White Christmas

In his 25th season as Artistic Director at CMT, Kevin has led the nation’s premier theater company for youth in taking on increasingly challenging and professional-quality productions. His innovative approach to productions includes incorporating modern techniques and technology, culminating in recognition of artistic excellence from the National Endowment for the Arts in the form of ten grants. Kevin was an Honorable Mention for the 2016 Tony Award for Excellence in Theatre Education, an honor given to only twenty educators throughout the entire nation. A recipient of the prestigious Lin Wright Special Recognition Award by the American Alliance for Theater and Education, he’s been the guest speaker at the International Association of Theater Educators Conference in Washington D.C., and the Education and Technology conference in New York City. Kevin has collaborated on productions in a variety of venues all over the world. He’s staged ice shows, magic shows, musical revues, industrial shows, corporate parties, television specials and book musicals for a variety of companies, including Tropworld (Atlantic City), Harrah’s (Reno), Six Flags Parks (nationwide), and Royal Viking Cruise Lines (worldwide). Some of the unique productions Kevin has worked on include You’re in the Movies (MGM Grand) in Las Vegas, World of Wonders (Everland) in Seoul, South Korea, and a special Easter Celebration (The White House) in Washington D.C. Kevin has appeared several times as a guest artist with the San Jose Symphony, and has served on the Exhibits Committee at the Tech Museum of Innovation.

Dennis O’Bannion is thrilled to be back with CMTSJ’s Marquee productions to restage Randy Skinner’s Tony Nominated choreography of White Christmas again after it’s exciting and successful run a few holiday seasons back!  He made his Broadway debut in Irving Berlin’s White Christmas at the Marquis Theatre.  Most recently he spent most of 2019 playing Scuttle in The Little Mermaid and Bert in Disney’s When You Wish at the Tuacahn Amphitheater.  Some other favorite credits include Marcellus Washburn (Carbonell Nominee) in The Music Man at the Maltz Jupiter Theatre, the Young Fool in Big River at the Music Circus and Hello Dolly! At Paper Mill Playhouse choreographed by Mia Michaels.  You might have also seen Dennis touring across the country with The Little Mermaid.  He is a native of Northern California where he began dancing at four and half years old.  As a proud CMT alum, Dennis started with his first show, State Fair, in 2000 and has enjoyed returning in more recent years to choreograph with different CMT productions such as West Side Story and Legally Blonde.  After high school Dennis moved to NYC to begin studying at Marymount Manhattan College and has now spent over nineteen years calling New York City home.  Thank you to Randy Skinner for making this wonderful opportunity happen and this gift for us to enjoy.  Happy Holidays!

Daniel Lloyd Pias returns to the CMT family having last worked on the most recent Mainstage production of In the Heights. While the production wasn’t able to take the Montgomery stage, he had a fantastic time working with such a dynamic cast and is so proud of their work. As a vocal director, he has most recently worked on Joseph…Dreamcoat and Grease at BBBay. Other recent performing credits include Nicely-Nicely in Guys and Dolls at CMT, Terk in Tarzan, Roger & Teen Angel in Grease, and as a backup singer for Jeremy Jordan’s one-man production at Feinstein’s at the Nikko. Daniel has an MFA in vocal performance and is appreciative for the love and support from his friends and family here in California and back home in Hawai’i. @SirDanielLloyd

Amie Jan graduated from Rice University with a Computer Science degree, and briefly worked as a software programmer and IT consultant before she decided that she simply needed to have more music in her life! She moved to California, and began her second undergraduate degree at San Jose State University, double majoring in Violin Performance and Music Education, subsequently earning her teaching credential in Music. In her spare time, Amie performed as a freelance violinist/violist all over the Bay Area, which led her to discover another passion: musical theater. Since moving to California in 2003, she has played in over fifty pit orchestras all over the Bay Area, and has musical directed over fifty more – most of them here at CMTSJ. Amie is currently Orchestra Director at Lincoln HS, and is also a certified Suzuki violin instructor with a small private studio of young violinists and violists. Among her exciting gigs as a freelance musician, Amie has performed in concerts with Josh Groban, Kanye West, and Smokey Robinson.