Martin Flohr

Artistic Director & Producer

Martin Flohr has been passionate about music and theatre all his life. While studying economics at university, he gained experience in show business by working on Broadway in New York, in London’s West End, and by travelling all over Europe and Asia as tour manager for STOMP.

In 2006, he joined BB Promotion. As Head of Project & Booking he was responsible for BB Promotion’s own productions, including West Side Story and Richard O’Brien’s Rocky Horror Show, and for international touring productions including Cats, Evita, Porgy & Bess, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast and Tanguera. Due to his special talent for combining creative and organisational processes, he became the company’s Artistic Director in 2014. He bears artistic responsibility for all in-house productions and has executive-produced Richard O’Brien’s Rocky Horror Show, West Side Story and We Will Rock You. He also successfully brought Bodyguard – The Musical and Carmen la Cubana to Germany for their German premieres. By creating the concept of BERLIN BERLIN, he is fulfilling his long-held dream of bringing his favourite era to the stage in a great 1920s show.

Christoph Biermeier

Book & Direction

Christoph Biermeier is a versatile author and director who has worked for numerous renowned theatres and opera houses in Germany and Austria. Born in Passau, he studied theatre, philosophy and modern German literature in Munich. During this time, he co-founded an independent theatre company that aimed to revive forgotten forms of theatre. He has been working as a freelance director since 1994, specialising in theatre, opera, operetta and musical, and particularly in works dealing with historical events of the twentieth century. The 1920s are his favourite decade and he has a wealth of experience in bringing this period to the stage. His Comedian Harmonists production ran successfully in theatres all over Germany, and his acclaimed production Krieg der Träume (Clash of Futures), for the State Theatre Salzburg in coproduction with the broadcaster arte, was also set in the inter-war years.

Christoph Biermeier’s writing credits already include several musical revues, among them Glenn Miller – ein Leben für den Swing and Summer of Love – eine Revue über die wilden 60er Jahre. He has directed productions for the Bavarian State Theatre in Munich, the State Theatre Braunschweig, the Theatre Osnabrück, the Freiburg Theatre, State Theatre Kassel, State Theatre Salzburg and the Lindenhof Theatre in Melchingen. His productions have toured nationally and internationally, including to the Ruhrfestspiele Recklinghausen, the Heidelberg Stückemarkt and the Rhinoceros Theater Festival in Chicago.

From 2004 to 2016 Chistoph Biermeier was the artistic director of the second oldest theatre festival in Germany, the Freilichtspiele Schwäbisch Hall. He holds teaching positions, including at the MA for stage design at the Technical University Berlin and the Academy for Performing Arts in Ludwigsburg, and enjoys passing on his knowledge to young theatre practitioners.

Thomas Lienenlüke

Co-Author

Thomas Lienenlüke was born in Bielefeld in 1966. Despite this fact, he exists. After studying German literature, philosophy, history and economics, he began his writing career at the Rudi Carrell Show. He has worked on TV programmes such as RTL Samstag Nacht, Satiregipfel and Scheibenwischer, developed successful formats such as Stratmanns and Die dreisten Drei, and created stage shows for Tim Mälzer, Bastian Sick and Ingolf Lück. He writes for the legendary Schlachthof and for artists including Monika Gruber, Matthias Richling, Jürgen von der Lippe, Bruno Jonas, Rick Kavanian. For five years, he was a writer for the Bavarian political cabaret Auf dem Nockherberg. He has produced and directed literary events with actors including Iris Berben, Christoph Waltz, Senta Berger and Michael Heltau. He also works as a consultant and dramaturg for numerous stage and TV productions, and performs as a cabaret artist. The cabaret and show business of the 1920s is one of his great passions – which is why he is particularly excited to contribute to BERLIN BERLIN.

