Aubrey Logan

Jazz is the great leveler as an art form. Pop sensibilities are thrown out of the window when the greats step up to the microphone and one of today’s most brilliant contemporary jazz artists to bless us with her story, is Aubrey Logan. 

A singer, trombone player and a songwriter, her body of work is underscored by the integrity of a performer that is able to stretch herself emotionally across a musical landscape that defies description. Complex and still retaining the intimacy of stories that are both personal and inspiring, Aubrey is able to bring a wealth of experience to her songwriting that touches the deepest part of the human experience.

Recognized on the global stage as a performer who can deliver in the most informal of settings and then to huge festival audiences, her work is praised as being accessible, fresh and dynamic. It shines a light on an art form that can at times appear exclusive and hard to connect with. Aubrey certainly flips that narrative on its head and allows the music to bask in the sunlight; introducing new generations of listeners to her world of sophisticated songs. With a number one album ‘Where the Sunshine is Expensive’ already under her belt, Aubrey returns to the spotlight with her follow-up collection, STANDARD. 

Once again diving deep into her Jazz roots, STANDARD is a journey into her musical past with covers of the some of the most recognizable tracks that have ever been made, plus her original work ‘Done Pretending’ and ‘Louboutins 2.0’.

Having worked with some incredible names in the past, including Quincy Jones, Burt Bacharach, Josh Groban, Smokey Robinson, Patrice Rushen and Pharrell Williams, Aubrey can bring those unique perspectives to the music she delivers. On STANDARD, reworks of ‘Dreams’ by Fleetwood Mac, ‘Macarthur Park’, and ‘Sunny Side of the Street’, show the astounding application of a woman at the top of her game. 

Moving between Jazz, Funk, tender love songs, to Calypso-infused rhythms and traditionally inspired fusions, her vocals and trombone playing sway between the caress of a long-lost love to triumphant powerhouse performances that simply blow the mind.

As the world has endured the most difficult year, Aubrey continues to produce music that brings hope, joy and that touch of fun to her audiences. Sassy, undeniably gifted and with talent to burn, Aubrey Logan is that Jazz artist that you need in your life.

Bill Cantos

The songs of Bill Cantos have been covered by such artists as Ramsey Lewis, Lea Salonga, Patti Austin, Brenda Russell & Bobby Caldwell, Cheryl Bentyne, Flora Purim, Helen Baylor, Mark Winkler, and many others. Bill tours and records with Herb Alpert & Lani Hall, including their Grammy-winning album STEPPIN’ OUT; and toured with Burt Bacharach from 2011 until Burt’s final live shows in 2019. He was a backing vocalist on three world tours with Phil Collins and has also toured with Diane Schuur, Deniece Williams, Kirk Whalum, Freddie Hubbard, and many more.

The legendary Johnny Mandel once said, “Bill comes up with songs I wish I had written – these songs are built to last.” SENSIBILITY, Bill’s latest solo album, is a blend of originals (including new songs written with Bacharach and Mandel) and surprising takes on pop and jazz standards.

A deep love for the music of Brazil runs through Bill’s music and he’s worked extensively with many of Brazil’s best-known artists, including Sergio Mendes, Dori Caymmi, Flora Purim, Airto Moreira, and Gal Costa. He also wrote songs with the legendary Alan and Marilyn Bergman and Mari Falcone for the musical CHASING MEM’RIES.

Bill sang and co-wrote the main title song “All Right Day” for the film HOME RUN SHOWDOWN; has sung on the soundtrack of 100+ films; and recorded as a session player/vocalist with Elton John, Leon Russell, Josh Groban, Barry Manilow, Bob Dylan, Brian Bromberg, Jay Graydon, El DeBarge and Andrae Crouch. He’s on the commercial music faculty at Azusa Pacific University; originally from San Diego, he received a Masters in Jazz Studies from the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, and received their Distinguished Alumni Award.

Several years ago, Bill was excited to arrange & perform a project re-imagining Disney songs old and new in classic jazz style for the Carthay Circle Restaurant at Disney California Adventure. 25 songs were recorded both with solo piano and with band (Bill, Peter Erskine, Chuck Berghofer, and Don Shelton). It was so well-received that two albums of the material were released as The Carthay Circle Sessions, acquiring its own set of devoted fans.

