Clayton Howe’s Entertainmentx

Samuel W. Gailey Part 1 ”Fulfillment, Work/Life Balance & Writing”

Samuel W. Gailey (samuelwgailey.com) was raised in a small town in northeast Pennsylvania (population 379) and now resides on remote Orcas Island. His writing has been compared to Steinbeck and Cormac McCarthy and been praised by the NY Times, Publisher's Weekly, Kirkus, Esquire and more. His novels are intriguing studies of human nature and portray how the simplest twist of fate can alter and shatter lives. His central characters are flawed but deserving of redemption.
Internationally, his novels, The Guilt We Carry (Une Question de Temps) and Deep Winter have been translated into French by Gallmeister Editions. Gallmeister, devoted to the translation of American literature, publishes authors Gabriel Talent (My Absolute Darling), Craig Johnson (Longmire), Larry McMurtry (Lonesome Dove), Larry Watson (Montana 1948), and Kurt Vonnegut.

David Dabbon Part 2 ”Be Confident Of The Work You’ve Done”

David Dabbon (daviddabbon.com)(IG:@daviddabbon)(TW:@daviddabbon) is a composer/arranger based in New York City.  He earned an Emmy nomination for composing the music to the song “Eat Shit, Bob!” which aired on HBO’s award-winning Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.
On Broadway, he worked as the dance arranger for the Tony-nominated musical adaptation of Beetlejuice, the revival of Funny Girl,  and the celebrated musical comedy Disaster! He also provided additional orchestrations for the Broadway bio-musical Sondheim on Sondheim (Grammy nomination).  David is wrote original music and dance arrangements for the new production of Bob Fosse's Dancin'  (The Old Globe). ​
​​He has an ongoing collaboration with six-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald, regularly providing orchestrations for her concerts and albums. His work can be heard on both Audra McDonald New York Philharmonic: Sing Happy and Audra McDonald: Go Back Home. His orchestration of the song “Somewhere/Some Other Time” was performed at the 42nd annual Kennedy Center Honors.
​Other works as composer include: Game On: an interactive game show musical (premiered at Pittsburgh C.L.O), Our New Town (production at Wagner College),  Golden Lotus (Workshop through Broadway Asia),Surface (Ballet Commission through Dallas Black Dance Theatre) The Mysteries (Marathon plays in 2014 at The Flea), All God's Creatures (feature length film), Dori the Donor (short film).
​He provided arrangements and orchestrations for the HBO documentary Six by Sondheim. ​
David is also a Usual Suspect at New York Theatre Workshop, a member of the Television Academy, ASCAP and The Society of Composers and Lyricists.   He earned a master of music degree in choral conducting from Carnegie Mellon University (under the tutelage of Dr. Robert Page) and a self-defined bachelor of music degree from The Hartt School.

David Dabbon Part 1 ”Make The Right Decision. Not The Emotional One.”

David Dabbon (daviddabbon.com)(IG:@daviddabbon)(TW:@daviddabbon) is a composer/arranger based in New York City.  He earned an Emmy nomination for composing the music to the song “Eat Shit, Bob!” which aired on HBO’s award-winning Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.
On Broadway, he worked as the dance arranger for the Tony-nominated musical adaptation of Beetlejuice, the revival of Funny Girl,  and the celebrated musical comedy Disaster! He also provided additional orchestrations for the Broadway bio-musical Sondheim on Sondheim (Grammy nomination).  David is wrote original music and dance arrangements for the new production of Bob Fosse's Dancin'  (The Old Globe). ​
​​He has an ongoing collaboration with six-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald, regularly providing orchestrations for her concerts and albums. His work can be heard on both Audra McDonald New York Philharmonic: Sing Happy and Audra McDonald: Go Back Home. His orchestration of the song “Somewhere/Some Other Time” was performed at the 42nd annual Kennedy Center Honors.
​Other works as composer include: Game On: an interactive game show musical (premiered at Pittsburgh C.L.O), Our New Town (production at Wagner College),  Golden Lotus (Workshop through Broadway Asia),Surface (Ballet Commission through Dallas Black Dance Theatre) The Mysteries (Marathon plays in 2014 at The Flea), All God's Creatures (feature length film), Dori the Donor (short film).
​He provided arrangements and orchestrations for the HBO documentary Six by Sondheim. ​
David is also a Usual Suspect at New York Theatre Workshop, a member of the Television Academy, ASCAP and The Society of Composers and Lyricists.   He earned a master of music degree in choral conducting from Carnegie Mellon University (under the tutelage of Dr. Robert Page) and a self-defined bachelor of music degree from The Hartt School.

