You can be assured that every aspect of your production will be carefully executed from start to finish by the IO Productions team. Our producers, writers, designers, and directors are handpicked for each specific project. They will create and execute an unforgettable entertainment experience each and every time.
Mark Eckhoff
Producer
For companies seeking theatrical and special event production, Mark brings a wealth of performance and production experience. With more than 22 years in the entertainment industry and more than 16 years producing, Mark has earned a reputation for providing superior stage and business theater productions. Whether producing theme park shows for Paramount Parks, corporate events for Victoria’s Secret, or Stephen Sondheim’s Passion, Mark has the expertise to provide any entertainment experience to the exacting business and quality standards of today’s Fortune 500 companies.
From regional theme parks such as Kings Island to world renowned Walt Disney World and Universal Studios to Jean Ann Ryan Productions on Norwegian and Crown cruise lines, Mark has entertained audiences from all walks of life and cultures. Mark also gained an understanding of the unique and demanding world of regional theater. He has performed roles in the international tours of 42nd Street, Forever Plaid, and A Grand Night for Singing.
Mark has the distinction of holding dual business degrees from the University of Cincinnati, where he earned a B.S. in Marketing and B.S. in Management. Mark has also been a member of Actors’ Equity for 12 years.
Chris Hartle-Shenton
Producer
With a unique blend of performance and management experience, Chris brings her corporate clients a special focus on establishing and maintaining a cooperative and creative communication channel. Her 20+ years of entertainment experience and more than 12 years producing have yielded dramatic results with theme park shows and special events for major corporate clients such as the Cincinnati Reds and Victoria’s Secret. For StarKist and Kraft Foods, Chris produced a large-scale event at New York City’s South Street Seaport, coordinating entertainment, caterers, florists, carnival rides, servers, and an appearance on Fox News Channel’s Fox & Friends. Whether producing events for blue chip companies or creating adrenaline-filled theme park shows, Chris has consistently exceeded her clients’ expectations with a masterful blend of artistry and management.
Beginning her career at Kings Island in Cincinnati, Ohio, Chris has performed at SeaWorld of Florida, Universal Studios, and Walt Disney World. She gained additional experience performing for Royal Caribbean Cruises and with the USO for the U.S. Department of Defense. Entertaining internationally with the USO in Honduras, Puerto Rico, Antigua, and Bermuda, Chris developed a unique perspective on show logistics and the demands involved in touring productions. In addition, Chris has recorded professionally for ABC Television, the Orlando Magic, and Reebok.
Chris attended both the University of Cincinnati where she earned a B.S. in Communications, and The Ohio State University where she earned a minor in Music.
Jeffrey A. Smith
Composer/Arranger/Musical Director
Jeffrey brings to IO Productions more than 25 years of composition experience. Whether writing, arranging, or creating original compositions, Jeffrey can paint the perfect musical masterpiece for any show setting.
For seven years, Jeffrey was a full-time writer and arranger for Kings Productions and Paramount Parks Design & Entertainment. Focusing on the intricate, robust blend of a capella voices, he arranged music from The Music Man for Walt Disney World Entertainment’s famous Voices of Liberty, as well as the music for “Cinderella’s Holiday Wish,” a new tradition every Christmas season at the Magic Kingdom. He has written many corporate shows for Corporate Magic in Dallas, Texas. These clients include Prudential Real Estate, the Salvation Army, Aflac, and Rite Aid. He has also created works for international audiences at Tokyo Disney; the soundtracks for two parades at Expo 2010 in Shanghai China; the closing ceremonies at the 2010 World Choir Games in Shaoxing, China; “Goin’ Hollywood” for Warner Brothers, Madrid, Spain; and various shows for Royal Caribbean Cruises.
Randy Glass
Musical Director
Randy has been working extensively in the entertainment industry for more than 20 years. His credits as a musical director include productions of Smokey Joe’s Café; SHOUT! The Mod Musical; And The World Goes ’Round; Chicago; Starting Here, Starting Now; Forbidden Broadway; Five Course Love; Sisters of Swing; Blue Plate Special; The 1940’s Radio Hour; Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat; The All Night Strut!; and Forever Plaid and Plaid Tidings.
Randy has acted as musical director and vocal coach for numerous shows with Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, American Girl Place New York, Paramount Show Services, and Norwegian Cruise Line. Recording projects include Walt Disney, Paramount, Warner Brothers, Universal Studios, and Bally’s Las Vegas.