The music Bill makes with his trio combines classic jazz, pop, Brazilian influences, vocal scat and piano improv with a unique and exciting energy.

The 5th Dimension

In 1967, a little-known vocal group called the 5th Dimension recorded the song “Up, Up and Away” which catapulted the group to instant stardom. Countless magazine covers, world tours and several Grammys later, the 5th Dimension is recognized as one of the most prolific soul, R&B groups in musical history.

The 5th Dimension has made over 25 million in sales with 22 Top 40 hits and five No.1 songs, including “Up, Up and Away,” “Wedding Bell Blues,” “One Less Bell to Answer,” “Last Night I Didn’t Get to Sleep At All,” and the iconic “Aquarius/ Let the Sunshine In”. They have performed on the world’s most famous stages, including Radio City Music Hall alongside Frank Sinatra and the Hollywood Bowl, and delivered unforgettable television performances on the Ed Sullivan Show, Soul Train and The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. The 5th Dimension has secured its position in the Grammy Hall of Fame, with 14 gold records, six platinum records and six Grammy Awards.

In 2015, The 5th Dimension celebrated 50 years of extraordinary entertainment. Original member Florence LaRue and company continue to deliver dynamic performances that stand the test of time and captivate audiences from Las Vegas to Manila, Philippines.

While remaining true to their original, five-part harmonic sound, The 5th Dimension remains versatile, attracting audiences of all ages and nationalities. Within the last decade, The 5th Dimension has taken the stage with several prestigious symphony orchestras, entertained at the White House and performed for families at Disneyland in California and Disney World in Florida, demonstrating the groups diverse appeal. The iconic group continues to sell out venues across the United States, Europe and Asia.

According to a recent review by White Plains Citizens, ”[The 5th Dimensions’] voices and harmony are stronger, more emotional and as meaningful, perhaps more meaningful than when they first became hits in the 1965-1975 era. Today’s Dimensions deliver a tight, personal show, as crisp as old top 40 Radio.”

Dark Lady

Delivering songs of blistering emotion and operatic theatricality, Dark Lady was summoned by the glam gods to create hair-flipping beauty out of the miseries in life and love. 

​The debut album DRAMA is comprised of 10 songs traversing the complete narrative of romantic desire. Harmonic stacks of guitar and spell binding vocal operatics embrace audiences in a waterfall of cascading textures and avant pop melancholia.

​Taking their etherial circus on the road, Dark Lady's electric musicality and onstage dramatics would make Alice Cooper proud, and Shakespeare blush. From a band led by one of the most renown burlesque stars in the world, Ariana Savalas, audiences should expect nothing less.

Ryan Quinn

Ryan Quinn is a singer/songwriter and Top 24 Finalist on Season 10 of NBC’s “The Voice" currently based in Los Angeles, CA. His debut EP "Some Dream," was released in September 2016.

Ryan began his musical career as a drummer, but slowly shifted his focus to singing after attending SUNY Oneonta (SUCO). While at SUCO, he was able to work with Grammy-nominated jazz musician and Spyro Grya founding member, Jeremy Wall, for three years as the lead singer of the SUCO Funk Band. Wall played keyboards in the band, which performed songs by artists such as Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Otis Redding, Tower of Power, and more.

After college, Ryan began performing around Central New York as a solo acoustic act. After two years of playing solo, he was joined by guitarist Dave “Dinger” Wingfield. Quinn played acoustic guitar, keyboards, and sang, while Dinger played lead guitar and bass. The duo performed an incredibly wide variety of music, spanning multiple decades and genres.

Ryan was recently on Season 10 of NBC’s show, “The Voice.” He advanced to the Live Playoffs (the top 24 contestants) and was brought back to perform on the season finale. During his time on the voice, he was able to work and learn from several world class vocalists/musicians, including: Adam Levine, Tori Kelly, Miley Cyrus, and Christina Aguilera. After "The Voice," Ryan went on a college/university tour in the North Eastern U.S. and then relocated to Los Angeles, where he currently resides.

Okorie "OkCello" Johnson

“Hereness is the first of all sacred things.” - OkCello 

Okorie “OkCello” Johnson is an American cellist-songwriter whose artistry integrates cello performance, live-sound-looping, improvisation, and storytelling - all culminating in original compositions that collide classical with jazz, EDM, reggae, and funk. 

