About

Ron is a 23-year resident of Ann Arbor, Michigan with a two-year stint in Winter Garden, FL — he previously went to grad school and lived in NYC for 14 years. He doesn’t miss living there. He holds a PhD in Counseling Psychology, a MA in Rehabilitation Counseling from New York University, and a dual major in Psychology and Theatre from Wittenberg University. He also has a joint MA from Cal Berkeley and University of Michigan in Romance Languages (French).  He has studied piano and voice since the age of 6, taken additional coursework in composition, conducting, and musical directing, and has extensive dance experience as both a performer and choreographer.  Ron owns BrainTrainers brain injury day program in Ann Arbor and has a private practice in Windermere, but his true passion lies in musical theatre direction and choreography and he is a member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC, formerly SSDC, professional theatre union) — and occasionally performs. He’s directed 56 musicals. Since moving to Ann Arbor, he has directed and choreographed for Encore Musical Theatre Company, Ann Arbor Civic Theatre, Washtenaw Community College, Saline Area Players, Ann Arbor Musical Works, Young People’s Theatre, and many others. He has directed in NYC, Ohio, and Michigan. He has appeared in A FUNNY THING…FORUM (Senex) MEMPHIS (Mr Simmons), and TITANIC (Ismay) at Croswell Opera House, and BIG RIVER at A2CT. He has directed and choreographed (most recently) HEATHERS, THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD, BONNIE & CLYDE (3 productions!),  NEXT TO NORMAL, THE WEDDING SINGER (twice), ELTON JOHN’S AIDA; JEKYLL & HYDE THE MUSICAL; GREASE (3 times); ONCE ON THIS ISLAND; MY ONE AND ONLY; SMILE; THE PAJAMA GAME; FLOYD COLLINS; ANNIE(twice); THE MUSIC MAN(twice); JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR; STEEL PIER; THE SOUND OF MUSIC; BYE BYE BIRDIE; MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG; HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING; MY FAVORITE YEAR; JEFFREY, SHENANDOAH, EVITA, and many others. He has also music directed, designed sets, lighting, projections and all other forms of theatre design and tech over the years. He is past-president of Ann Arbor Civic Theatre and the Michigan Shakespeare Festival, and owns Ann Arbor Musical Works where he recently directed LOVE STORY THE MUSICAL and YOU’RE A GOOD MAN CHARLIE BROWN. Ron is partial to fully-staged proscenium musicals with full orchestras, and has seen every Broadway musical (with the exception of a small handful of lesser productions) since 1979, including the infamous “Carrie, the musical” three times and “Out of the Blue” on the West End (the Nagasaki atomic bomb musical). He collects musical theatre cast albums, and has over 500 in his collection. He also has a peculiar habit of knowing every song from every musical by hearing only 5 bars of music of each song. It’s a worthless skill since they don’t ask for Broadway lyrics on those “don’t forget the lyrics” shows but it’s killer at after-show parties in NYC.