Michael Rader Part 2 ”Love & Peace”

Michael Rader (michaelrader.com)(IG:@mrmichaelrader)(TW:@mrmichaelrader) is a director, artistic director and arts consultant based in New York City who made his mark internationally as an Artistic Director for Cirque du Soleil. Her is the current Acting General Manager for Theatre Aspen. Prior to that, he served as the Artistic Director and then Producing Artistic Director for the historic Cape Playhouse where he was celebrated for leading the organization through a significant renaissance and securing the theatre's position in the American Theatre landscape. His diverse career in the arts has afforded him positions such as a Resident Director for Cirque du Soleil, Broadway Liaison and Arts Education Consultant to the New York City Department of Education and Director of Entertainment for Paul Newman's Hole in the Wall Gang Camp.
During Rader’s tenure with The Cape Playhouse, the organization flourished through a remarkable period of growth and advancement. During this five-year period, Rader was responsible for innovative advancements in programming, significant improvements to the quality of productions, implementing a new arts education wing, substantially expanding and overhauling all production and artistic departments, securing vital funding for infrastructure advancements and programming expansions, and modifying The Playhouse’s performance calendar to allow for the implementation of higher quality and Broadway-caliber productions. These advancements resulted in substantial increases in ticket sales, a vast resurgence of patrons and subscribers, successful fundraising that set the theatre on strong financial footing, being named one of the “50 Best Small Stage Theatres in America", consistently being awarded "Best Cape Cod Theatre" each season under his leadership, the elimination of all preexisting debt, the generation of significant profits each season after a prolonged period of financial loss, and netting nearly one-million dollars in cumulative assets. Under his leadership, Cape Playhouse highlights included Gypsy starring Julia Murney, Steel Magnolias starring Judy Kuhn and Mary Testa, Little Shop of Horrors starring Andrew Keenan-Bolger, Noises Off with Heidi Gardner, The Importance of Being Earnest with Edward Hibbert and productions of Million Dollar Quartet, South Pacific and A Chorus Line that broke previous box office records. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Mr. Rader guided the transformation of programming to include outdoor concerts, New England centric lectures, a streaming production of A Christmas Carol, the creation of The Gertrude Lawrence Awards, and diverse digital content, including an array of online educational offerings. Rader was also responsible for forming and leading a national Covid Taskforce comprising senior leadership from arts organizations around the United States, designed to help theatres collaborate on successfully navigating the pandemic. The culmination of Rader's tenure at The Playhouse allowed for the launch of a master plan initiative and expansive capital campaign aimed at significant renovations and expansions for the 22-acre arts campus. The Cape Playhouse exists today as one of the great surviving icons of the American summer theater.
Select additional highlights as a director, producer or associate include: A Christmas Story; The Musical(National Tour), Stalking The Bogeyman (NYTimes Critics Pick, Outer Critics Circle Nomination), Varekai(Cirque Du Soleil), The Testament of Mary, Deep Love (NYMF 2015), A Christmas Carol (National Tour), Mandela! with Norm Lewis, You are Not Alone with Betty Buckley and Lea DeLaria, and productions with Sacramento Music Circus, The ZACH Theatre, The York Theatre Company, The Actors Studio Repertory Theatre, The Human Race Theatre, The Dramatist Guild, The Huron Playhouse, The Forestburgh Playhouse, Joe's Pub and the critically acclaimed Off-Broadway benefit production of William Finn's Elegies: A Song Cycle. Michael's direction of the show, benefiting marriage equality, was acclaimed as "…profound and visionary". 
Following the 2013 Broadway production, Rader was granted the exclusive rights to re-conceive Colm Tóibín's controversial hit play The Testament of Mary. Rader's reimagined version features five actresses sharing the title role – each woman representing a different cultural ideal of Mary.
Michael is passionate about and committed to finding ways of utilizing the arts as a tool to empower the lives of those less fortunate, especially children in need. It was during his initial time working with chronically ill children that Michael fully realized his passion for humanitarian work, especially when it involved working within the arts. He regularly teaches acting and audition technique classes in NYC and has served on the faculty of SongFest at the Colburn School in Los Angeles and The Summit School near Washington, DC. Rader is a graduate of Wright State University, the esteemed Actors Studio MFA Directing Program, an alumnus of the Lincoln Center Theater Directors Lab and a proud member of SDC.