His music is inspired by the exploration of African Diasporic melodies and narratives and their intersection with people’s perceptions and assumptions about the classical and European nature of the cello.  As well, his work with improvisation attempts to embody the phenomenon of wordless prayer.

2023 was a banner year for OkCello.  It started out with the Cecelia Caines Artist-in-Residence at Paideia School in Atlanta, a month-long series of performances and talks that focused on identity and social justice.  In February, he collaborated with the Georgia Symphony Orchestra to present the world premier of Liminal: and Atlanta Concerto, a piece he co-composed with the conductor of the Georgia Symphony Orchestra Timothy Verville.  In March he composed an original score for “Belly,” a dance piece performed by New York City company Dishman + Co. Choreography and choreographed by the Artistic Director, Elizabeth Dishman, which had its world premiere in New York city at Dixon Place Theatre. In May, he delivered his talk and cello performance entitled the “Liberatory Power of Language” for the education department at Morehouse College for their Candle in the Dark Lecture Series.  Also in May he was able to compose an original score for the film “‘American Voices Against Apartheid,’ which opened at the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg, South Africa before moving to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The film focused on the role played by the arts community in the struggle against apartheid.” And his year finished with two national media moments.  He was the subject of a short piece Intuit did on him about negotiating finances as an artist-entrepreneur, and he was interviewed and had an opportunity to perform on the Tamron Hall Show in December, in which he explained how he “flipped the script” on traditional cello playing by using a looper.

In September 2022, Okorie OkCello Johnson was one of the presenters at the Democratic Republic of the Congo Biennale for his proposal of a sound installation project entitled “Vessel of Breath,” a meditative cello composition comprised of harvested sound, collaborative compositions, and community interviews. In March 2022, he participated in the Kennedy Center’s artist residence program entitled Office Hours, in which he began workshopping the process for the above sound installation. The Kennedy center residency culminated in a performance at the REACH, the Kennedy Center’s “living theater where diverse art forms collide to break down boundaries between audience and art.”

2021 saw his inclusion in the InStyle February issue, which identified him as a member of the “Creative Class Making Atlanta the New Epicenter of American Arts.” He was also identified in Atlanta Magazine’s “Atlanta Rising Creative Class [that] Is Gaining New Recognition on the National Scene.”  Finally, a documentary he scored for the Atlanta Journal Constitution, “Imperfect Alibi” won a regional Emmy, he released his third studio project Beacon in September of 2021, and in December, he released a holiday album entitled, An OkChristmas.

In 2020 Okorie was commissioned by Flux Projects to create improvisational work entitled “Stir Crazy” directly responding to the isolation that stemmed from the COVID19 quarantines.  He then collaborated with visual artist Fahamu Pecou and poet Jon Goode to create a performance art piece entitled HUE+MEN that, in response to the murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor, asserted through sound, imagery, and poetry the sanctity and power of Black humanity.  He also went on to be selected by Emory University to participate in its inaugural Arts and Social Justice Fellowship program, created by the Emory Center for Ethics. In that program, he and 5 other Atlanta artists were commissioned to create in collaboration with Emory professors and their classes pieces of art that spoke to the racial reckoning that the US experienced that summer.

In 2019, he had the honor of performing at SXSW for Choose ATL and the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau, performing at the Oak Hill Stage of the Atlanta Jazz Festival, opening for Grammy award winning artist Van Hunt, being a featured artist on the Story2019 festival at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville, opening for Grammy award winning recording artist Maxwell at the Cadence Bank Amphitheatre at Chastain Park, and being invited to perform in Havana, Cuba at the classical music festival Habana Classica, which coincided with the 500th birthday of that capital city.  

He is a recipient of the Alliance Theatre’s 2018 Reiser Atlanta Artists Lab grant, and a 2018 Creative Loafing Readers’ Choice winner for Best Local Jazz Act. His sophomore album Resolve was named one of ArtsATL’s top local albums of 2018. 

Furthermore, over his career, Okorie has had the opportunity to perform and/or record with India.Arie, De La Soul, and Big Boi of OutKast, amongst many others. 

Okorie describes his circuitous route to this unusual solo cello career in the following quote: “After years of putting my cello down and picking it back up, after years of deciding that the cello wasn’t financially practical, after years of thinking that my other voices were my native ones, I realized that the cello was the oldest, the most central and the most sacred part of me. I resolved never, ever, to deny it again.” 

