Carter Norton - Mrs. Norton is the Founder and President of the Magical Music for Life Foundation. A graduate of Trinity College with BS in biology and a Post-Graduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania in Physical Therapy, she brings to Magical Music a background in medicine, business, child development and music. She worked as an Account Executive for Merrill Lynch in Philadelphia and London and spent several years working with handicapped and critically ill children as a physical therapist in Philadelphia. While living in London, Mrs. Norton founded and musically directed a women's a cappella group that performed in many pediatric hospitals. In Tokyo, she composed numerous songs for the children of the American School and organized the instrumental and recording teams to produce these recordings.

In 1999, Mrs. Norton founded the Magical Music for Life Foundation, headquartered in New Canaan, CT, to use music to better the lives of children. The Foundation's first production was The Adventures of Zak. In collaboration with a music therapist, Mrs. Norton wrote the music and lyrics for the Zak concept CD of songs for children. She then formed the creative and business teams that adapted the CD to a fully produced stage show that has entertained tens of thousands of parents and children across the United States. Her lifelong love and study of music and composition, coupled with the day to day interaction with her own five children has produced many songs, poems and ideas to help children learn, find reassurance and confidence through music.

Don Rickenback - Mr. Rickenback, Artistic Director of the Magical Music for Life Foundation, is a key member of the creative team that created the stage productions and composed the music of The Adventures of Zak and Russell, the Hermit Crab. He also directed and musical directed both shows. Mr. Rickenback has enjoyed over thirty-five years experience as director, musical director and performer in Fairfield County, CT schools, churches and community theatres. He has worked professionally directing and musical directing for CT's Renaissance Players and the Actor's Theatre and Island Stage theatre companies of Nantucket, MA.

With a Bachelor of Music degree in Voice/Music Education from Ithaca College and an MA in Educational Musical Theatre from NYU, Mr. Rickenback was a public school vocal music teacher for 20 years. In that capacity, he also directed, musical directed, and often wrote original songs for the annual spring musical, a tradition he started, which featured over 100 middle school students on stage each year.

As an actor, Mr. Rickenback's roles include two USO tours of Germany and Iceland (Don & Cynthia, a Ragtime Duo and as Paul Berthalet in Carnival), Fred Graham in Kiss Me Kate (Off-Off Broadway), Harold Hill in The Music Man, and Cole Porter in A Swell Party, a Musical Celebration of Cole Porter, (Long Wharf Theatre) for which he was nominated for the 1995 Outstanding Actor in a Musical Award by the CT Critics Circle.

Don Maitz, designer of the "Zak" (our foundation symbol) and "Russell" artwork, has produced imaginative paintings that have been widely published and enthusiastically received for over 25 years. His career began and continues with extensive book publishing and has expanded into other areas including exposure as the original and continuing artist of the Captain Morgan Spiced Rum character. He has twice won science fiction's Hugo award with nominations for that award for twenty years, has received a Silver Medal and Certificates of Merit from New York's Society of Illustrators, and ten Chesley awards from his peers in the Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Artists. His numerous projects also include his work as a conceptual artist on the Academy Award nominated feature film, Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius and collaborating on a new Tom Hanks animated movie. donmaitz@paravia.com

Beth Styles (Orchestral Arranger), is an award winning producer, musician, composer/arranger, and engineer, recognized for her work as a producer by EQ Magazine. A 20-year music veteran, she has produced a wide variety of projects that include R & B, Jazz, Folk, Rock, musical theater, original scores and full production CD's for singer/songwriters and has created scores for video/documentaries and many commercial projects such as the Mashentucket Pequot Indian Museum in CT, Logitech and the WNBA. She is also a music director for both churches and synagogues. Beth's latest Children's music CD, The Waggamuffins, The Amazing Singing Animal Troupe! is available around the world. As a professional keyboard player and singer, she has performed in some of the most prestigious venues throughout the U.S. and abroad including Radio City Music Hall, The L.A. Forum and The Georgiadome. The Songwriter Studio is the name of Beth's production studio, under the parent company - B. Styles Productions, Inc.

Kendall Klingbeil (Scenic Design/Painter) is an award-winning artist whose work is exhibited in art galleries across the country, and her clients include John Lennon, Richard Gere, Dr. Robin Cook, Lord and Lady Walton, Plum Tree Restaurant in New Canaan, and various other restaurants throughout the area. A native of Springfield, Ohio, Kendall graduated Cum Laude from Ohio University as a theatre major, and continued her performing and set designing in NYC. Her artistic talents led to her designing a line of children's furniture for FAO Schwartz and on to landscapes, seascapes, large abstracts, still lifes, murals and portraits of people and animals. The New York Times described her as an "energy painter whose works make people feel good." She is also an accomplished singer, tap dancer and cook.