Hits! The Musical is a high energy production featuring America’s best young superstars.
The cast of approximately 22 members will consist of the country’s most talented singers and dancers, ages 8-23.
Musical Journey through the Decades
The show will take audiences on a musical journey through the decades, highlighting the biggest hits of all time in Pop, Country, Rock and Broadway.
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It will incorporate fast-paced production medleys, dazzling costumes, and is sure to thrill audiences young and old!
Hits! is the brainchild of the longtime director of the Tampa based, “Entertainment Revue,” which has produced many successful recording artists, Broadway stars and professional actors.
High-Level Production
The show is being produced by Robert Gries, owner of RGJ Productions.
Mr. Gries is a highly successful private equity executive and philanthropist. Mr. Gries’ family were also minority owners of the Cleveland Browns for 60 years. He has a passion for helping young people and has generously decided to donate 100% of profits to support the arts.
The Hits! Team
Executive Producer Bob Gries
Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Robert Gries is CEO and founder of the Gries Investment Funds. Mr. Gries has over twenty-five years of investment experience. This experience ranges from being a mezzanine lender to real estate to acquiring companies.
The Gries Investment Funds are most recognized for its investment in and growth of Public Power, a deregulated electricity supplier in Connecticut. The company was acquired in 2009 for $13 million, taken public and sold to Vistra Energy in 2019 for $486 million.
In addition to his business interests, Mr. Gries’s family has a longstanding history with professional sports. Mr. Gries’s grandfather was a founding member and owner of the Cleveland Rams in 1936 and the Cleveland Browns in 1946. The family’s minority ownership ended sixty years later in 1996 when Mr. Gries’s father refused to be part of moving the Browns to Baltimore and sold the family’s ownership interest. Throughout the 1980’s and 90’s, Mr. Gries served on the board of the Cleveland Browns with his father. Mr. Gries also owned Arena Football teams in Tampa and Orlando and was owner of the Tampa Bay Storm teams when they won championships in 1991 and 1993.
Philanthropy and helping young people are passions in Mr. Gries’ life today. In addition to being an active philanthropist, Mr. Gries has assisted many charitable organizations, including serving as Co-Chair of the Tampa Boys & Girls Club annual fundraising drive in 2018 and 2019 which raised record amounts each year. He has served on many non-profit and civic boards including the University of Tampa, Berkeley Preparatory School and the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center.
Director Cynthia Nekvasil
Cynthia Nekvasil is the founder of Entertainment Revue, and served as its artistic director and choreographer for 26 years until retiring in 2015.
Cynthia was a sophomore studying political science at the University of Tampa when she was offered a position as an “after school” music instructor at a small local elementary school. That opportunity led to a summer music camp, which she directed, and Entertainment Revue was born in 1989.
During those final years in college, Cynthia developed a presence in the community by becoming active in the Tampa Chamber of Commerce, the Tampa Visitors Association, and successfully secured a corporate sponsorship from the Pepin Distributing Company.
Entertainment Revue became a well-known group in the Tampa Bay area and began building a repertoire to fulfill the demands of their new corporate clients. In 1992, Cynthia formed a non-profit organization and set up an educational scholarship fund. Cynthia’s intention was to provide “need-based” tuition grants, as well as establish a college scholarship fund for cast members. To date, Entertainment Revue has awarded over $500,000 in educational scholarships, which have been paid out to girls in universities all over the country.
Director / Musical Arranger / Composer Tony Bruno
For the last 12 years, Tony has worked with Rihanna, Enrique Iglesias, K’naan, Karmin, Delta Goodrem to name a few. Tony is responsible for all facets of live shows, awards shows and TV shows, working closely with the artist, Audio and Visual people as a team. “We try never to repeat ourselves on TV shows. Its important, especially with YouTube out there. You’re basically giving your audience a small collection of videos.”
His TV credits include The Grammys, Americas Got Talent, La Voz Kids, X-Factor, the AMAs, Jay Leno, Top Of The Pops, MTV Music Awards and TRL, and Wetten Das, and countless others. Tony has written and produced songs for top artists including Mandy Moore, Donna Summer, INXS, Colin Hay and Enrique Iglesias. His song Daylight in Your Eyes for German artists No Angels was the 2nd best selling German single of all time.
Choreographer Grady Bowman
Grady’s work has been seen across many different genres including Broadway, off-Broadway, television, circus, dance companies & numerous universities. Most recently, he was nominated for a Helen Hayes award for his choreography of Singin’ in the Rain at the Olney Theatre Center (DC).
Grady has also created 4 original dance pieces commissioned by NC School of the Arts. Associate Director credits include Big Apple Circus (Lincoln Center), A Night with Janis Joplin (Regional Tour), and The Great American Mousical (Goodspeed Opera House; Dir. Julie Andrews). Associate Choreographer credits include Dogfight (Off-Bway; Choreo. Chris Gattelli), In Your Arms (The Old Globe/NY Stage & Film), and Top Hat (NY developmental lab).
In his previous life as a performer, Grady was in the original Broadway companies of Billy Elliot, South Pacific (2008 Lincoln Center revival), Honeymoon in Vegas, Wonderland, and The Pirate Queen. He toured internationally with Fosse and Pilobolus Dance Theatre and also appeared in the films Forrest Gump and The Last Five Years.
