March 5, 2003

Artistic/Executive Director, Randall Kramer,

named "Arts Administrator of the Year" by

the Arts Council for Buffalo & Erie County

AMHERST, NY - Randall Kramer, as founder and artistic/executive director of MusicalFare Theatre, has been working professionally in this field for over 17 years. Randy graduated with a BFA in 1980 and a MFA in piano performance in 1982 from the University of Buffalo and has performed solo classical piano concerts in Orlando, Pittsburgh, Rochester and Buffalo and has been a concerto soloist with the Niagara Falls Philharmonic and the Orchard Park Symphony.

In the early 1980's, Randy was the co-author for two original musicals, IT'S A DOG'S LIFE and WAXWORKS and was Artistic Director of Upstage Summer Repertory Theatre. In 1985, he moved to New York City where he stage directed, musical directed and toured. He moved back to Western New York in 1989.

As the driving force behind MusicalFare, Randy founded the theatre in 1990 under the original name of Summerfare Musical Theatre. In 1995, Randy established a permanent home for MusicalFare by collaborating with Daemen College.

Having started his own theatre company, you can clearly see that Randy is multi-task oriented. He is an artistic director, fundraiser, composer, lyricist, and manager of five full time staff, six part time box office staff, over 50 actors, designers, and technicians annually, and more than 200 volunteers.

Randy has led MusicalFare to unprecedented growth, including last year's opening of their new $750,000 theatre and lobby, and has directed many of their critically acclaimed productions, including A NEW BRAIN, I LOVE YOU, YOU'RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE, FALSETTOS, WINGS, THE 1940S RADIO HOUR, and the world premieres of DANCING IN THE DARK, and IN LOVE WITH ANGEL.

Randy, a five time Artvoice Theatre Award winner for best director of a musical, also directed DANCING IN THE DARK at Studio Arena Theatre and the subsequent Off-Broadway workshop at the Lamb's Theatre in New York City.

Under his leadership, MusicalFare has produced over sixty shows, employing over 1000 local actors and designers, and entertaining over 200,000 people. It has been nominated for 229 Artvoice Theatre Awards, winning 54. Mr. Kramer has also directed in New York City at HOME, the Cubiculo Theatre, the Perry Street Theatre, and has toured nationally. He is a member of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers and has been a Theatre Panelist for the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA).

This season, Randy was instrumental in arranging the co-production of AVENUE X with the Paul Robeson Theatre. This co-production is unique in that it will be performed at both MusicalFare Theatre and The Paul Robeson Theatre, two theatre companies in very different cultural settings. These performances, which literally take place on both sides of Main Street, mirror the cultural issues in the play where different ethnicities live in conflict on opposite sides of AVENUE X.

Randy has also mentored directors, including John Fredo (Director / Choreographer of TAPESTRY), Doug Weyand (Director of PAGEANT, NO WAY TO TREAT A LADY, SONG & DANCE), Jeffry Denman (Director / Choreographer of IF LOVE WERE ALL), and Michael Walline (Director / Choreographer of PIPPIN, PETE 'N' KEELY). He has also brought out-of-town writers/directors to MusicalFare, including Todd Olson from Nashville for the world premiere of MOON RIVER: JOHNNY MERCER'S AMERICAN SONGBOOK, & Jim Giancarlo from Oregon for EAT-TV: THE GOURMET MUSICAL.

As artistic/executive director at MusicalFare, Randy has collaborated with numerous local organizations such as Beechwood Continuing Care, Shea's Performing Arts Center, Daemen College, The Arts in Education Institute of WNY, The African American Cultural Center, and Artpark. Specifically:

- Beechwood Continuing Care - In June 2002, MusicalFare's senior outreach program, STORIES OF LIFE, was named "innovative program of the year" by The New York Association for Homes and Services for the Aging (NYAHSA). Mr. Kramer will be compiling the book and writing the music for the world premiere production of STORIES OF LIFE in April 2003;

- Shea's Performing Arts Center - Using the Smith Theatre, MusicalFare presented in 2002 performances downtown of MY WAY: A MUSICAL TRIBUTE TO FRANK SINATRA and THE KATHY & MO SHOW. In 2003, MusicalFare will once again be teaming with Shea's to present I LOVE YOU, YOU'RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE;

- Daemen College - Resident Theatre Company, STORIES OF LIFE pre-residency meeting with staff from physical therapy and psychology. Study of second residency by psychology department;

- The Arts in Education Institute of WNY - SWING, SWING, SWING!, THE SECRET GARDEN, AVENUE X;

- The African American Cultural Center - AVENUE X;

- The Kavinoky Theatre - directed productions of MY FAIR LADY, which set all-time box office records, and MAN OF LA MANCHA;

- Artpark - musical director and conductor at Artpark, conducting performances of OLIVER, ME AND MY GIRL, PHANTOM and GUYS & DOLLS;

- Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra - concerts at:
o Taste of Buffalo,
o Hyde Park (Niagara Falls) in 1997,
o Kleinhans Music Hall - a youth concert in 1998, and
o Amherst Museum - a concert with members of the BPO in 1998;

- Amherst Symphony - performances in December 2000 as part of their concert series;

- Regular performances at:
o M&T Summer Concert Series,
o Erie County Fair,
o Downtown Library Concert Series, and
o Taste of Williamsville;

- Arranged vocals for the BPO and Amherst Symphony concerts; and,
- Conductor of the members of the BPO orchestra at the Amherst Museum.

Randy's commitment to our regional community is reflected through outreach programs, which currently include:

- Ticket Partnering with local corporations to offer free tickets to performances to economically challenged Western New York residents. Recent corporate partnerships include Fleet Bank and Harold C. Brown & Company;

- School Day Performances of THE SECRET GARDEN and SWING, SWING, SWING!. These productions toured to over 30 area schools through a collaborative agreement with The Arts in Education Institute of Western New York; and,

- Pay-What-You-Can Performances during the opening week of each production. Additionally, during the 2001/2002 Season, over 100 ticket vouchers were donated to area human and social service organizations for distribution.

MusicalFare's summer youth theatre program, under Randy's guidance, has been in existence at since 1997, hosting multiple theatre classes for children ranging from grades 3 - 12 each summer.

QUOTES:

"I think one of the most important and prevalent words in Randy Kramer's vocabulary is 'Yes'. Followed closely by the words, 'Let's try it'. They are the most important words any artist can hear. They open up all the possibilities. Randy, to me, has always done that - opened up the possibilities. He is not afraid to take a risk in the hope of finding something new, something undiscovered. He strives to make each season at MusicalFare better than the last. More productive, more challenging, more engaging. Ultimately, he believes in the power of theatre to affect and change the hearts of those who watch." -Jeffry Denman, Broadway Actor

"MusicalFare, under the artistic vision of Randy Kramer, provides the best in produced professional musical theatre in the Niagara Region." -Patrick Fagan, Former Executive Director Sheas Performing Arts Center

"Not only is Randy a gifted artist but he possesses the unique ability to touch the full range of an audience's emotions. He is willing to step beyond the safety of tried and true productions by creating or directing works that people can relate to regardless of their age or interests. Randy's passion is to move his audience based on their needs rather than his own." -Robert R. Meiss, President, Beechwood Continuing Care

"It is a real pleasure to share the Daemen campus with Randy Kramer and MusicalFare. In addition to producing first-rate musicals, Randy has always made a special effort to welcome members of the Daemen community, especially our students. For many of them, Musicalfare is their first experience with live theater. Daemen, in turn, is very proud to be associated with Randy and his productions. It is a relationship which we value highly." -Dr. Martin Anisman, President, Daemen College.

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