Ray Roderick (writer/director/choreographer) is thrilled to be back at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Applause Awards! Ray directed the London workshop of La Bamba! A New Dance Musical, and will direct the upcoming West End production and subsequent UK tour. He adapted the Broadway script for Chitty, Chitty, Bang, Bang for the 1st US national tour (director), UK tour and Australian tour. He wrote and directed 'S Wonderful! The New Gershwin Musical, which toured the US. He has recently written book and lyrics for Brooklyn’s Bridge, A New Musical, and directed the premiere production at Montclair State University. He was associate director of A Christmas Carol at Madison Square Garden for six years, where he was privileged to work with original director Mike Ockrent. He was also associate director for Susan Stroman's Broadway revival of The Music Man, and subsequently directed the successful three-year North American Tour. He co-wrote/directed/choreographed Irving Berlin's I Love a Piano three-year national tour of the US and Japan.

Ray was the founding artistic director of Tri-State Center for the Arts, where he remained at the helm for seven years. For The Denver Center of the Performing Arts, Ray has directed and choreographed First Date, The Last Five Years, The Taffetas, Five Course Love, and I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change! (Denver's longest running show). Ray begins his 24th year as creative director for the United States Tennis Association's US Open, where he writes and directs Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day television show for ABC, and creates on-court entertainment and ceremonies for ESPN.

As Broadway performer, Ray was seen in many shows, including Barnum, starring Jim Dale and Glenn Close, and originated roles in Grind, Cats, The Wind in the Willows, Crazy for You, and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum starring Nathan Lane and Whoopi Goldberg.