Tawanda Suessbrich-Joaquim

Jazz is one form of music that transcends most other genres and has done so throughout the ages. Its complexity, off beat rhythms, sophistication and constant desire to improvise and evolve itself courses through its precious origins. Those traditions run deep within the soul of award-winning vocalist Tawanda Suessbrich-Joaquim and there is no greater gift than seeing her sing her story in full flight.

A vibrant mix of cultural heritages that underpin her every move, Tawanda was raised in the deep south of New Mexico on the border with Texas. She is proudly a first generation American with a mother from Germany and a father from Mozambique. That fusion of intoxicating backgrounds gave her access to music that many do not experience and which will forever stay in her heart. Family gatherings would feature music from Cuba, the South Pacific Islands, the Middle East and France with groups like the Gypsy Kings and Te Vaka providing a constant undercurrent to her early life.

From Sam Mangwana, Angelique Kidjo, Brenda Fassie and Hugh Masekela to the classic composers of Vivaldi and Bach, intertwined with Carole King, James Taylor and beyond; Everything has one essential element in common. Each and every one of them is a true artist in every sense of the word and represents Tawanda’s musical aspiration which is now gathering speed with audiences everywhere.

Gaining a Bachelor of Arts Degree at Santa Fe University of Art and Design, it was there that she fell in love with the show tunes of George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Irving Berlin and Oscar Hammerstein under the watchful gaze of Jazz mentors Mirabai Daniels and Horace Alexander Young. Emerging from that experience as a strong powerful black woman, it is no surprise that she honours the memories of Jazz greats such as Billie Holliday, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn and Anita O'Day.

Always looking forward, Tawanda delves deep into the worldwide Jazz scene and explores the multi-genre fusion that can be found in its paradise of riches. That desire to respect not only her peers but the origins of her name which translates as 'we are more' in a Bantu dialect called Shona, has embedded a deep-rooted desire within her to give back to those around her.

Yearning to bring people together in times of increasing polarisation, she wants to always deliver a message of collective healing. As a black woman living in a country that still has so much to do to heal the wounds of its oppressive history, she sings for her people. For the women that kept the villages going and supported their families; she embraces their emotions, their deep ancestral indigenous wisdom and it is a narrative through which she lives her life now.

Supporting fundamental human rights such as universal education, access to clean water, sustainable economic growth and positive social change have all become constant companions on her emerging journey. When wrapped in her powerful and simply breathtaking vocal abilities, the music industry is beginning to understand how brilliantly influential she is.

There is no better affirmation of that talent than winning the prestigious 2021 Sarah Vaughan Vocal Jazz competition. An accolade previously conferred on artists such as Cyrille Aimée, Jazzmeia Horn, and Samara Joy McClendon, there is no better demonstration that all her hard work is paying off.

Now based in Los Angeles and with a whole host of performances that have enthralled audiences everywhere, Tawanda Suessbrich-Joaquim is set to soar on the wings of success. MWO management are proud to have such a wonderful artist join their team and look forward to a future together that will bring endless joy to the Jazz community.

Dani Hagan

DANI HAGAN is no ordinary singer songwriter.Born and raised in Grand Forks North Dakota and now based in Los Angeles, she has been developing her own brand of Southern Rock and performing at some of LA’s most iconic venues. From Bar Lubitsch, The Viper Room, State Social, The Study, The Mint, Molly Malone’s, The Pepper-mint Club and more, she has been forging a new path with every step she takes.
2021 was her breakthrough year as she applied all the lessons she learnt to her singles ‘Baby Come Home’, ‘Running Out’ and her three-track live EP ‘Jam In The Van’. Studying at New York’s American Musical and Dramatic Academy and working with some of the industry’s most acclaimed producers including Jeff Barry, Dee Bramble, Mikal Blue and Ron Dante, she is inspired by a broad range of artists. From ZZ Ward, Grace Potter, Nothing But Thieves, One Republic, Maroon 5, Gary Clark Jr., Hozier, Bishop Briggs, and Dua Lipa, she has breathed new life into all those influences as she works to become a recording artist who can stand alongside her peers on the biggest of stages. She is never afraid to stretch herself musically either, releasing a critically acclaimed song with celebrated Opera singer Radmila Lolly titled ‘U R Moving Me’. A track that transcends genres, it was also remixed by EDM producer DJ MIMO and became an instant success. With a voice that sits so comfortably with the operatic beauty of Radmila’s, it is hardly surprising to see why her own work is so intoxicating and brilliantly evocative. That work is beginning to come the attention of the music industry and fans around the globe with 2022 having all the makings as a year to remember for the emerging star. With an album and an upcoming single called ‘Anywhere But Home’ waiting in the wings, her reputation is about to hit overdrive. Assembling a band of exceptional musicians around her, The Reverie are also the perfect foil for her vocals that will trigger long-forgotten emotions. What’s more, Dani Hagan is no pop princess and is a fresh and bold artist for a new generation of listeners. She has started over many times in her life, and that rich tapestry is an endless source of inspiration with resilience and emotions at the core of everything she does. Keeping her feet firmly on the ground with an image that is as real as it gets, she is a strong modern woman with her own vision of the future. Let her take you ‘Anywhere But Home’ because the ride she is on is simply beyond your imagination.

