Bio
Doug Schenker - Producer, Concept, Music & Lyrics
Doug Schenker was born in Annapolis, MD and has written songs which have been featured on various albums over the years. He wrote or co-wrote all the songs for Amelia's Journey as well as Hard Broccoli's Cinderblock & Board Days, both of which he produced. His songs were featured in the musicals The Heart Does Not Forget and Outburst, which were performed in New Haven, CT. Doug began working on a musical about Amelia Earhart & George Putnam in October, 1990, while he was co-producer and legal counsel on Radio Showcase. When not composing, writing, or recording, Doug is a practicing attorney in Annapolis.
Doug Schenker wrote the lyrics to all the songs on the Amelia's Journey CD, except "Spread Your Wings" lyrics by Doug Schenker & Mick Terry and "Your Love" lyrics by Christine Sodaro & Doug Schenker.
Doug Schenker & John E. Starr, Jr. wrote the music to all Amelia's Journey songs, except "If You Were Mine", "Fly Through the Universe with Me" and "Flying Around the World" music by Doug Schenker; "Your Love" music by Doug Schenker, Mick Terry & John E. Starr, Jr.; "Firewalk" & "Winding Grandpa's Clock" music by Mick Terry; and "You're Mighty Lucky to Have Met Me" music by John E. Starr, Jr.
Linda Page - Book (script)
Linda Page produced her first play at age nine –a follies revue for the neighborhood children. As a journalism major at Northern Virginia Community College, she penned a column, Home is Where the Hassle Is. Linda has had over 300 articles published in The Washington Post, The Journal Newspapers, and other publications. An activist for the rights of children, Linda wrote a curriculum which is used throughout the United States to help children who have been exposed to domestic violence. She is a recipient of the Victim Advocate Award from the State's Attorney's Office. She was a speechwriter in Washington, DC, and has written for the Annapolis Summer Garden Theatre. In 1999, Linda wrote and produced the satirical Women Are From Pluto, Men are from Goofy. She was writing humorous skits for Radio Showcase, a weekly show that was broadcast on WNAV, when the show’s co-producer Doug Schenker asked her if she would be interested in writing the script for a musical about the life of Amelia Earhart. She recently completed a book chronicling her mother’s life, entitled Honey Marie. Linda is in the process of finishing a book entitled, Keeping Kids Whole While Their Parents Split and is working on a script for a new musical entitled, Divorce, Country Style, which she hopes will help families heal from the impact of divorce. When not writing, Linda is a child therapist and clinical social worker with a private practice in Annapolis where she lives with her husband.
John E. Starr, Jr. - Music arranger, Composer, Instrumentalist and Vocalist
John E. Starr, Jr. is a talented vocalist & multi-instrumentalist from Annapolis, MD. John arranged, played and sang on the Amelia’s Journey CD. He also co-wrote songs for Amelia's Journey with Doug Schenker. He has provided the music for numerous theatrical performances. In addition, he plays acoustic & electric bass on many live gigs. John is the arranger, bassist, and one of the vocalists for the critically acclaimed Mozart to Motown performances, which has been performed in Italy as well as the US. At one time, a student of Dr. Asher Zlotnick, John was a founding member of the legendary group Wooden Hands. John plans to release a solo album. John was the arranger & performer on the Hard Broccoli Cinderblock & Board Days CD.
Anita O'Connor - Amelia on CD & Music Director in play
Anita O'Connor was glad to be music directing a project she had been involved with for more than ten years, singing on the demos and the Amelia’s Journey album. Anita has music directed at various high schools and theatres in the area. She also loves to perform. She and her husband, Maurie, have 2 beautiful girls, and perform doing their Broadway Cabaret. Anita has two CDs available [at www.anitasings.com] and teaches piano and voice out of her home.
Mary Spencer - Amelia Earhart in the play
Mary [Simmons] Spencer was delighted in 2004 to be returning to the stage after focusing her time and energy on raising three great kids -- Carter, Nicole , and Julia. A resident of Annapolis, Mary has been active vocally as a member of the Annapolis Chorale and has been known to show up around town to sing some blues and jazz with her musician friends. Her stage credits include Mother Abbess in The Sound of Music; the mother, Kate Baker, in Cheaper by the Dozen; Sylvia Potter-Porter in Annie Get Your Gun; Susan B. Anthony in Chamber Music; Lilly Belle in The Curious Savage; and a fabulously fun role as the singing Olio Card Girl in Ten Nights in a Barroom. When not on stage or attending basketball and lacrosse games, school plays, and dance recitals, Mary is an Advancement Officer at St. John's College. She thanks her beautiful, talented, and supportive kids for holding down the fort and for being her constant source of joy and inspiration, her actor/pilot dad for inspiring her to get back on stage (and for letting her take the controls of his 4-seater plane… yes, she has flown a plane!), her family and friends for their undying love and faith in her, and her Dale (now her husband) for his love and for being a truly good man in every sense of the word.
