Chuck (or Chuckie or Charlie) is a musical composer and arranger, recording artist, sound engineer, actor, and director. He grew up thinking that singing before, during and after meals was something that all families did. Pop, his father Clint, was a country - western, and bluegrass picker while his mother, Mary was a pop jazz singer. Chuck began singing in children’s choirs at age 8 which coincided with his first acting appearance on stage. He formed his first band in Wilton, Connecticut when he was twelve and accompanied his sister Suzie doing folk music.

 

Chuck became serious in theatre while in high school and college when his family moved back to the San Francisco Bay Area. He managed to cultivate a real love for the theatre while continuing his musical training.

But it has been music that has always been the focal point of Chuck’s life. A music major in college, studying opera for five years under the tutelage of Virginia Blair, and Music/Recording Industry at S.F. State gave Chuck a solid knowledge he craved.

 

Realizing that he was not cut out for opera, Chuck opted for something else. He made the road his home for the next eight years traveling mainly west of the Mississippi with three bands. Tiring of the constant travel, he and two lifelong friends, songwriters Bill Jason and Jim Thompson, formed Avenue performing in the San Francisco area with percussionist Tim Taylor.

 

Chill Studio became Chuck's lifelong dream of having a recording studio in 1989. With longtime friends Bill Jason and Jim Thompson, the three composed and recorded for ten years as well as archiving the many hours of recordings from their years of playing music together.

In 2000, Chuck embarked on writing and composing a musical. The completion of this musical, "Friends Till the End", took seven years.  Another musical is in the works. During this period, Chill Records was born. Chuck has recorded, archived, and/or produced 28 albums and he has performed on numerous other recording projects as a studio musician. 

 

The last decade has brought more challenges for Chuck.  He sang with the John Muir Chorus for 9 years. Started performing with a folk/jazz trio called SideStreet with Sue Kiel and Sydney Stull. And maybe his most rewarding event was performing in a stage musical with his three eldest grandchildren, Abby, Eli and Chris.

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In the Summer of 2023, Chuck had his directoial debut directing The Drowsy Chaperone. The success of the show was monumental as he took the Broadway World awards for the San Francisco Bay Area for Best Direction of a Musical and Best Musical. The Drowsy  Chaperone also took Best Choreography (Shelly McDowell), Best Costumes (Vikke Phalen and Linda Pauline), and Favorite Theatre Ensemble.

 

Chuck is presently Technical Director with Ghostlight Theatre Ensemble homed in Brentwood, California

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Bands: (not a complete list)

• The Subterranean 5 - Connecticut 1965 

• Chapter V - Walnut Creek, CA 1966

• Wildlife Refuge - Walnut Creek, CA 1967 - 1970

• Roadapple - Walnut Creek, CA 1970-1972

• Appaloosa - San Francisco Bay Area 1972 -1973

• Lyndale Special  - West Coast 1973 - 1974

• Possum Road - Minneapolis 1974 - 1975

• Sutter’s Mill - Minneapolis 1975

• Foxfire - Minneapolis 1975-1978

• Rhythm on the Range - San Francisco Bay Area 1980 -1983

• Avenue - San Francisco Bay Area 1984 - 2000

• Cruise Control (West Coast)  2015

• Sourdough Boys - San Francisco Bay Area 2012 - 2016

• SideStreet -  San Francisco Bay Area 2017-2022

 
Discography: (archived at Chill Studio)

• Brigadoon 1969

• Acalanes District Honor Choir 1969

• Short Bloom 1971 - Wildlife Refuge

• Appaloosa 1973 -
  Appaloosa

• Holiday Inn 1974 - Lyndale Special

• The Mystic Possum 1975 - Possum Road

• KBSB Radio Presents 1975 - Possum Road

• Sutter’s Mill 1976 - Sutter’s Mill

• Live at the Bronco 1977 - Foxfire

• Young Life 1983 - Grace Band

• The Myth 1985 - Avenue

• Party in the Moonlight 1987 - Avenue

• Oddities 1988 - Chuck Phalen

• From the Vaults 1990 - Avenue

 

Discography: (Chill Records produced)

