Christopher Balas (bass trombone); Meldi Arkinstall (flutes)
1998-1999 Season
A HARPER’S TALE
- Written by Curtis Pendleton
- Composed by Charles Threatte
- Directed by Brad Wright
- Artistic/Executive Director: Curtis Pendleton
- Musictellers: Robert Caron (saxophone), Deborah Moore (percussion), Christopher Balas (bass trombone); Cheryl Anderson Sabo (flutes)
1999-2000 Season
PANDORA’S BOX
- Co-Written by Catherine Chuplis & Margaret Muldoon
- Composed by George Tsontakis
- Directed by Bridget Muldoon McDaniel
- Choreographed by Nusha Martynuk
- Artistic Director: Deborah Sunya Moore
- Executive Director: Jenni White
- Musictellers: Cheryl Anderson Sabo (flute), Neil Parsons (trombone), Deborah Moore (percussion), Christopher Grymes (clarinet)
2000-2001 Season
THE ANIMAL WHO DRANK UP SOUND
- Poem by William Stafford
- Composed by Alla Borzova
- Staged/Choreographed by Nusha Martynuk
- Artistic Director: Deborah Sunya Moore
- Executive Director: Jenni White
- Musictellers: Zara Lawler (flute), Neil Parsons (trombone), Deborah Moore (percussion), Christopher Grymes (clarinet)
- Booking Manager: Lynn Kinkade
2001-2002 Season
THE ARABIAN NIGHTS
- Written by Christopher Limber
- Composed by Doug Lofstrom
- Directed by Gary Race
- Artistic Director: Deborah Sunya Moore
- Executive Director: Mark Gilbert
- Musictellers: Zara Lawler (flute), Neil Parsons (trombone), Deborah Sunya Moore (percussion), Pat Leyden(clarinet)
- Booking Manager: Lynn Kinkade
2002-2003
THE LITTLE DRAGON (re-mount of 1991-1992 production)
- Story by Jay O’Callahan
- Composed by Scott Wheeler
- Adapted and Directed by Gary Race
- Artistic Director: Deborah Sunya Moore
- Managing Director: Jeff Gruszewski
- Musictellers: Zara Lawler (flute), Neil Parsons (trombone), Pat Leyden (clarinet); Deborah Moore (percussion), Paul Fadoul (percussion)
- Booking Manager: Lynn Kinkade
2003-2004 Season
THE ODYESSY
- Adapted by R. N. Sandberg
- Composed by Jon Deak
- Directed by Gary Race
- Artistic Director and Choreographer: Deborah Sunya Moore
- Managing Director: Jeff Gruszewski
- Musictellers: Zara Lawler (flute), Neil Parsons (trombone), Pat Leyden (clarinet); Paul Fadoul (percussion)
- Booking Manager: Lynn Kinkade
2004-2005 Season
This season, Tales & Scales expanded to two full-time troupes of musictellers!
JUST BEYOND THE JUNKYARD
- Written by Margaret Ford-Taylor
- Composed by Doug Lofstrom
- Directed by R. Scott Lank
- Choreographed by Carter McAdams
- Artistic Director Deborah Sunya Moore
- Managing Director Jeff Gruszewski
- Troupe 1 Musictellers: Zara Lawler (flute), Neil Parsons (trombone), Pat Leyden (clarinet); Paul Fadoul (percussion)
- Troupe 2 Musictellers: Meaghan Heinrich (oboe), Melanie Mooney (flute), Stephen Slater (horn), Brian Smith (percussion)
- Booking Manager: Lynn Kinkade
2005-2006 Season
I HEAR AMERICA SINGING
- Poems by Walt Whitman, Langston Hughes, Maya Angelou, Sarah Teasdale
- Composed by Jerome Kitzke
- Directed and Choreographed by Nusha Martynuk
- Artistic Director: John Lewandowski
- Education Director: Deborah Sunya Moore
- Managing Director: Jeff Gruszewski
- Troupe 1 Musictellers: Zara Lawler (flute), Neil Parsons (trombone), Pat; Bonnie Whiting Smith (percussion)
- Troupe 2 Musictellers: Meaghan Heinrich (oboe), Melanie Mooney (flute), Stephen Slater (horn), Brian Smith (percussion)
- Booking Manager: Lynn Kinkade
2006-2007 Season
JABBERWOCKY (remounted/remixed 1996-1997 production)
- Composed by Doug Lofstrom
- Directed by Gary Race
- Musictellers/Co-Artistic Directors: Zara Lawler (flute), Neil Parsons (trombone), Meghan Heinrich (oboe), Bonnie Whiting Smith (percussion)
- Education Consultant: Deborah Sunya Moore
- Managing Director: Jeff Gruszewski
- Booking Management: Larry Kosson, SMG Artists
2007-2008 Season
THE PIED PIPER
- Text: Robert Browning Poem
- Composed by Randall Woolf
- Directed by: Michael Burnham
- Musictellers/Co-Artistic Directors: Zara Lawler (flute), Neil Parsons (trombone), Meghan Heinrich (oboe), Bonnie Whiting Smith (percussion)
- Managing Director: Jeff Gruszewski
- Booking Management: Larry Kosson, SMG Artists
2008-2009
Tales & Scales re-mounted two of our most popular, classic musictelling works.
THE LITTLE DRAGON
- Story by Jay O’Callahan
- Composed by Scott Wheeler
- Directed by Gary Race (with assistance from Neil Parsons)
THE ARABIAN NIGHTS
- Adaptation by Christopher Limber
- Composed by Doug Lofstrom
- Directed by Gary Race (with assistance from Neil Parsons and Diane Brewer)
- Executive Producing Director: Bridget McDaniel
- Guest Artistic Director: Gary Race
- Managing/Booking Director: Mary Dicken
- Musictellers: Hilary Abigana (flute), Greg Jukes (percussion), Liza Malamut (trombone), Jason Gresl (clarinet)