Mary has portrayed Amelia Earhart in the first twenty one performances of Amelia's Journey.
Scott Tanski - George Palmer Putnam in the play
Scott Tanski has been performing since 1980. Favorite roles include George Putnam in Amelia's Journey, The Padre in Man of La Mancha, Pippin in Pippin, Tony in West Side Story, Luther Billis in South Pacific. He has also appeared in Jesus Christ Superstar (twice), My Fair Lady, and Guys & Dolls and in various other plays. Scott has been singing since age seven, and Barbershop singing has been a passion of his since high school. He currently sings with his quartet “FOURGETABOUTIT” and the group places well in competition. Scott is the featured vocalist on the Hard Broccoli Cinderblock & Board Days CD. Scott’s most important production is his son, Patrick. He has portrayed George Putnam in the first twenty one performances of Amelia's Journey.
Christy Stouffer - Director/Choreographer/Actress
Christy Stouffer (Annie Page/Ensemble in July 2004 and July 2005; Gwen Bowen in June 2008; director/choreographer of December 2004 and July 2005 performances; director June 2008) has been active in local theatrical productions since 1990 as both an actor and a director. Favorite roles include Fastrada in Pippin, Irene Molloy in Hello, Dolly, Madame DuBonnet in The Boyfriend, and the Fairy Godmother in Rogers and Hammerstein's Cinderella. Her 2004 credits include Colonial Players' production of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Pasadena Theatre Company's Inherit the Wind, and 2nd Star Productions' Mame. As a director, she directed the one act play, All for Love, and directed and choreographed A Christmas Carol, for the Colonial Players 2003 season. By day, Christy is the manager of Practice Support for Steptoe & Johnson, LLP in Washington, DC, and the president of the Legal Assistant Management Association, an international association of paralegal managers.
Eloise Ullman - Gwen on CD & Director of World Premiere shows
Eloise Ullman (Director of World Premiere shows July 2004) has enjoyed performing a wide variety of roles in musical and non-musical theatre since 1969. Most recently she has appeared on the stages of Colonial Players, 2nd Star Productions, Annapolis Summer Garden Theatre, Bowie Community Players, Chesapeake Music Hall, and others and has directed Oliver! and Oklahoma! for Merely Players. Eloise fell in love with Amelia’s Journey when asked to sing the role of Gwen on the CD and feels so privileged to be helping Doug and Linda bring their music and story to life. For the last twelve years, Eloise has served as executive director of the Industry Council for Tangible Assets, a national trade association for rare coin/precious metals dealers. She lives in Annapolis with the two loves of her life – Tim a wonderful actor/writer/musician and Minnie a bossy/funny/incredibly cute Yorkie puppy.
Mick Terry - lyricist and composer
Mick is a songwriter and arranger originally from Maryland, who has lived in the Los Angeles area for a number of years. Mick co-wrote the lyrics on "Spread Your Wings" with Doug Schenker. He wrote the music to "Firewalk" and "Winding Grandpa's Clock".
Mick Terry co-wrote the music to "Your Love" with Doug Schenker and John Starr.
more info about Mick at www.mickterry.com
David Bosley Reynolds - George Putnam on the CD
David Bosley Reynolds sang the part of George Palmer Putnam on the CD. He has toured as Daddy Warbucks in the national touring company of Annie.
Maurie O'Connor - Duke Munroe on CD
Maurie O’Connor sang as Duke Munroe and also did harmony vocals on the CD. Maurie performs in a cabaret act with his wife Anita O'Connor. He lives in the Annapolis area.
Gerry Kunkel - guitars
Gerry Kunkel: Slide guitar, electric & acoustic 6 & 12 string guitars on the Hard Broccoli CD. He played guitar and banjo on the Amelia’s Journey CD. Gerry is an educator, CD producer, studio guitarist and composer. He has played with Aretha Franklin, Grover Washington, Ron Carter, Terri-Lynn Carrington, Patrice Rushen, Bob Hope, Diane Reeves, Charles Covington, Grady Tate and Freda Payne along with many other bands and groups. He has opened concerts for Chicago, George Duke and Stanley Clark, the Heath Brothers, The Beach Boys, Peter, Paul and Mary and The Ventures. He was Musical Director Broadcast Emmys in Baltimore and composed the music for the television show “Treasure Search” with Bob Denver and has played on numerous recordings, TV and radio jingles as well as short and full length feature films and videos. Gerry can also be heard in the orchestra pit for shows like Mama Mia, 42nd St. and the Ford’s Theatre premier of Elmer Gantry. He leads his own group that records and performs original and classic jazz he continues to be one of Washington D.C.’s busiest free lance jazz and classical guitarists. He is also on the faculty of the University of Md. and Howard University and a recent inductee into “Who’s Who” in American Education.