• Chuck Phalen 2000 - Chuck Phalen

• Friends Till the End 2007 - Chill Studio Singers & Orchestra

• A Very Merry Little Christmas Charles 2008 - Chuck Phalen

• Making It Up As I Go Along 2010 - Isahrai Azaria with Charlie Phalen

• In The Beginning There Was Music: Songs of My Father 2010 - Chuck Phalen

• var Winter and Spring Concerts 2012-2017 - John Muir Chorus, Sandra Peter Director

• It’s A Chill Christmas 2012- Chuck Phalen w/ the Chill Studio Singers & Orchestra

• Just Dreamin’ 2015 - Chuck Phalen

• Carols For a Yuletide 2016 - Sydney Stull & Chuck Phalen

• CD Release Party at the Berkeley Arthouse & Cultural Center 2017 - Josh Harris, Bill Jason, Jim Thompson, Lloyd Ferris, Chuck Phalen, Sydney Stull, Sue Kiel

• Appaloosa 43 Year Reunion Show at the Berkeley Arthouse & Cultural Center 2017 - Appaloosa

• Adrienne 2017 - Adrienne Tann Stark

• All On a Winter’s Night 2018 - Sydney Stull & Chuck Phalen w/ Sue Kiel

• Back On The Street Again 2021 - SideStreet (Sydney Stull, Chuck Phalen, Sue Kiel)

 
Acting Credits:

• The Troll - The Three Billy Goats Gruff 1961

• Joseph - Follow That Star 1964

• Freddy Eynsford Hill - Pygmalion 1968

• John Mayhew - Witness for the Prosecution 1968

• Morgan Evans - The Corn is Green 1968

• Charlie Dalrymple - Brigadoon 1968

• Cleant - The Miser 1969

• Curly - Oklahoma 1969

• Haemon - Antigone 1970

• Sky Masterson - Guys and Dolls 1970

• IF (Improvisational Family) under the direction of Doug Dildine. 1970-1973

• Greylag/Turkey - HONK! 2019

• Stubby Nuggets - Misdeeds at Mistletoe Mine 2019

• Juror #9 - 12 Angry Jurors 2020

• Prof. Bartlett - 39 Steps 2021

• Arvide - Guys and Dolls 2022

• Michel - Murder on the Orient Express 2022

• Mr. Gibbs - Arsenic and Old Lace 2024

• Caldwell B. Cladwell - Urinetown the Musical 2025

Directing Credits:

• The Lady and the Lawyer 2022

• Guys and Dolls asst director 2022

• The Drowsy Chaperone 2023

• A Blast From The Past 2024
   

Sound Engineer and Design:

• Live sound for bands

• Chill Studio

• The Dixie Swim Club - Ghostlight Theatre Ensemble

• Company - Ghostlight Theatre Ensemble, Pittsburg Community Theatre, Pinole Community Players combine production

• A Chorus Line - Pinole Community Players

• The Addams Family - Pittsburg Theatre Company

• Clybourne Park - Pittsburg Theatre Company

• The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged - Ghostlight Theatre Ensemble & Pittsburg Theatre Company

• The Drowsy Chaperone - Ghostlight Theatre Ensemble

• Young Frankenstein - Pittsburg Theatre Company

• Spamalot - Ghostlight Theatre Ensemble

• You Can't Take it With You - Ghostlight Theatre Ensemble

• Festival 10 - Ghostlight Theater Ensemble

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Awards and Nominations:

• BroadwayWorld SF/Bay Area Direction of a Musical - The Drowsy Chaperone 2023 - Ghostlight Theatre Ensemble

• BroadwayWorld SF/Bay Area Best Musical - The Drowsy Chaperone 2023 -Ghostlight Theatre Ensemble

• BroadwayWorld SF/Bay Area Best Sound Design (Runner up) - The Drowsy Chaperone 2023 -Ghostlight Theatre Ensemble

• BroadwayWorld SF/Bay Area Best Supporting Actor in a Play (Runner up) Murder on the Orient Express 2023

• BroadwayWorld SF/Bay Area Nominated Best Sound Design The Addams Family 2023 - Pittsburg Theatre Company

• BroadwayWorld SF/Bay Area Nominated Best Sound Design Clybourne Park 2023 -Pittsburg Theatre Company

• BroadwayWorld SF/Bay Area Nominated Best Sound Design Young Frankenstein 2023 Pittsburg Theatre Company

• Helen Dixon Award - The Ghosties  2024 - Ghostlight Theatre Ensemble