Randy White [he/him] (Director) was founding Artistic Director of Cardinal Stage in Bloomington, IN., where he inaugurated the “Cardinal for Kids” series. In NYC, he directed Theatreworks USA’s Max and Ruby, (off-Broadway/national tour), Glen Berger’s Underneath the Lintel, assisted on Disney’s The Lion King, etc. He has directed at many regional theaters and universities. In Chicago, Randy directed The Wizard of Oz at the Children’s Theatre of Winnetka, and Curious George and Knuffle Bunny at Northbrook Theatre. For the Greenhouse, he directed Truman and The Birth of Israel and was nominated for an Equity Jeff Award for his critically acclaimed production of Midsummer (A Play with Songs). He also directed YPT’s inaugural production of Knuffle Bunny.

Matthew Weidenbener [he/him] (Choreographer) is thrilled to be joining Young People’s Theatre! Matthew is a Chicago-based performer and choreographer. Chicago credits include Mike in A Chorus Line (Porchlight Music Theatre), Elf (Drury Lane Theatre), Hello, Dolly! (Marriott Theatre), Young Bernadette in Priscilla: Queen of the Desert (Mercury Theater), White Christmas (Theatre at the Center), Hanna in La Cage aux Folles and Choreographer for The Little Mermaid (Music Theatre Works). Regional credits: Grease, Man of La Mancha (STAGES St. Louis), William Barfée in Spelling Bee, Our Town (Indiana Summer Rep), West Side Story, Hairspray, Mary Poppins (Cardinal Stage). Matthew is a graduate of Indiana University. Endless love to his family and friends for their immense support and to Randy for over a decade of guidance and trust. Don’t let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!!! mweidenbener.com

Mo Willems (Script / Lyrics) #1 New York Times Bestseller Mo Willems began his career as a writer and animator for PBS' Sesame Street, where he garnered 6 Emmy Awards for his writing. During his nine seasons at Sesame Street, Mo also served as a weekly commentator for BBC Radio and created two animated series, Nickelodeon's The Off-Beats and Cartoon Network's Sheep in the Big City. While serving as head writer for Cartoon Network's #1 rated show, Codename: Kids Next Door, Mo began writing and drawing books for children. His debut effort, Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! became a New York Times Bestseller and was awarded a Caldecott Honor in 2004. The following year Knuffle Bunny: a Cautionary Tale was awarded a Caldecott Honor. The sequel, Knuffle Bunny Too: a Case of Mistaken Identity garnered Mo his third Caldecott Honor in 2008. In addition to picture books, Mo created the Elephant and Piggie books, a series of "Easy Readers", which were awarded the Theodor Seuss Geisel Medal in 2008 and 2009 and a Geisel Honor in 2011. For older audiences he has published an illustrated memoir of his year-long trip around the world in 1990-91 entitled You Can Never Find a Rickshaw When it Monsoons. Mo's drawings, wire sculptures, and ceramics (done in collaboration with his father) have exhibited in numerous galleries and museums across the nation and his graphic story about his family experiences during 9-11 for DC comics resides in the Library of Congress' permanent collection. Mo has been heard on NPR's All Things Considered where he occasionally serves as the broadcast's 'Radio Cartoonist'. While no longer working in television, Mo voices and produces animated cartoons based on his books with Weston Woods studios. The animated Knuffle Bunny was awarded Best Film during the New York International Children's Film Festival in 2008 and received the Andrew Carnegie Medal in 2007. The animated Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! garnered Mo his second Carnegie Medal in 2010. Mo wrote the script and lyrics for Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale, commissioned by the Kennedy Center for its 2010 season. Mo lives in Massachusetts with his family.

Deborah Wicks La Puma (Music) A composer, music director and orchestrator, Deborah Wicks La Puma is one of the most produced Theatre for Young Audiences artists working today. With bestselling children's author Mo Willems she has created Elephant and Piggie's: We Are In A Play; Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed: The Rock Experience; and Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus: The Musical . Her many and diverse works with playwright Karen Zacarías include Ella Enchanted (based on the book by Gail Carson Levine), Olivério: A Brazilian Twist, Frida Libre, Looking for Roberto Clemente and Einstein Is a Dummy. With playwright Adam Tobin she created She Persisted (based on the book by Chelsea Clinton), and the upcoming What Do You Do With An Idea? (based on the book by Kobi Yamada). Her adult works include the lyric opera Dakota Sky and the Mexican folk musical Perdita (based on Shakespeare's Winter's Tale) with Kathleen Cahill. She received her MFA from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, her bachelor's degree from Stanford University, and studied folk music with ethnomusicologist Alfredo López Mondragón. Her honors include the Jane Chambers Playwriting Award, an NEA New American Works Grant, two Parents' Choice Awards, and a Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Musical Adaptation. A proud Mexican-American and "Navy brat" who grew up in Brazil, Portugal and California, La Puma is a member of TYA USA/ASSITEJ, ASCAP and The Dramatists Guild. Mother to three daughters and Mimi the Cat, La Puma lives in Southern California with her PR agent and loving husband, Chris.