The AUTHORS

david Nehls​

Music & Lyrics

In addition to providing the music and lyrics for THE GREAT AMERICAN TRAILER PARK MUSICAL and THE GREAT AMERICAN TRAILER PARK CHRISTMAS MUSICAL, David has supplied music and lyrics for the following: BROADWAY BARES 19 and 20 (opening numbers for both years), as well as the 2016 opening number for BROADWAY BARES FIRE ISLAND; I'LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS (World Premiere 2016 at the Arvada Center For The Arts And Humanities); THE WATERCOOLERS (2002 Off-Broadway Production, 2007 National Tour, continuing industrials); BREACH (Evolution Theatre Company); A MIDNIGHT CLEAR, PANTO SLEEPING BEAUTY, PANTO MOTHER GOOSE (all at Stages Repertory Theatre in Houston); IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE (1993 National Tour, regional productions); KILLER WIGS FROM OUTER SPACE (NYMF 2017, CU Boulder workshop production in 2016, GenCon Selection in 2013 for Short Animation Project, Terror Film Festival, Philadelphia 2013); BEHOLD THE FIG LEAF APRON (Perry Mansfield 2015); and a musical version of MOMMIE DEAREST, on which he has collaborated with Christina Crawford.

As a musical director and conductor, David has worked guided 50 productions at the Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities in Colorado, winning 9 Henry Awards, 4 for Musical Direction (2008, 2009, 2013, 2014) and 5 for Best Musical Production of the Year (2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013). He has also worked regionally as Musical Director at the Denver Center, the Riverside Theatre in Vero Beach, Florida, The Aurora Fox Theatre in Denver, AMT of San Jose, Theatre Aspen, ICA Boston, Theatreworks Hartford and Carousel Dinner Theatre in Akron, Ohio.​

​For the years 1998 to 2005, David also acted as Musical Director, Composer, Arranger and Musical Supervisor for CAROLS FOR A CURE, a holiday CD benefitting Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

An actor for 16 years, David appeared in the national tours of ME AND MY GIRL as Sir Jasper Tring, ZIEGFELD, A NIGHT AT THE FOLLIES as Eddie Cantor, CITY OF ANGELS as Sonny-the-Gangster, and LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS as Seymour. From 1996 to 2000 he originated the role of Riff Raff on the European Tour of THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW. Regionally, David has been seen as Cosme McMoon in SOUVENIR, Tom Sawyer in BIG RIVER, Herod in JESUS CHRIST SUPER STAR, George M. Cohan in GEORGE M! and The Top Banana in LITTLE RHODY'S BIG BURLESQUE opposite Gennifer Flowers.

David was Vice President of the Historic Elitch Gardens Theatre Foundation from 2014 to 2016, helping to lead the effort to restore the 125 year old Elitch Theatre in Denver. He has served as Co-Chairman of the Elitch Theatre New Works Festival from 2015 to 2016, and is a member of BMI.​

​Website: dnehlsmusic.com

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Betsy Kelso

Libretto

Betsy has most recently written and produced for WWE's TV shows (USA, FOX) and premium live events  (WWE network). She has also created and developed TV series for Warner Bros., ABC Family, MTV, Disney Channel and Universal Music Group. She wrote and directed the short film CHURCH & STATE starring Martin Starr, and wrote/performed for BEHIND THE MUSIC THAT SUCKS, an animated parody series that aired on FUSE Network in which she can be heard as the voices of Courtney Love, Jennifer Lopez, Cher and all three Dixie Chicks. She can also be seen in the first season of HANNAH MONTANA. 

In addition to providing the book for THE GREAT AMERICAN TRAILER PARK MUSICAL, Betsy served as Director of both the original NYMF and Off-Broadway productions. She adapted the British musicals GIRLS' NIGHT and GIRL TALK for their U.S. tours and Off Broadway runs, and provided librettos for the new musical project POPERA and THE GREAT AMERICAN TRAILER PARK CHRISTMAS MUSICAL, for which she also served as choreographer of the original Houston production.

As a founding member of the popular all-female sketch-comedy team SHIRLEY CHICKENPANTS, she won praise from publications such as TALK, STUFF, PAPER, BUST, TIME OUT NEW YORK, PLAYBOY and THE VILLAGE VOICE, and played to sold-out crowds in New York and Los Angeles at HERE Arts Center, Joe's Pub, HBO Workspace, ACME Comedy Theatre and others.  

She toured the United States with the comedy JUST FOR LAUGHS, A DAY WITH GATES & MILLS, starring Tim Conway and Tom Poston, and Europe with THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW, for which she also assisted the Director and Choreographer in subsequent productions. Other shows in which Betsy performed include GRAND HOTEL, CITY OF ANGELS, MAN OF LA MANCHA, ANNIE, SUGAR BABIES and THE SOUND OF MUSIC. In the book world, Betsy is published alongside Andy Borowitz, Cynthia Heimel, Craig Bierko and many others in 101 Damnations: A Humorist’s Tour of Personal Hells. She is a member of the WGA-West.

Website: betsykelso.com

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Logo design: Todd Alan Johnson
Set design, page background: Scott Penner – Hart House Theatre, Toronto, ON

Pictured: Hart House Theatre, Toronto – Justin Bott, Saphire Demitro, Sarite Harris, Janice Hawke, Kelly McCormack, Jennifer Morris, James R. Woods (photo: Will O’Hare/Daniel DiMarco)