Bill Toscano and Kevin Smith started toying with the idea for Bear Beach in the summer of 2006 on a beach in Rehoboth, DE, while rehearsing one of Kevin’s original Rock Operas, which was set to be performed that night.   That day that anchors this story:  “One day on a beach prepping for a concert in a sandcastle venue called “Woof-Trap …”  The musical sprang to life from that moment.

• Save the Dates: July 11, 12, 18, 23 & 26 •

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• • • Bill Toscano (Libretto, Director, Co-producer) 

Bill is a playwright, director, actor, singer and some other stuff.  His favorite works as an author include "Surviving BillyBoy" "Hystrionyx" and the sit-com "Willy Wilde."  He's also written many children's theater works, which have been enjoyed live by thousands of children include:

"In the Nick of Time" written with Tom Dougherty, of Ringling Brothers fame, and composer Sid Cherry of "The Molly Maguires." "Davy Crockett:Tall Tales and Short Stories" which has played in both New York and Maryland. Bill's directorial successes include some twenty-five productions including "A Funny Thing Happened on the way to the Forum," "Sly Fox"  "Twelfth Night," "Bent," "The Farndale Avenue… Christmas Carol," "Mambo Mouth," "I Hate Hamlet," and "City of Angels." His acting roles range from Gods and Kings to Pirates and Lions with a specialty in Northern Italian Renaissance men which included Galileo in The Discovery Channel's Great Books Series, Leonardo da Vinci and Christopher Columbus in educational videos.

 Bill Toscano

Kevin's Dad listened to record albums of crooners, John Denver and Broadway. Mom loved her Englebert Humperdink. Older brother and sisters listen to 8-tracks of Zeppelin, Styx, The Who, Herman's Hermits, and Bowie. Lots of different music poured in from an

early age. After seeing "West Side Story" at a local Junior high School, he was hooked on Bernstein. That is until a friend down the alley brought around Kiss Alive II. The battle between Broadway and Rock and Roll has been raging in Kevin's head since way back in 1978. Along this journey are many, many musical productions as both actor and director, shows like: Pippin, West Side Story, Chicago, and even a few Oklahoma's throughout the years. It was after getting an electric guitar just like his rock idol Paul Stanley, Kevin began creating original Rock Musicals and Operas. Six of these shows have been staged with the most recent being the Rock Opera 'A Smith From a Steel Town' in the summer of 2006. Bear Beach is based "loosely" on the rehearsal process for 'Steel Town' and began being written  e-mails back and forth from Kevin and Bill.  When not writing for the stage Kevin enjoys playing in bands and performing original music. Currently there is a recording of new originals in the works.

 Kevin Smith