Matt Cole

Choreography

Matt Cole is involved in numerous projects: He worked  as Co-director for Carmen la Cubana at the Théâtre du Châtelet and for the international tour, as Director and Choreographer for Sweet Charity at the Urdang Academy and The MGM Story at Upstairs at the Gatehouse and the UK Tour, as Resident Director for The Railway Children at King’s Cross Theatre, on the UK Tour of West Side Story and also the UK Tour of the Take That musical Never Forget.

His credits as choreographer include Flashdance (UK and international Tour), The Night Pirates (UK Tour), The Producers (China and Asia Tour), Lovesick (Berkely Repertory Theatre California), Footloose (UK and international Tour), The MGM Story (Upstairs at the Gatehouse), Little Shop of Horrors (UK Tour), Footloose (UK Tour), Bette Middler and Me (Edinburgh Festival and UK Tour), Amour (Charing Cross Theatre and Royal Academy of Music), Vampirette (Manchester Opera House), Angelina Ballerina The Musical (UK and Australia Tour), The Road to Qatar (Landor Theatre and Edinburgh Festival), Oklahoma! (Chichester Festival Theatre), Fiddler on the Roof (West End & Menier Chocolate Factory), The Return of the Soldier (Hope Mill Theatre and Jermyn Street Theatre), The Beautiful Game (NYMT), The Sweet Smell of Success (Royal Academy of Music), EM (Royal Central School of Speech & Drama), Side Show (Southwark Playhouse), Rags the Musical (Theatre Royal Stratford East), Pure Imagination (St James’ Theatre), Jerry’s Girls (St. James’ Theatre and Jermyn Street Theatre), The Pulse Awards (Grosvenor House), The Pam Ann Show (Palladium, Apollo Hammersmith, UK and international Tour) as well as Aladdin, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and Jack and the Beanstalk (Qdos Entertainment). He was also Assistant Choreographer on the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing.

Gary Hickeson

Musical Supervision

Gary Hickeson works as producer, musical supervisor, songwriter and programmer. For international theatre productions he has worked with producers such as BB Promotion, Bill Kenwright L.t.d, R.U.G, Cameron Mackintosh and Stage Entertainment. Productions credits are Les Misérables, Phantom of the Opera, Evita, Blood Brothers, Cilla, Heathers, Jesus Christ Superstar, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, La Cage aux Folles, Ghost, Titanic and Dance of The Vampires. He has created film and television compositions for Film 4, Tiger Aspect, ARD, ZDF and other international companies. Brands such as MTV, Sony, Reebok, Sennheiser and BMW also booked him as composer. As a big fan of the 20s, the production BERLIN BERLIN is in the best hands with him.

Rich Morris

Musical Arrangements

Rich graduated in 2012 from The University of Nottingham, gaining a BA (hons) in music. Rich also currently works as Music Manager for the Really Useful Group. His know-how is in demand in many other international productions. Credits as Musical Supervisor include: The Glenn Miller Story (London Coliseum), Heathers (Theatre Royal Haymarket, The Other Palace), Evita (Phoenix Theatre, UK Tour, European Tour), Ghost (MDM Theatre Moscow, Theatre Mogador Paris, UK tour), American Idiot (Arts Theatre, UK tour), Blood Brothers (UK tour), Cabaret (UK tour), La Cage Aux Folles (UK tour), Avenue Q (UK tour), Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Jack and the Beanstalk (Theatre Royal Windsor), Beauty and the Beast (Epsom Playhouse). Credits as Musical Director and/or keys player include: Saturday Night Fever (UK tour), Evita (UK tour, European tour), Blood Brothers (UK tour), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (UK tour), The Glenn Miller Story (London Coliseum, UK tour), Sound Of Music (UK tour), Jesus Christ Superstar (UK tour, European tour), Starlight Express (UK tour, East Asia tour), Wizard Of Oz (Spillers Pantomimes), Sleeping Beauty (Theatre Royal Windsor), Jack and The Beanstalk (Theatre Royal Windsor), The Jackie Trent Story Little Women, West Side Story, Rent, Guys and Dolls, Whistle Down The Wind.