Michael Rader Part 1 ”The King & I, Contracts & Nonprofit Theatre”

Michael Rader (michaelrader.com)(IG:@mrmichaelrader)(TW:@mrmichaelrader) is a director, artistic director and arts consultant based in New York City who made his mark internationally as an Artistic Director for Cirque du Soleil. Her is the current Acting General Manager for Theatre Aspen. Prior to that, he served as the Artistic Director and then Producing Artistic Director for the historic Cape Playhouse where he was celebrated for leading the organization through a significant renaissance and securing the theatre's position in the American Theatre landscape. His diverse career in the arts has afforded him positions such as a Resident Director for Cirque du Soleil, Broadway Liaison and Arts Education Consultant to the New York City Department of Education and Director of Entertainment for Paul Newman's Hole in the Wall Gang Camp.
During Rader’s tenure with The Cape Playhouse, the organization flourished through a remarkable period of growth and advancement. During this five-year period, Rader was responsible for innovative advancements in programming, significant improvements to the quality of productions, implementing a new arts education wing, substantially expanding and overhauling all production and artistic departments, securing vital funding for infrastructure advancements and programming expansions, and modifying The Playhouse’s performance calendar to allow for the implementation of higher quality and Broadway-caliber productions. These advancements resulted in substantial increases in ticket sales, a vast resurgence of patrons and subscribers, successful fundraising that set the theatre on strong financial footing, being named one of the “50 Best Small Stage Theatres in America", consistently being awarded "Best Cape Cod Theatre" each season under his leadership, the elimination of all preexisting debt, the generation of significant profits each season after a prolonged period of financial loss, and netting nearly one-million dollars in cumulative assets. Under his leadership, Cape Playhouse highlights included Gypsy starring Julia Murney, Steel Magnolias starring Judy Kuhn and Mary Testa, Little Shop of Horrors starring Andrew Keenan-Bolger, Noises Off with Heidi Gardner, The Importance of Being Earnest with Edward Hibbert and productions of Million Dollar Quartet, South Pacific and A Chorus Line that broke previous box office records. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Mr. Rader guided the transformation of programming to include outdoor concerts, New England centric lectures, a streaming production of A Christmas Carol, the creation of The Gertrude Lawrence Awards, and diverse digital content, including an array of online educational offerings. Rader was also responsible for forming and leading a national Covid Taskforce comprising senior leadership from arts organizations around the United States, designed to help theatres collaborate on successfully navigating the pandemic. The culmination of Rader's tenure at The Playhouse allowed for the launch of a master plan initiative and expansive capital campaign aimed at significant renovations and expansions for the 22-acre arts campus. The Cape Playhouse exists today as one of the great surviving icons of the American summer theater.​
Select additional highlights as a director, producer or associate include: A Christmas Story; The Musical(National Tour), Stalking The Bogeyman (NYTimes Critics Pick, Outer Critics Circle Nomination), Varekai(Cirque Du Soleil), The Testament of Mary, Deep Love (NYMF 2015), A Christmas Carol (National Tour), Mandela! with Norm Lewis, You are Not Alone with Betty Buckley and Lea DeLaria, and productions with Sacramento Music Circus, The ZACH Theatre, The York Theatre Company, The Actors Studio Repertory Theatre, The Human Race Theatre, The Dramatist Guild, The Huron Playhouse, The Forestburgh Playhouse, Joe's Pub and the critically acclaimed Off-Broadway benefit production of William Finn's Elegies: A Song Cycle. Michael's direction of the show, benefiting marriage equality, was acclaimed as "…profound and visionary". 
 
