RICK GORE, co-author of Nefertiti, spent most of his career as a journalist. After graduating from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism in 1968, he worked in the science department of the original Life Magazine from 1969 until it closed in 1973. In 1974, he joined National Geographic Magazine, producing nearly 60 articles and winning numerous journalism awards. He became the magazine’s science editor in 1992, but took an early retirement in 2001 to focus on Nefertiti. One recent Geographic article was a report titled Pharaohs of the Sun on the latest archaeological theories about Nefertiti, Akhenaten and King Tut—an article that helped inspire his rewrites.Gore was drawn into theater in 1988 by the death his brother, who had written Nefertiti’s original book and lyrics. He has focused on the extensive updating of the original musical through five regional productions. Rick Gore served for six years on the board of Washington, DC’s Woolly Mammoth Theater. He has been inspired continuously by his partner of 16 years, Peter Yockel, with whom he has developed a spiritual retreat in Ohio called New Zoar Farm. He is the father of two supportive and inspiring daughters, Katie and Sara.

David Spangler
Music, Book and Lyrics

DAVID SPANGLER, Nefertiti’s composer, has worked in theater, film and television as a composer, writer, director, performer and educator. He began work on Nefertiti in 1975 with Christopher Gore as workshop called Brothers. Following Chris’s death in 1988, he revived that collaboration with Chris’ brother Rick Gore, extensively rewriting the book and lyrics, as well as composing new songs. Spangler‘s extensive theatrical credits include The Magic Show, Seesaw and Elizabeth I on Broadway. He has written and/or directed for regional theater, with recent productions including Play it By Heart at the Village Theater in Seattle. He directed Chaplin, the Musical at The Shores Performing Arts Theater in Miami Shores, which won the 1994 Carbonell Award for Best New Work. Currently, he is Program Administrator/Creative Director of Nova Southeastern University’s Interdisciplinary Arts Masters Program in Davie, Florida. Spangler is the founder of the Lovewell Institute, a non-profit arts education methodology for creating new works in theater, music, dance, design and video. He is a graduate of Carnegie-Mellon University and was awarded his doctorate in Interdisciplinary Arts/Creative Process at Union Institute and University. Spangler is married to Martha Obrecht Spangler and has four children. 

Christopher Gore
Original Concept and Lyrics

CHRISTOPHER Gore, who wrote the original book and lyrics for Nefertiti, graduated from Northwestern University’s famed theatrical department in 1964 with dreams of becoming and actor. He went to New York City to pursue his destiny, but became increasingly interested in writing musicals. In 1967 his musical Mary, starring John Cullum and Inga Swenson, was the opening production at the Parker Playhouse in Fort Lauderdale. In 1972 Chris hit Broadway, collaborating with Hair composer Galt MacDermot on a science fiction fantasy called Via Galactica. Directed by Sir Peter Hall and starring Raul Julia and Irene Cara, the musical opened the new Uris Theater (now renamed the Gershwin Theater). He next turned to ancient history, and in 1977 Nefertiti, starring Andrea Marcovicci, Robert Lupone and Michael Nouri, opened in Chicago. Chris’s musical career shifted to Hollywood, where he won and Academy Award nomination for his screenplay for the movie Fame, which became a huge international hit and long-running television series. Chris continued writing screenplays, but eventually returned to his first love, musical theater, collaborating with composer Cy Coleman on a project called Atlantic City in the mid-1980s. Diagnosed with AIDS in 1987, Chris died in May of 1988.