“I do music for the connection. To write a song that someone can find their own story within, and find a deeper understanding and expression of their own experiences. Nothing gets my heart pumping like performing on stage with my band and rocking out with the audience.” - Dani Hagan

Alison Quigley

Ireland has long been a hotbed of musical creativity and nurtures its artists through the lens of live performances to become the very best that they can be. Alison Quigley is a perfect example of how that sound has evolved through the context of a lived experience to evolve into something that truly reflects her abilities.

Operating out of Dublin and beginning her musical journey at the age of 14, she is no stranger to both the intimate settings of the pub circuit or on the biggest stages of Ireland’s music festivals. An artist always learns their stripes from reimagining the music of their peers, and so it was for Alison as the singer song writer and guitarist initially explored the rich catalogue of others’ work to discover her own style and place in the world. She has played in numerous bands and embarked on a formal education in contemporary music at the BCFE, adding more strings to her impressive bow.

A pandemic and an ensuing lock down gave her the opportunity to connect with her creative process and write songs with producer Esa Taponen to deliver an extraordinary sound that will engage audiences beyond her homeland. She blends blues, country and rock with a voice that sings her world into being in a way that is thoroughly unique. The cultural textures of the Emerald Isle are undeniable as Alison delivers on the promises she made to herself as a young teenager.

With a song titled ‘Until I Fade’ already in the bank and about to be released, it is no surprise that MWO Management welcomed her to their roster of stars to showcase her talent to the globe. A further example of her prodigious skills, the single will be the first step for an artist that is making an impact on the industry.

Take a walk with Alison Quigley and discover a singer-songwriter capable of changing your world forever. She is not about to fade away, but shine brighter than she has ever done before.

Aid Lewis

There are few artists that have such an immediate effect on audiences that it leaves them yearning for so much more. On the very first listen, there is no doubt that when you hear the music of Aid Lewis, that you are in the presence of a master craftsman.

Releasing songs since 2018 and with a studio album titled ‘Empathy & Ecstasy’ already under his belt, Aid has been building a body of work that is undeniably food for the soul. Growing up in Kent, a county that is also known as the Garden of England, his music reflects the idyllic world of laid-back village culture and blissful experiences.

Working closely with Matt Walters at Quince Studios who has worked with some extraordinary artists such as Leonard Cohen, Just Jack, and Boy George, his songs show an intelligence and emotional complexity often missing in today’s world. He is a story teller that manages to tell the narrative of people’s lives not just through his music but accompanied by a lyrical ability that reflects a journey full of love, truth, hope, passion and heartache.

His songs are deeply evocative experiences complemented by a voice that is instantly recognizable. As his two latest releases ‘Believe and Receive’ and ‘I Just Had to Ask’ demonstrate, he sings his own truths and doesn’t shy away from speaking about the world’s current state.

His originality and authenticity are wonderfully merged into a soulful embrace from which audiences will never want to escape. As 2022 rolls around, Aid Lewis will build on his studio work with a performance schedule that sees him travelling the world in search of new and exciting inspirations.

Join him on his journey and discover a brilliant singer song-writer that the world has been searching for.

Roy Charles

Roy Charles is a master of the Big Band genre and Jazz encyclopedia that has engaged audiences since the dawn of popular music. Cutting his teeth back in the day in the rough and tumble of North London’s Kilburn pubs and clubs before steadily climbing the ladder via numerous festivals in the UK and exclusive events in the Middle East, he doesn’t just mirror the icons of days gone by. He transforms the experience by elevating modern day pop classics and placing them in that realm previously occupied by Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Tony Bennett.