Following the 2013 Broadway production, Rader was granted the exclusive rights to re-conceive Colm Tóibín's controversial hit play The Testament of Mary. Rader's reimagined version features five actresses sharing the title role – each woman representing a different cultural ideal of Mary.
 
Michael is passionate about and committed to finding ways of utilizing the arts as a tool to empower the lives of those less fortunate, especially children in need. It was during his initial time working with chronically ill children that Michael fully realized his passion for humanitarian work, especially when it involved working within the arts. He regularly teaches acting and audition technique classes in NYC and has served on the faculty of SongFest at the Colburn School in Los Angeles and The Summit School near Washington, DC. Rader is a graduate of Wright State University, the esteemed Actors Studio MFA Directing Program, an alumnus of the Lincoln Center Theater Directors Lab and a proud member of SDC.

Sam Columbus Part 2 ”GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Sam Columbus (he/him) (IG:@coluumbuus)(TW:@coluumbuus)(samcolumbus.com)is a New York based composer, music director, and performer. He is also the co-creator of Never Be King. During his time studying Musical Theater at Baldwin Wallace University, Sam started to realize that he was more interested in picking apart the accompaniment to the songs he was learning than he was in studying the vocal line, which has led to him focusing more intensely on music making than on acting.
In his time at Baldwin Wallace, Sam performed and music directed at theaters such as the Beck Center for the Arts, Playhouse Square, the Clinton Area Showboat Theatre, and the historic Timber Lake Playhouse. In 2019, Sam and his writing partner Charlie H. Ray opened their first show at the New York Musical Festival.
In addition to the above, Sam would love for you to know that his favorite musicians span from St. Vincent to Patsy Cline to Maurice Ravel; that he once moonlit as a competitive mogul skier; and that he is extremely fond of dogs.

Sam Columbus Part 1 ”You Can’t Let Fear Guide Your Life”

Sam Columbus (he/him) (IG:@coluumbuus)(TW:@coluumbuus)(samcolumbus.com)is a New York based composer, music director, and performer. He is also the co-creator of Never Be King. During his time studying Musical Theater at Baldwin Wallace University, Sam started to realize that he was more interested in picking apart the accompaniment to the songs he was learning than he was in studying the vocal line, which has led to him focusing more intensely on music making than on acting.
In his time at Baldwin Wallace, Sam performed and music directed at theaters such as the Beck Center for the Arts, Playhouse Square, the Clinton Area Showboat Theatre, and the historic Timber Lake Playhouse. In 2019, Sam and his writing partner Charlie H. Ray opened their first show at the New York Musical Festival.
In addition to the above, Sam would love for you to know that his favorite musicians span from St. Vincent to Patsy Cline to Maurice Ravel; that he once moonlit as a competitive mogul skier; and that he is extremely fond of dogs.

Clayton Howe ”Commit To What You Believe In”

Clayton Howe (IG:@inclaynation)(entertainmentxpodcast.com) Welcome back to the show. Thank you for listening! This episode I dive deep on commitment. As I make my commitment to the one I love - I reflect on the commitment we all should what to whatever it is that we love and why that commitment is so important. Enjoy!

