Michael “Bo” Attardi
michael@boandbuzzie.com

Award winning screenwriter and lyricist Michael Attardi was born in LONG BRANCH, NJ. He graduated with honors from MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY where he earned degrees in English and political science. Michael is no stranger to the musical stage. As a performer, he played the lead roles of Danny Zuko (GREASE), Tony (WEST SIDE STORY), Curley (OKLAHOMA), The Tinman (THE WIZ), Amos Hart (CHICAGO), Cinderella’s Prince (INTO THE WOODS), Jesus (GODSPELL) and J.Pierpont Finch in (HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS) to name a few. As a crewmember, he worked on (ANNIE), (PETER PAN), (THE KING AND I), (SWEENEY TODD), and (SOUTH PACIFIC). As a director, (BABY TALK), (OF MEN AND MICE) and (THE GHOST IN OUR HOUSE). Michael fronted and created a 16-piece big band for a three-year tour playing venues like (THE SUPER CLUB), (UNION SQUARE), (THE METROPLIS), (HYDE STREET), and (THE BITTER END) in New York. He was the winner of the HUBER AWARD® and the STEIN AWARD® for best new musical in college. Michael started his own recording label and produced a number of artists including TAIMANE who came out with her hit CD (DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH).

After taken a few courses at the DISNEY INSTITUTE ®, Michael was fascinated with the animation world. He continued to write musicals and has recorded seven screenplays with the WRITERS GUILD OF AMERICA and 192 copyrights with the LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. Michael produced one of his animation projects as a Broadway musical that premiered on April 1, 2005 to rave reviews. www.twintreasures.com. Even though Michael has an extensive experienced in the arts, it’s more fascinating to many that he was a professional athlete in the NFL. Michael was an ALL-STATE, ALL-COUNTY and ALL-SHORE football player in High School. He was elected to the LONG BRANCH HALL OF FAME in 2001. He was also honored to the 1987 ALL-AMERICAN TEAM, THE ECAC TEAM, and NCAA SPECIAL TEAM PLAYER OF THE YEAR and holds 7 school records in college. Michael had tryouts with the DALLAS COWBOYS®, TAMPA BAY BUCCANEER’S®, and NEW YORK JETS® then spent 3 years with the LOS ANGELES RAIDERS® as a place-kicker. Michael has recently joined BUZZIE PRODUCTIONS as a consultant and joined into partnership with the extremely talented Gentry Akens. Michael and Gentry are the masterminds behind the concept and development of Bo and Buzzie. www.boandbuzzie.com. Michael married Colleen “the love of his life” in 1999 and they share a beautiful two-year-old son Michael, Jr. They reside in Middletown, NJ. And they both lived happier ever after.

Gentry “Buzzie” Akens
gentry@boandbuzzie.com

Award winning creative executive Gentry Akens is a leader in the world of design for animation, theme park attractions, film & television sets, toys, gifts, parades, nightclubs, restaurants and more. He has lent his creative talents to the world's leading entertainment and consumer product companies including Walt Disney World, Universal Studios Florida, Hasbro, Inc., Mattel Toys, Hanna Barbera Studios, and Filmation Studios.

Drawing cartoon characters is his trademark and he began as far back as high school where he was the school cartoonist. Inspired by Charles Shultz and Walt Disney, Mr Akens handy character work appeared on the “Fat Albert” show, “He Man Masters of the Universe,” and many more popular Saturday morning cartoon programs. A dedicated father, he created a special comic panel called “Daddy-O,” for the National Fatherhood Initiative which appears on their website each month: www.fatherhood.org. You can see his other handy character designs at www.Tissie.com, and his latest contribution, a soon to be syndicated comic strip called “Bo and Buzzie,” in his exciting new collaboration with writer/producer Michael Attardi at www.boandbuzzie.com.

Mr. Akens was the Production Designer and Art Director for live shows and attractions at Disney and Universal theme parks, and popular television shows such as: The Disney Channel’s “Mickey Mouse Club”, Nickelodeon’s “Gullah Gullah Island” and “TAINA”; many national commercials spots including “Taco Bell”, “Ford Ranger” and “McDonalds.” He was the Sr. Creative Director for Universal Orlando’s CityWalk, where he gave creative vision to various venues on site, including the highly successful “Bob Marley’s” Nightclub/Restaurant and “The Groove” dance club.

Mr. Akens most recently served as Vice President and Head of Creative Development with Hasbro Inc.’s Property Group (HPG). He is now Creative Principal and the Executive Producer for “Buzzie Productions, LLC”, a Central Florida based entertainment company specializing in the creative development of story, design, and production for animation, television, film and live entertainment.


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