PAST PROJECTS

MUSICALS 

THE DOYLE & DEBBIE SHOW

The Doyle and Debbie Show is a sublime parody, simultaneously lampooning and idolizing country music's tradition of iconic duos and their subsequent battle of the sexes. Bruce Arntson and Jenny Littleton wield the vocals of vintage country stars and the acting chops of Broadway veterans, taking audiences on a freewheeling joyride through a wickedly funny script and a slew of equally hilarious original songs. Bringing knee-slapping music & gut-clenching laughs to all, this show developed a rabid cult following - many having seen the show a dozen times over - everyone from theater-going professionals to college students who wouldn't be caught dead in a theater or a country bar.

Produced  by lonesome road productions (Jeff Lee, Karen Berry & Todd Lacy) at the Royal George in Chicago, Il & in cooperation with the Denver Center Theatre, this 3-person musical was a sell-out hit.  

SONG OF SINGAPORE

This musical is a daft parody of old movies and is full of intrigue: fishy stolen jewels, a torch singer whose lost memory holds the key to one of the century's greatest mysteries, a sinister dragon lady, corrupt police, and nonstop funny business. Complete with costumed waiters, themed drinks, & action in & around the public, this zany re-creation of a seedy bar in Singapore, circa 1941, brought environmental theatre to it’s coming of age. Throughout, the music is hot and the cast never hesitates to reach for a laugh. Produced & Directed as a hilarious cabaret this lively piece of audience participation theatre was an uproarious hit for the Off-Loop theatre market of Chicago. 

Produced by L&L Productions (Jeff Lee & Karen Leahy), this production was directed by Jeff Lee & opened a new theatre/restaurant in the Piper’s Alley complex of Chicago, Il.

PLAYS 

SHIRLEY VALENTINE

A one-woman play. Feeling trapped in a world of domesticity, Shirley, a housewife from Liverpool, England, needs a change in her life before she has another conversation with the walls. When her friend Jane invites her on a trip to a Greek island, Shirley jumps at the chance. Upon landing, Jane ditches Shirley for a fling, which means Shirley is left to her own devices. Shirley wanders the island, meets a taverna owner and begins to find the joy in life again.  

Written by Tony, Olivier, & Academy Award Winner Willy Russell, this production played major cities across the US and Canada, was directed by Jeff Lee & produced by the Shirley Valentine Touring Company (Jeff Lee, Jim McKenzie, Jonathan Reinis).

GETTING TO KNOW YOU

GETTING TO KNOW YOU (The Human Race Theatre 2004) - received critical acclaim in its first staging at The Human Race Theatre, Dayton, OH, April 2004. Actress Judith Macmillan once charmed Rodgers and Hammerstein, becoming something of a legend, performing in the chorus of their musicals on Broadway, and then captivating audiences in many of the summer theatres starring as Anna Leonowens in THE KING & I, Nellie Forbush in SOUTH PACIFIC, and Marie Rainer in THE SOUND OF MUSIC. 

Now retired, widowed, and living in New Hope, PA., the 77 year old Macmillan grants an interview to a young local reporter, Mark Landray. It is a snowy afternoon in December, but the blizzard outside is a minor squall compared to the interviews inside. Judith considers this interview her "last hurrah", but little do they both know that this is the beginning of a journey which will dramatically change both their lives. GETTING TO KNOW YOU is a two character by Thomas P. Carr, one set play which extensively utilizes incidental music and lyrics from the Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals. This world premiere was directed by Jeff Lee.

TRANSFERENCE

TRANSFERENCE (World Premiere at the Mercury Theater, Chicago, Illinois, 2006) - a comedy by veteran Chicago journalist Lee Scheier. Dr. Sidney Levine has developed a new high-speed transference technique to cure even the craziest of patients. Can a prominent lawyer be cured of his belief that he's a dog before he is appointed to the bench? Will Jack and Annie ever get over their neuroses, or will they continue their cycle of bad first dates forever? In this hilarious world premiere comedy directed by Jeff Lee, psychiatry has never been so outrageous - and so necessary.

BLEACHER BUMS

BLEACHER BUMS (Royal George Theatre 2004) - the winning baseball comedy about Cubs fans, returned to Chicago at the Royal George Theatre, 1641 N. Halsted, in a special 25th Anniversary Production. The production was updated from the original script, and set, as always, in the right field bleachers at Wrigley Field during a Chicago Cubs / St. Louis Cardinals game.  Conceived by Joe Mantegna and directed by Jeff Lee, BLEACHER BUMS received rave reviews.