Michael Mott Part 2 ”Keep Going - You’ve Got This”

Michael Mott (michaelmott.net)(IG:@michaelmott)(TW:@MichaelMott) is an internationally critically acclaimed award winning composer/ lyricist, songwriter and vocal producer living and working in NYC.  Born and raised in New Hartford, New York, Michael graduated from Ithaca College with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Musical Theatre Performance. He moved to New York City in 2007 and enjoyed a successful career performing in numerous Off-Broadway, regional and national touring shows.  In 2012 he decided to shift his focus to writing and was accepted into the prestigious BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Writer’s Workshop.  He has since been named one of Playbill's "Contemporary Musical Theatre Songwriters You Should Know" and has won the Broadway World 2020 Cabaret Award for 'Best Original Song' for his piece Jingle My Bells written for The Boy Band Project.
Mr. Mott's original musicals include In The Light, A Faustian Tale (book by Nathan Wright and Justin Silvestri), The Fairy's Tale (book by Gretchen Suárez-Peña), Mob Wife, A Mafia Comedy (book by Corey Skaggs) and Riding Out The Storm, a ten minute musical (book & lyrics by Christine Toy Johnson). He was commissioned to write the music and lyrics to Lucifer (co-lyricist, Mike Squillante, book by Corey Skaggs) and his first short film, Sundown, A Dance Short.Best known for his recording studio work, Mott's discography includes the LPs
Where The Sky Ends (which has surpassed over 4.4 million streams on Spotify),
In The Light, A Faustian Tale (Highlights from the World Premiere Studio Cast Recording) [which debuted at #8 on the Billboard Musical Theatre charts], and Abandoned Heart all distributed by Grammy Award Winning label, Broadway Records. His EPs include The Only One (distributed by Motta Music), Where The Sky Ends: The Dance Remixes and Gone: The Remixes (both distributed by Broadway Records). Singles include Christmas, Will You Stay? (feat. Laura Osnes), The Impossible (feat. Matt Bloyd), Fly High (feat. Emma Howard). He has written original award winning material for NYC's The Boy Band Project, including
Get Behind My Love and Jingle My Bells (Winner - Best Original Song, 2020 Broadway World Cabaret World Award). His entire discography is available wherever music is sold.
Mr. Mott has had the great fortune of working with some of the best singers in the business both in the recording studio and on stage in his touring show, Michael Mott & Friends.  His collaborations include TONY Award Nominees Jeremy Jordan, Laura Osnes, Loren Allred, Sierra Boggess, Zachary Levi, Solea Pfeiffer, Ciara Renée, Pia Toscano, Antonio Cipriano, Jenna Ushkowitz, Jennifer Damiano, Orfeh, Matt Doyle, Andy Mientus, Jay Armstrong Johnson, Adrienne Warren, Justin Guarini, Brian Justin Crum, Shayna Steele, James Snyder, Jackie Burns, Mitch Jarvis, Bobby Conte Thornton, Blaine Krauss, Michael Lanning, Marissa McGowan, Crystal Monee Hall, Natalie Weiss, Teal Wicks, Jason Gotay, Ryan Silverman and countless others.
Mott’s concert work includes sold out performances of his original material at numerous venues in the US and around the world including Feinstein's/ 54 Below, Joe's Pub, 42 West, Rockwood Music Hall, The Green Room 42, The Laurie Beechman Theatre in NYC, The Kennedy Center in Washington, DC and the Cockpit Theatre in London, UK.  For booking information, please email BookingMichaelMott@gmail.com.
Prior to writing, Mott enjoyed a successful acting career for six years.  He appeared Off-Broadway in "Milk and Honey" (David) and "I'd Rather Be Right" (Tony) both with Musicals Tonight!  Select regional credits include "Kiss Me, Kate" (First Gangster) at Glimmerglass Opera, directed by Diane Paulus, "Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up?" (Louie) at Merry-Go-Round Playhouse, "9 to 5" (Joe) and "A Closer Walk With Patsy Cline" (Neal Matthews), both at The Fireside Theatre, and "Miracle on 34th Street" (Fred Gaily), at both The Wagon Wheel and Armory Theatre.
Mr. Mott is currently an Advanced Member of the BMI Musical Theatre Writer's Workshop and proud member of The Dramatists Guild and Actor’s Equity Association.