Emerging from the pandemic with his alter ego Mr. Brightside, his work shows that innate ability to tap into areas that many choose to ignore. Reimagining tracks by the likes of Oasis, the Kaiser Chiefs, Muse, Nirvana, Stereophonics, David Bowie, Survivor, Van Halen, Stevie Wonder, Spandau Ballet, Billy Joel, Soft Cell, Deep Purple, Tom Jones, and Bryan Adams indicates just how absorbing an artist he is.

Providing that point of recognition for audiences of all ages with songs that are identifiable but performed in a way that brings so much depth to the original, is a talent that few possess. Sitting in that arena that owes much to artists like Michael Bublé and Harry Connick Jr, there is no doubt that Roy aka Mr. Brightside is providing that star attraction to everything he touches.

Whatever corner of the globe you dwell in, the universal language of music Roy speaks will lift the soul and engage the spirit. A collision of glorious sounds that traverse history and time, he is a priceless gift that keeps on giving.

Mari Falcone

Mari Falcone has co-written songs with legendary lyricists Alan and Marilyn Bergman for the new musical CHASING MEM’RIES. which had its world premiere in 2017 at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles. Among her recent projects, she wrote the string arrangement for "Come Live With Me", a track on Steve Tyrell's #1 Billboard-charting album A SONG FOR YOU, and co-produced a recording project by Tony Award-winning singer/actress Lillias White.

She has released three solo CDs as a pianist/composer (AND ALL THIS, EMBRACE THE CROSS, and CHRISTMAS PEACE); her instrumental music is a blend of classical, pop, gospel and jazz influences.

As a composer/lyricist, she composed THE GARDEN BALLET on a commission from the Florence Dance Company in Florence, Italy; her songs have been recorded by Deniece Williams, Herb Alpert, Haven, and Helen Baylor; she wrote and produced Debby Boone’s album for children THE SNOW ANGEL; co-wrote the main theme (“All Right Day”) and did additional scoring for the film HOME RUN SHOWDOWN; and has written special material for a variety of artists, including Louise Duart, who featured Mari’s music in the revue CATSKILLS ON BROADWAY. In addition, she worked in Italy writing music for Cinecittá and Rai Uno television, and has scored film & TV projects including the documentary TOUCH THE SKY, the award-winning short film JILLIAN’S VANTAGE and THE SECRET LIFE OF BARRY’S WIFE (Showtime).

Mari toured as keyboardist, conductor, and/or musical director with Donna Summer, Amy Grant, Nell Carter, Debby Boone, Deniece Williams, and Vikki Carr. She also served as musical director for the Groundlings comedy troupe and INSTAPLAY, a musical improv group led by Bill and Cheri Steinkellner; was musical director/conductor for the Off-Broadway premiere of the musical MOBY DICK; worked on the musical EFX with Michael Crawford in Las Vegas, and the inaugural production of DENNIS THE MENACE: THE MUSICAL in St. Louis.

Mari is also a playwright with many performed works to her credit, including AN ORANGE IN GRIFFITH PARK, BURT AND HERB, BOXED UP, BETWEEN THE LINES, and NEW CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS. Her work has been staged at numerous LA theaters. She was a founding member of At Rise, a playwriting collective dedicated to the development and presentation of new works by women writers;

Born and raised in Chicago, she earned her Masters degree in classical piano performance from the University of Miami, a student of Rosalina Sackstein.

An Evening With CS Lewis

The year is 1963 and C.S. Lewis, the famous British author, is hosting a group of American writers at his home near Oxford. They are about to experience a captivating evening with a man whose engaging conversation and spontaneous humor made him one of the great raconteurs of his day.

Seated in his living room and he recalls the people and events that inspired his thought and shaped his life; of his friendship with J.R.R. Tolkien; why he nearly abandoned the Narnia Chronicles; how he came to embrace Christianity and of the American woman who turned his life upside down.

Described by critics as ‘Extraordinary!’ ‘A Must See!’ ‘A Master Class!’ An Evening with C.S. Lewis has proved again and again to be an enthralling theatrical experience and one which has led many thousands to discover (or rediscover) the continuing impact of a man who died over 50 years ago and whose collected works made him one of the literary giants of the 20th Century.