Les Lentz - drums & engineer
Les Lentz: Drums, percussion & engineer. Les is an accomplished engineer, drummer and percussionist. For over 15 years Les has been the owner & Chief Engineer at LSP Studios in Annapolis, MD. He provided drums, percussion and engineered the Amelia's Journey CD and the Hard Broccoli CD.
Amelia's Journey story
The songs on the Amelia's Journey album and play tell the story of the relationship between famed aviatrix Amelia Earhart and her promoter George Putnam. Many of the characters, other than Amelia & George, are fictional created by Linda Page in her book (script) for Amelia's Journey, the Creation of a Reluctant Celebrity (formerly entitled Amelia & George: The Journey's Not Over) (copyright Linda Page). The events are dramatizations. When she first met George Amelia disliked him, but eventually married him. He was a wheeler dealer. Putnam was well connected with the press, The White House & the movie studios. He asked Amelia if she would like to be the first female to fly the Atlantic. Amelia, a social worker at the time, felt she wasn't experienced enough to pilot a plane across the ocean. George explained that she would lie between two fuel tanks in the plane while a male pilot would fly the plane, but that she would get all the glory. He sings the song "Spread your Wings" to try and convince her. Later she is with her lifelong friend Gwen Bowen and her flying mentor Duke Munroe discussing her concern about the flight and sings "The Journey's Not Over". She reluctantly agrees to the flight. Putnam says "You're Mighty Lucky to Have Met Me" to Amelia. As she's getting ready to leave on the transatlantic flight with the pilot and mechanic she wonders "Why Did I Say I Would Do This?" After her triumphant flight to Wales, successful tour of Europe and return to America, she and George travel the United States promoting her as a speaker, heroine and author, as she wrote a book about her flight. Returning home after many months with Amelia, George finds his wife has left him and gone to Reno for a divorce. Once the divorce is granted, George asks Amelia to marry him in the song "If You Were Mine". Amelia turns him down. While working as her manager over many months he keeps asking her to marry him. Finally Amelia decides she will marry him, but with a lot of conditions (perhaps the first prenuptial agreement) which she describes in "Attractive Cage". After much flying experience Amelia is finally ready to be the first female to fly SOLO across the Atlantic. Landing in Ireland she sings "Nothing Matches the Feeling". There is a celebration at Amelia & George's Rye, NY house where Amelia leads George & the guests in "Fly through The Universe With Me". Gwen wants Amelia to attend a Broadway show with her, but George, as usual, wants Amelia to work. George tells them it takes "Money To Pay The Bills" [not in the play], Amelia is overwhelmed by her career. She and Gwen sing of a simpler time when they were growing up in Kansas ("Winding Grandpa's Clock"[not in the play]). Amelia & George plan for Amelia to be the first person to fly around the world. George tries to announce it at a press conference, but is interrupted by Annie Page and other female fliers in "America Flies With Amelia (It Wasn't Amelia's Fault)". The press and some of the public have turned on Amelia. She is feeling sad and sings "Firewalk" [not in the initial performances of the play]. Amelia is discussing the upcoming flight with Duke who tells her she's not used to the bigger plane with all the new equipment George is getting from the corporate sponsors (She has already crashed on her first attempt at a 'round the world flight). She tells Duke not to worry. She leaves and Duke who has secret feelings for Amelia sings "If You Were Mine Reprise" to himself. George & Amelia are together in California the night before she is to leave on her 'round the world flight. She and George sing "Your Love" [not in the play] and "The Wisdom of Solomon". George has Gwen and other actors and dancers rehearsing a song "Flying Around the World" to be sung at the conclusion of Amelia's 'round the world flight on the 4th of July, 1937. While rehearsing they get the news on the radio that Amelia's plane is missing and presumed crashed into the ocean after running out of fuel on the way to tiny Howland Island in the South Pacific. Amelia had flown 22,000 miles before disappearing. In the finale Gwen & others sing "Heading For the Future", while George and others sings "Spread Your Wings".