Michael Mott Part 1 ”Writing Process, Getting Unstuck & Billy Joel”

Michael Mott (michaelmott.net)(IG:@michaelmott)(TW:@MichaelMott) is an internationally critically acclaimed award winning composer/ lyricist, songwriter and vocal producer living and working in NYC.  Born and raised in New Hartford, New York, Michael graduated from Ithaca College with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Musical Theatre Performance. He moved to New York City in 2007 and enjoyed a successful career performing in numerous Off-Broadway, regional and national touring shows.  In 2012 he decided to shift his focus to writing and was accepted into the prestigious BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Writer’s Workshop.  He has since been named one of Playbill's "Contemporary Musical Theatre Songwriters You Should Know" and has won the Broadway World 2020 Cabaret Award for 'Best Original Song' for his piece Jingle My Bells written for The Boy Band Project.
Mr. Mott's original musicals include In The Light, A Faustian Tale (book by Nathan Wright and Justin Silvestri), The Fairy's Tale (book by Gretchen Suárez-Peña), Mob Wife, A Mafia Comedy (book by Corey Skaggs) and Riding Out The Storm, a ten minute musical (book & lyrics by Christine Toy Johnson). He was commissioned to write the music and lyrics to Lucifer (co-lyricist, Mike Squillante, book by Corey Skaggs) and his first short film, Sundown, A Dance Short.Best known for his recording studio work, Mott's discography includes the LPs
Where The Sky Ends (which has surpassed over 4.4 million streams on Spotify),
In The Light, A Faustian Tale (Highlights from the World Premiere Studio Cast Recording) [which debuted at #8 on the Billboard Musical Theatre charts], and Abandoned Heart all distributed by Grammy Award Winning label, Broadway Records. His EPs include The Only One (distributed by Motta Music), Where The Sky Ends: The Dance Remixes and Gone: The Remixes (both distributed by Broadway Records). Singles include Christmas, Will You Stay? (feat. Laura Osnes), The Impossible (feat. Matt Bloyd), Fly High (feat. Emma Howard). He has written original award winning material for NYC's The Boy Band Project, including
Get Behind My Love and Jingle My Bells (Winner - Best Original Song, 2020 Broadway World Cabaret World Award). His entire discography is available wherever music is sold.
Mr. Mott has had the great fortune of working with some of the best singers in the business both in the recording studio and on stage in his touring show, Michael Mott & Friends.  His collaborations include TONY Award Nominees Jeremy Jordan, Laura Osnes, Loren Allred, Sierra Boggess, Zachary Levi, Solea Pfeiffer, Ciara Renée, Pia Toscano, Antonio Cipriano, Jenna Ushkowitz, Jennifer Damiano, Orfeh, Matt Doyle, Andy Mientus, Jay Armstrong Johnson, Adrienne Warren, Justin Guarini, Brian Justin Crum, Shayna Steele, James Snyder, Jackie Burns, Mitch Jarvis, Bobby Conte Thornton, Blaine Krauss, Michael Lanning, Marissa McGowan, Crystal Monee Hall, Natalie Weiss, Teal Wicks, Jason Gotay, Ryan Silverman and countless others.
Mott’s concert work includes sold out performances of his original material at numerous venues in the US and around the world including Feinstein's/ 54 Below, Joe's Pub, 42 West, Rockwood Music Hall, The Green Room 42, The Laurie Beechman Theatre in NYC, The Kennedy Center in Washington, DC and the Cockpit Theatre in London, UK.  For booking information, please email BookingMichaelMott@gmail.com.
Prior to writing, Mott enjoyed a successful acting career for six years.  He appeared Off-Broadway in "Milk and Honey" (David) and "I'd Rather Be Right" (Tony) both with Musicals Tonight!  Select regional credits include "Kiss Me, Kate" (First Gangster) at Glimmerglass Opera, directed by Diane Paulus, "Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up?" (Louie) at Merry-Go-Round Playhouse, "9 to 5" (Joe) and "A Closer Walk With Patsy Cline" (Neal Matthews), both at The Fireside Theatre, and "Miracle on 34th Street" (Fred Gaily), at both The Wagon Wheel and Armory Theatre.
Mr. Mott is currently an Advanced Member of the BMI Musical Theatre Writer's Workshop and proud member of The Dramatists Guild and Actor’s Equity Association.