He has a longstanding love of 1920’s and 1930’s music and runs his own 30 piece big band with strings, for which he also does the arrangements. As such, he is thrilled to be working on this fantastic production.

Conny Kraus

Set Design

Conny Kraus considers herself a multidisciplinary designer. Aged just nineteen, having completed her training in communications design and illustration and about to begin her studies in Textiles, Art and Design at the University of Art and Design Linz, she received her first engagement as a design assistant at the Phoenix Theatre in Linz. In the following years she continued to work as an assistant and from 2000 onwards as a freelance set and costume designer for numerous theatre, ballet and musical productions in Europe and the USA. Her name is associated with productions including Club der einsamen Herzen (Lonely Hearts Club), European Youth Ballet, The Music Man, Vibrating Africa, Queen Esther Marrow and the Harlem Gospel Singers, Hair, Alperose – The Musical and many more.

In 2016 she and her husband founded a design studio that produces textile collections for international fashion labels and supplies hotels and restaurants with their sumptuous and intricate creations. Her love of Art Deco and the glamour of that period is evident in many of her designs. Little wonder, then, that she jumped at the chance to take on the stage design for BERLIN BERLIN.

Andre Gutzler

Wigs & Make Up Designer

After an internship at WE WILL ROCK YOU Andre Gutzler had found his dream job. Having completed his vocational education as a for make up and wigs at the Düsseldorf Opera he worked for film, television, photo shootings and musicals such as Kein Pardon, Ich war noch niemals in New York, Cats, Shrek or BODYGUARD - the musical. He also toured with WE WILL ROCK YOU, Dirty Dancing and Richard O'Brien's Rocky Horror Show through Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Furthermore Andre is also manufacturing wigs and he works for film and television (e.g. Das Supertalent), photo shootings, concerts, commercials, shows and galas. As Wigs & Make Up Designer of BERLIN BERLIN he is happy to bring the glamour and dramatic look of the 20s with smokey eyes and water waves to the stage.

Nick Richings

Lighting Design & Video Design

Zu Nick’s jüngsten Engagements zählen Disney Die Schöne und das Biest (BB Promotion), The Cherry Orchard (Theatre Royal Windsor), Jack and the Beanstalk (Hackney Empire), Cruel Intentions (Edinburgh Festival), Reputation (The Other Palace), The Wizard of Oz (Birmingham Repertory Theatre), The Nightingales (Bath Theatre Royal and UK Tour); Tuesdays with Morrie und Closer (Vienna English Theatre), Fat Friends – The Musical (UK Tour) sowie Touched (Nottingham Playhouse). Produktionen am Londoner West End sowie UK Tourneen umfassen The Glenn Miller Story, Nell Gwynn, Forbidden Broadwa, Monty Python’s Spamalot, Simply the Best, La Cage aux Folles, Damon Albarn’s Monkey: Journey to the West, Whistle Down the Wind, The Rocky Horror Show, Fiddler on the Roof, Scrooge, Derren Brown: Something Wicked This Way Comes, Saturday Night Fever, Cilla The Musical, Ghost, Priscilla – Queen of the Desert, The Glenn Miller Story, The Sound of Music, Jesus Christ Superstar, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Blood Brothers, Starlight Express, Spend Spend Spend!, Strictly Come Dancing: the Professionals, Armstrong and Miller – Live, Laughter in the Rain, Jekyll & Hyde und Guys and Dolls..

