ABOUT THE AUTHOR/COMPOSER

CLIFF JONES has written script, lyrics and music to several Musicals.

His first, a pop-opera version of Shakespeare's "Hamlet" began as a Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) Radio Network production called "Hamlet-The Musical". It was then adapted for the stage and, as "Kronborg:1582", starring Tony-award winner BRENT CARVER and screen actress BEVERLY D'ANGELO, played in major theatres across Canada (Toronto's O'Keefe/Hummingbird Centre, Montreal's Place Des Arts, Ottawa's National Art Centre and Charlottetown's Confederation Centre for the Arts).

After receiving rave reviews in the Canadian press and in the showbiz 'bible' "Variety" (New York), it was produced on BROADWAY, directed and choreographed by the legendary GOWER CHAMPION as "Rockabye Hamlet" (starring Meat Loaf and, once again, Ms. D'Angelo). In LOS ANGELES as "Something's Rockin' In Denmark", it ran for over a year and won 12 Theatre awards.

Jones' next Musical "HEY MARILYN", a musical biography of MARILYN MONROE was also commissioned, produced and broadcast by the CBC Radio Network. It starred Beverly D'Angelo as Marilyn. Adapted for stage, it broke box office records at Edmontgon's Citadel Theatre.

                                                                                 A slew of other CBC-produced Musicals followed, including "SOME OF MY BEST RATS ARE FRIENDS" starring MARTIN SHORT, "FOR THE LOVE OF HOWARD", a musical biography of HOWARD HUGHES and "ALEXANDRA: THE LAST EMPRESS", about the last years of the Romanov dynasty in Tsarist Russia. "Alexandra..." was produced on stage at Charlottetown's Confederation Centre for the Arts.

 

"RIVALS", a musical adaptation of Richard Sheridan's restoration comedy "The Rivals" was a spectacular CBC TELEVISION production.

                    

Cliff is most proud of his Musical "BABIES". First produced for two sell-out seasons at the Charlottetown Festival, "BABIES" has since enjoyed a good two dozen productions. "BABIES" was included in the prestigious Sheridan College Musical Theatre program curriculum twice.

In television, Cliff has been a Producer, Director, Writer, Music Director and Composer. He has acted in one or more of these capacities for such talents as ANNE MURRAY, MARY TYLER MOORE, SHARI LEWIS (and Lamb Chop!), MR. DRESSUP, DAVID CASSIDY, ROBERT KLEIN, RICH LITTLE, PHYLLIS DILLER, ANDY GRIFFITH, SHIRLEY JONES, RITA MCNEIL, KAREN KAIN, BARBARA EDEN, ALEX TREBEK, ALAN THICKE, TOMMY HUNTER and LORNE MICHAELS (producer of Saturday Night Live).

Cliff has won several national and international awards for his work in television and radio.

He is currently writing two new Musicals. One is called DOGS (think Cats meets Avenue Q). The other is DIVA, based loosely on Puccini's Tosca.