Lewis and Tolkien

Lewis & Tolkien, Of Wardrobes & Rings, is a play set in Oxford’s Eagle & Child pub. Aging and legendary authors, J.R.R. Tolkien and his great friend C.S. Lewis, meet for what turns out to be the very last time.

They were lions of 20th-century British fantasy, giants of a literary genre that reached millions of readers, young and old alike, with mystifying adventures to entertain and deep truths to move people’s hearts. C.S. Lewis (The Chronicles of Narnia) and J.R.R. Tolkien (The Lord of the Rings) were also distinguished faculty members at Oxford University and participants in a literary group known as the Inklings. Their robust philosophical discourse served an uncommon friendship that was not without its differences. Life’s circumstances and, sometimes, unresolved disagreements forced an uncomfortable season of estrangement.

In Lewis & Tolkien, Of Wardrobes & Rings, we join “Jack” and “Tollers,” as they knew each other, at Oxford’s historic Eagle and Child pub for one last visit, tempered by thawing humor, confession, and reconciliation.

A Christmas with C.S. Lewis

The year is 1962 and C.S. Lewis, the famous British author, is in the twilight years of his life. He is hosting a group of American writers at his home just outside of Oxford. They have come to hear him speak about the significant events and the people that shaped his life.

As it is Christmas time, Lewis also reflects on how he views this festive season. As one would expect from a gifted speaker the audience are treated to a display of oratory and humor that made Lewis one of England’s most famous public speakers.

This powerful, yet intimate portrayal allows you to spend an enthralling evening with a man whose books have literally changed millions of lives.

You will laugh, you will rejoice, you may even cry and you will certainly leave celebrating a great author who gave the world the Narnia Chronicles and a Christian legacy that few others can match.

CHURCHILL

This one-man play is set in the year 1963 and follows a White House Ceremony during which President Kennedy made Churchill an honorary citizen of the United States of America. Due to health reasons, Churchill was unable to attend the ceremony so the American Oxford Society have honored Churchill with a celebration dinner. The location of the celebration dinner is Blenheim Palace, the famous stately home near Oxford and was where Churchill was born. The Society president has asked Churchill to give an informal talk on the significant events in his life including the American contribution. With his renowned reputation for oratory and humor, Churchill’s audience is enraptured as he recounts the path that led to his wartime leadership, the US influence in his life including the many US presidents he met and the man he described as ‘The most famous author in the world!’ He also reflects on the importance of two of the most important women in his life – his wife Clementine whom he called Clemmie and Queen Elizabeth 2nd who ascended the throne during his second term as British Prime Minister.

David Payne

He never dreamed of being an actor…
Most actors had fantasies of being onstage from their youth, but David Payne studied to be an engineer. He liked numbers and planning and strategy. He liked order and structure, so any career in the arts was far from his thinking as a youth, growing up in the south of London. He was destined for a life of calculators and slide rules.

Yet after just a few short years as a structural engineer, David found himself pulled into the music and entertainment business. He and his two partners formed a groundbreaking company that encompassed a record label, publishing, event promotion, a youth magazine, and artist management. He became an expert in crunching the numbers and making the business side of the music industry work.

In fact, David was still in the music business in the 1990s, when he was asked to come over to the US and oversee a British record label’s operations in the States. He was just wrapping up his contract and considering whether to make the trip back to the UK when a flier arrived, advertising auditions for a play about CS Lewis… a play called Shadowlands.

“British accents a help,” the advertisement read. A bit bored, a bit intrigued, and with no hope of getting anything more than a walk-on role, David Payne scooted along to the audition….just to see what might happen.

Well as it turned out, a lot happened. Since landing the role of CS Lewis in that original play, David Payne has become the world’s foremost actor in the world of Lewis. He has performed as CS Lewis in more than 1000 productions, in front of nearly 750,000 people. Requests for his show, An Evening with CS Lewis come from all over the world, although he has mainly restricted his performances to the US, the UK, and Canada. Even so, he still hasn’t been able to fulfill all the requests for engagements.

“Never in a million years did I think I would ever be a performer on stage,” he says from his dressing room in Chicago’s Broadway Theatre. “And never did I think that I would enjoy it so very, very much.”