As an actor, Randy’s credits include the Broadway and national tour of Les Miserables, as well as the Broadway production of A Tale Of Two Cities. Randy has had the honor of performing with such Broadway greats as Colm Wilkinson, Carol Channing, Betty Buckley, Nell Carter, John Raitt, and Jason Alexander. Randy’s concert appearances include the New York Pops at Carnegie Hall, The Mantovani Orchestra, and The Memphis Symphony Ball.
Thomas P. Murphy
Choreographer/Director
Thomas Murphy has worked in numerous aspects of the entertainment industry for 30 years. As an entertainer, choreographer, show director, and producer, Thomas has entertained audiences worldwide, performing alongside renowned professionals such as Gene Kelly, Liza Minnelli, Carol Channing, and Ben Vereen. He has also appeared in principal roles on nationally televised shows. In addition, Thomas served as producer, production show director, and choreographer for American River Cruises and traveled the world with Scandinavian World Cruise Line as Production Entertainment Director and Choreographer for their fleet of five world-class cruise ships.
His many talents in the industry of entertainment have been an integral part of Walt Disney Productions, worldwide, for three decades. Currently, Thomas is a creative show director with the Walt Disney Event Group, where he provides creative direction and choreography for the development of new projects, convention entertainment, and special events. Thomas also works with the Walt Disney Magic Music Days program as a talent clinician, where he teaches dance, audition, and vocal techniques to young performing groups visiting the Walt Disney World Resort.
In 2003, Thomas joined IO Productions as a show director and choreographer, providing entertainment for the Paramount theme parks across America and Canada, as well as Stone Mountain Park in Atlanta, Georgia.
Elizabeth Eckhoff
Choreographer/Director
Working for more than 10 years for Walt Disney World, Elizabeth had the honor of serving as Dance Captain and Assistant Choreographer for numerous shows at Disney’s Orlando theme parks, including The Magic Kingdom, Epcot Center, MGM Studios, and Pleasure Island.
As a choreographer and performer, Elizabeth has entertained internationally, touring with the prestigious Crown Odyssey through Africa, Europe, Scandinavia, and Russia. In addition, Elizabeth has an impressive client list including Norwegian Cruise Line and Jean Ann Ryan Productions, one of the world’s most respected cruise ship entertainment companies.
As a pinnacle achievement culminating from years of classical training and extensive professional dance experience, Elizabeth was handpicked to appear on Broadway in The Will Rogers Follies.
Tammy Colucci
Choreographer/Director
Tammy recently ventured to China where she directed and choreographed The American Dream, a Broadway style musical revue that included many genres of American music, for the 2010 World Choir Games in Shaoxing.
Tammy’s choreography credits include the 2010 HUE Leggings commercial and 2010 Buick LaCrosse commercial for New York City’s Broadway on Broadway event; the opening number for Broadway’s 23rd Annual Easter Bonnet Competition starring Liza Minnelli; New York’s “Broadway Bares” fundraisers; and “A Tribute to Chita Rivera” for Rosie O’Donnell’s benefit organization. She graced the stage with Chita Rivera at the Kennedy Center for an evening “Celebrating Women in the Performing Arts.” Tammy choreographed Rosie O’Donnell and Rachael Ray on The Rachael Ray Show and The View. She also choreographed regional productions of Fame, Footloose, The Wiz, High School Musical 1 and 2, Tommy, Once Upon a Mattress, Fiddler on the Roof, and Curtains.
Ken Jones
Writer/Director
As an award winning playwright, screenwriter, and director, Ken is a dynamic asset to IO Productions’ offerings. Ken’s impressive academic and practical background has created an exemplary professional reputation within the entertainment industry, as well as academia.
An empowering leader, Ken has extensive directorial experience with more than 40 plays and industrial shows. Ken is also an accomplished entertainer/instructor with more than 25 years of performing professional improvisational comedy and a list of over 350 students trained in the art of comedic improvisation.
Ken has equally impressive qualifications in the writing arena. He has written pilot episodes for over 17 different series, earning an Emmy nomination in 1994. His shows have aired on ABC, PBS, The Disney Channel, UPN, and HBO.
Ken holds a B.F.A. in Theatre from the University of Florida, an M.F.A. in Playwriting from the University of Virginia, and a Certificate in Playwriting from the American Repertory Theater Institute for Advanced Theater Training at Harvard University. He is currently the Chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance at Northern Kentucky University.
Glen Goodwin
Lighting Design
Glen has been a leader in the production of innovative, effective, and artistic lighting design for professional events for more than 22 years. His creative lighting designs have become an integral part of the Midwest’s most prestigious galas and fundraising events, and Glen is an essential member of IO Productions’ professional production team.