BLEACHER BUMS first opened in 1977 under the direction of Stuart Gordon and ran for an unprecedented two years to sold-out audiences, winning the hearts of Chicago theater goers, baseball fans, theater critics and the city of Chicago before embarking on one of the most successful road trips in history, with winning performances across the country including a six-month run in New York and an unprecedented 13-year run in Los Angeles. BLEACHER BUMS has made its mark on the American theater scene as one of the most often performed shows. 

CONCERT / ARENA EVENTS

DISNEY'S BROADWAY HITS AT ROYAL ALBERT HALL

For over two decades, Disney on Broadway has astonished millions worldwide with theatrical magic that amazes and entertains.  In this special concert engagement, audiences experienced an unforgettable night of music created and produced by Disney Theatrical Productions.

Performed live by the BBC Concert Orchestra under the direction of Maestro Keith Lockhart (Boston Pops), this musical event featured beloved songs from such Tony and Academy Award winning scores as Beauty and the Beast, Aida, The Lion King, Aladdin, Mary Poppins, Tarzan, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame.  This memorable music showcased the extraordinary talent of some of today’s greatest composers and lyricists, including Elton John, Tim Rice, Phil Collins, Richard & Robert Sherman, and Alan Menken, who appeared on stage that evening.

These unforgettable songs, performed by world-class Broadway singers and West End stars, brought the sounds of Disney on Broadway to life as they'd never breen heard before. This one-night-only concert was directed for the stage by Jeff Lee and for the cameras by Jay Hatcher.

MORTAL KOMBAT: LIVE TOUR

Mortal Kombat: Live Tour was a martial art theatrical stage show featuring Mortal Kombat characters, sound, and laser light effects on stage. The plot was based on three fighters rescuing their friends and retrieving a magic amulet from the evil master of Outworld, Shah Kahn, in order to save the Earth.

The show debuted at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on September 14, 1995, followed by a 200 city road trip into 1996. It replicated Mortal Kombat martial arts and video game moves on stage mixed with dancing and music. Lip synching were pre-recorded and used to demonstrate the official MK sound effects, though there was no graphic violence or Fatalities visible in the show. The audience participated by yelling "Run!" or "Kick him!" as part of the live action.

The MORTAL KOMBAT LIVE TOUR was directed for the stage by Jeff Lee with fight direction by renowned martial arts choreographer Pat E. Johnson.

FILMS / VIDEOS

RUM TUM TUGGER

“RUM TUM TUGGER" Music Video from CATS - starring Terrence Mann from the original Broadway company of CATS, this music video was the first ever produced for promotion of a Broadway show and Broadway Cast Album. Director / Producer, Jeff Lee and Producer / Music Producer, Richie Vetter filmed on location in the Shubert’s Longacre Theatre, New York City, NY in 1983. The video was shot on 35mm film, edited on tape, and was the first video ever to employ digital sound. It aired for a short rotation on MTV before moving to an extended rotation on VH1 and produced a 60% increase in cast album sales within a 6 month period. To promote the show internationally as well as domestically, the piece aired extensively on MUSIC IS in Canada and MUSIC, MUSIC in Australia. At a later date, edited selections were utilized as 30 and 60 second commercial spots to further promote the show. Cast members are from the original Broadway production and choreography was adapted from Gillian Lynne’s original by T. Michael Reed.

DON'T QUIT WHILE YOU'RE AHEAD

“DON'T QUIT WHILE YOU'RE AHEAD” Music Video from THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD - following in the footsteps of their first Broadway music video from CATS, Director/Producer, Jeff Lee and Producer/Music Producer, Richie Vetter were brought onboard by Joseph Papp of the New York Shakespeare Festival and Polygram Records to conceive and produce a promotional piece for the Broadway production, THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD. Starring original cast members, Betty Buckley, Cleo Laine, Patti Cohenour, Howard McGillin, and the late George Rose, this piece was shot on location at Blank Tapes Studio, New York, NY in 1985. Conceived with the acting participation of author / composer / lyricist, Rupert Holmes, it was filmed on 16mm film and edited on tape as a promotional contest for viewers of MTV and VH1. Left to determine who killed the composer / engineer in the control room, winners were flown to New York, put up in a first class hotel, and limousined to front row seats of a performance of the show on Broadway. At a later date, when the contest was suspended, the piece was shown on it’s own for cast album and show promotion.