He’s not the only one who enjoys it. There almost seems to be a magical connection between Payne and his audiences. Throughout the entire 90 minutes, audience members feel as if they’re in the presence of the great author, scholar, and humorist as Payne completely embodies the role. During the performance, you can hear a pin drop in between all the infectious laughter and the occasional sob coming from the audience and at the end, the result is almost always the same… an instantaneous standing ovation.

So while David Payne never ended up making his career as an engineer, he has managed to engineer one thing….. he’s made audiences all over the world fall in love with one of the most enduring and endearing characters in all of literature.

Siegfried Tieber

Siegfried Tieber is a Los Angeles-based performer and sleight-of-hand magician.

Born and raised in Ecuador, his first international appearance was in 2011 in Bogotá, Colombia. In 2015, Siegfried headlined at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the largest arts festival in the world, where his performance was highly praised by reviewers and critics. 2017 saw the premiere of his show See/Saw in Los Angeles and in 2018 the project was taken to New York, where Time Out NY listed it as #1 in its “The best magic shows in New York City.”

Siegfried has been featured in prominent media outlets such as Huffington Post, Los Angeles Times and Forbes.  Most recently he was invited to be part of Penn & Teller: Fool Us, a television series featuring the legendary performance duo (yes, he did fool them).

Stefan Smart

From telling stories to students in the classroom to performing before sell-out audiences in notable theatres of the world, Stefan Smart is dedicated to the word and to the art. The grip he has on audiences during performances of I AM MARK leaves people stirred by the experience. Why? “The scripture rings true,” he says.

Indeed, Stefan’s one-man, word-for-word presentation of the complete Gospel of Mark brings alive this biblical writ as never before. The depiction of Jesus Christ from His baptism in the Jordan River to His call to proclaim the good news throughout the world becomes a heart-absorbing event for audiences new to the story or life-long readers of the Bible. Or, as Archbishop Rowan Williams put it, “Sometimes it takes a living voice, like this one, to make you hear the Bible for the first time.” Originally from Watford, UK, Stefan Smart studied English literature at the University of Southampton. He taught English and drama for more than 30 years in secondary schools, learning from his students that excellence in storytelling will invariably secure an audience’s attention. Combining his education, his God-given creativity, and the Christian faith he adopted as a young adult, Stefan dreamed of a day when he could communicate gospel truths through dramatic presentations. Such a dream began to materialise, however modestly, in early iterations of I AM MARK performed at Speakers’ Corner in London’s Hyde Park. He recalls how even people of other faiths, including a large group of Muslims, “were reduced to a stunned and admiring silence” there at “Mark in the Park.” “I can never fully predict how people will react to hearing the greatest story ever told,” Stefan was once quoted as saying. “All I can do is tell it.” Buoyed by the Hyde Park shows and performances at Speakers’ Corners elsewhere in the U.K., Stefan went on to bring “MARK” to many schools, conferences, churches, cathedrals and theatres across four continents. Three runs at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival received rave reviews, and highest praises elsewhere have heightened the demand for the show.

“My aim in all of this,” Stefan allows, “is to tell the story of Mark and his Master to as many people as I can, for as long as I am able.” Clearly, the dream of this faithful man - Stefan Smart - lives on.

Roy Charles

The Author, Roy Charles, was born in Westminster, London, and has lived in and around this great city all his life. 
From 1954 until 1999, packets of Brooke Bond tea included illustrated cards, usually 50 in a series, which were collected by many children." Famous Britons" and "British Costume" were two of the subjects covered, and there were a total of about 85 separate titles issued around the world: 59 series published in the UK, 17 series in Canada, 7 of these were released in the USA, 6 series in what was Rhodesia, and 3 series in South Africa.
Having been interested in UK history, Roy noted that there was not an A6 book of British Prime Ministers in existence, hence the first in the WoB style was published in November 2017. 

Roy has spent much of his career in Information Technology ( IT ) Services as well as being a part-time professional singer and music producer. From 2000 to 2005, Roy was also the Chairman of a UK Government Learning and Skills Council responsible for funding post 16 education.
Roy now resides in Ash, Kent, on the outskirts of London with his family, having been blessed with four children.
Series includes British Prime Ministers, Kings and Queens of England and Britain, British Castles and Palaces with British Battles from 825 to Present due out in April 2020 and Great British Women on the drawing board.