Glen’s artistic and effective use of lighting have made him the designer of choice for varied professional events, such as the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center induction ceremonies, the grand opening of the Taft Museum of Art, events at the Aronoff Center for the Arts and the Cincinnati Art Museum, as well as performances by the world-famous Radio City Rockettes, Anti-Gravity, and Cirque de Soleil.
Specializing in the use of gobos to texture his designs and adding new dimensions through the use of custom glass and dichroic color patterns, Glen has also provided lighting design for use in professional theater applications including the Aronoff Center, Pegasus Players, Back to Broadway, and the New Edgecliff Theatre.
Steve Rundle
Scenic Design
Steve specializes in themed attractions, live shows, special events, and interior murals. He has designed and supervised scenic design on several hundred stage productions and live events for theme parks, theaters, cruise ships, and attractions.
Cruise line projects include scenic design and large-scale art for Renaissance Cruises, Cunard Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, and Royal Caribbean International, including both the Oasis and Allure of the Seas megaships.
Themed attraction work includes overseeing design for a range of projects such as The World of Coca-Cola in Atlanta, the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame & Museum, and, most recently, Ferrari World, a million-square-foot theme park that opened in 2010 in Abu Dhabi.
Steve has developed a group of “digital” scenic artists who specialize in digitally painting scenic art that can then be printed at full scale for show backdrops, curtains, and large-scale mural art.
Michael Lee Scott
Scenic Design
Michael has an extensive background in the theater arts. After performing on Broadway for several years, he moved into the design aspect of theater, bringing with him all of his knowledge from the other side of the boards. He has created many specialty numbers, including sets and costumes, for Rosie O’Donnell, David Letterman, and The View talk show.
Once he had fully immersed himself in the design world, Michael began creating sets for several well-established theater companies. He has designed and constructed sets for New York-based theater companies including Moving Parts Productions, The Swillson Performers, and the Bev Nap Production Company.
For the last six years, Michael has designed and built sets for Rock Solid Country, Sleigh Ride, Simply Christmas, Kickin’ Up Christmas, Hometown Holiday, and The Snow Angel Meet and Greet Experience at Stone Mountain Park in Atlanta, Georgia.
Nick Collins
Scenic Design
As a member of the IO Productions team, Nick specializes in conceptual design, creative development, art direction, show scenic design, environmental theming, attraction brainstorming, technical direction, and installation support.
Some of Nick’s projects include Six Flags, Paramount Parks, Royal Caribbean Productions, Stone Mountain Park, and numerous professional regional theaters. Designing within licensing and creative standards of branded properties, such as Looney Tunes, is also one of his specialties.
Mark Halpin
Scenic Design
Setting the scene and ensnaring the audience’s imagination is the rigorous demand placed on the scene designer. Mark’s creative and inspiring designs have been used by theaters, theme parks, museums, cruise ships, and corporate clients across five continents.
Whether it’s designing theme park show sets for Paramount Parks, Six Flags, and Legoland or stage reviews at sea for Radisson Cruises, Royal Caribbean, or Princess Cruises, Mark is comfortable creating the show environment for all types of performers.
Mark is also at home creating the performance canvas for entire theatrical productions. He counts among his successes theatrical design work for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati, Human Race Theatre, and Stages St. Louis.
George Sarofeen
Costume Design
George received his bachelor’s degree in theater at Virginia Tech, and then went on to Temple University for an M.F.A. costume design.
He has designed more than 200 costumes for shows aboard Royal Caribbean’s Mariner of the Seas. Other credits include the entire wardrobe for the Las Vegas Hilton’s Star Trek: The Experience, three seasons of Cincinnati Conservatory of Music’s Hot Summer Nights, and 21 years of shows for Kings Island.
Suzy Ziller
Production Assistant/Costume Coordinator/Designer
Suzy’s multifaceted skill set and attention to detail have made her an invaluable team member on some of IO Production’s biggest projects. With more than 10 years of experience in theatrical, event, and trade show production, Suzy has handled everything from costume design and construction to project management.
Suzy’s work has been enjoyed internationally, most recently at The American Dream show, part of the 2010 World Choir Games in Shaoxing, China. Nationwide, her work has been seen at such venues as Kings Island, Carowinds, Kings Dominion, Stone Mountain Park, and Nickelodeon cruises, as well as numerous corporate events, including the Atlantic City Food and Wine Festival for Harrah’s, TechOlympics for Teens sponsored by Fortune 500 companies, and Crest Oral-B’s convention tour.