Dan Samson

Sound Design

Dan’s Sound Design credits include: Heathers (Theatre Royal Haymarket and The Other Palace), Saturday Night Fever (UK Tour), Cilla The Musical (UK Tour), Ghost (UK Tour, International Tour, Paris Mogador and Moscow MDM) Rain Man (UK Tour), Rough Crossing (UK Tour), Cabaret (UK Tour), La Cage aux Folles (UK Tour), Evita (Dominion, Phoenix, UK and International Tour), Hi Fidelity The Musical (Turbine Theatre), Eugenius (The Other Palace), This is Elvis (UK Tour), How the Other Half Loves (Theatre Royal Haymarket, Duke of York’s and UK Tour), Save the Last Dance for Me (UK Tour), Dreamboats and Petticoats (UK Tour), The Lady Vanishes (UK Tour), The Case of the Frightened Lady (UK Tour), The Outsider (3 Pin Productions Ltd, Cunard), Echoes in the Night (3 Pin Productions Ltd, P&O), A Judgement in Stone (UK Tour), Sideshow (Southwark Playhouse), The War of the Worlds (Dominion), Rehearsal for Murder (UK Tour), Sinatra On Stage (The London Palladium), The Glenn Miller Story (London Coliseum and UK Tour), The Sound of Music (UK Tour), Jesus Christ Superstar (UK Tour), 12 Angry Men (UK Tour), Blood Brothers (UK Tour), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Newcastle Arena and UK Tour), Dreamboats and Miniskirts (UK Tour), Ain’t Misbehavin’ (Cochester and Southwark Playhouse), Carrie (Southwark Playhouse), The Buddy Holly Story (Theatre Royal Windsor), Brief Encounter (Theatre Royal, Windsor), Mystery On Air (Theatre Royal, Windsor), Fame (UK Tour), The Shawshank Redemption (UK Tour), All Creatures Great and Small (UK Tour), The Small Hand (UK Tour), Before the Party (UK Tour).

Katia Convents

Costume Design

Katia Convents was born in Olsztyn (Poland) and has lived in Germany since 1983, initially in Gütersloh and since 1996 in Bonn. After completing secondary school in Olsztyn, she studied nutritional science.

Dance has been one of her greatest passions since she was very young. She competed in several European and world championships and was a multiple Ballroom, Latin and 10-dance champion in Poland. In Germany, too, she took part in professional, European and world championships and completed her training as a dance coach and national and international adjudicator, judging competitions all over the world. As a dancer she designed and made her own dresses and was soon asked to design for other dancers. This developed into one of the most well-known ateliers for dance fashion today. Katia Convents supplies a wide range of clients, among them celebrities such as Rebecca Mir, Silvie Meis, Motsi Mabuse, Sophia Thomalla, Vanessa Mai, Beatrice Egli, Maite Kelly and Wolke Hegenbarth, and has designed the costumes for the shows Dancing on Ice 2006 and Das große Pro7 Tanzturnier. Since 2006 she has been responsible for dressing all the couples on Let’s Dance (RTL). Future projects include Dancing on Ice 2019 and the twelfth season of Let’s Dance. She has also designed the costumes for Helene Fischer’s Christmas show and Andrea Berg’s show Heimspiel – Mosaik.

Ralf Kokemüller

Original Producer

Ralf Kokemüller joined the BB Group’s predecessor BB Promotion in 1995, working closely with founder Michael Brenner to turn it into one of the most successful producers of live entertainment in Germany and Europe. Responsible for scouting and booking, Ralf Kokemüller established lasting relationships with internationally acclaimed shows such as STOMP, Tanguera and Yamato. After Michael Brenner’s death in 2011, Ralf Kokemüller became the Group’s CEO, staying true to its ethos of discovering and realising new, fascinating artists and shows. (Co-)productions include stage shows such as West Side Story, We Will Rock You and Tango Passion, dance productions such as the world-famous Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, and musicals such as the original production of Disney’s The Lion King and Cameron Mackintosh’s Miss Saigon

In 2015 Ralf Kokemüller produced the German-language version of the original production of BODYGUARD. He had already been involved in the original West End production as a co-producer. Carmen la Cubana, Cuba’s very first musical, co-produced by the prestigious Théâtre du Châtelet, premiered in Paris in 2016. It has been touring all over the world since 2018.

With its long-standing portfolio of high-quality productions and global network of artists and producers, the BB Group under his leadership is able to invest in innovative new ideas such as Ballet Revolución from Cuba or German theatre tent production and tour of CATS.

Ralf Kokemüller is CEO and producer of Mehr-BB Entertainment, which merged with the BB Group in April 2019.