Director
Keith Bilderbeck
Keith Bilderbeck was a member of the Academy Award-winning sound design team for "U-571" about a German submarine in World War II. He won an Emmy Award for his work on "Star Trek: The Next Generation" and a Golden Reel Award for HBO's "Vietnam War Story." Other sound effects credits include the movies "The Blind Side," "Dolphin Tale," "The Santa Clause" and "Ferngully: The Last Rainforest.”
"The Firebird," Keith's musical adventure audio recording based on a Slavic fairy tale, won the Gold Award from the National Association of Parenting Publications (NAPPA) and the Award of Excellence from the Film Advisory Board. He has received excellent reviews for "The Fountain of Youth" and "The Firebird" from publications such as Booklist, Publishers Weekly, and The School Library Journal.
“The Firebird” animated film marks Keith’s directorial debut.
"When my son James was 4-years-old he craved scary stories. We had books with collections of tales from various countries. The Slavic fairy tales had the scariest, most fascinating characters like Baba Yaga the Witch who flies through the sky in her mortar and the shape-shifting Gray Wolf. I think these ancient stories give us a special window into the world of our ancestors, fraught with danger and the wonders of nature. The ancients valued daring and persistence.
The Firebird is a tale of cleverness, bravery, and magic that I hope inspires children to strive to overcome obstacles and pursue their dreams.
Pictured with me are my wife, Bianca and my second son, Theo 3-years-old."
Penny Wiggins -
Voice of the Firebird,
the Queen of Dawn
and Baba Yaga the Witch
Show-stopping magic assistant and zany foil to The Amazing Johnathan for the past nine years, is in actuality, a skilled comedienne with extensive experience in the theatre arts.
A native of the Virgin Islands and a longtime resident of Los Angeles, her credits include appearances on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” Comedy Central’s “Premium Blend,” Showtime’s “Rude Awakening,” “The Jenny Jones Show” and “Evening at the Improv” on A&E.
Jeff Bergquist -
Voice of the Gray Wolf
In addition to acting in films and in leading stage roles throughout the U.S., Mr. Bergquist is a published and produced playwright; prize-winning poet; lyricist; novelist; multi-optioned screenwriter; producer of indie films, theater, and video; and occasional opera singer.
