Produced by Kokandy Productions

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Kokandy Productions is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. By making a tax-deductible gift to Kokandy Productions, you are assisting the advancement of musical theater in Chicago.

Thursday, April 3, 2025 at 7:30pm

BEND TOWARD
THE LIGHT

Music by
Sarah Slipp

Book and Lyrics by
Bryce Palmer

Directed by Maryanne Boaz
Music Directed by Micky York
Orchestrations by Paige Menneci
and Sarah Slipp

CAST

Aaron Pierce, Asher
Alivia Quattrocki, Willow

Stone TeSelle, Stage Directions

BAND

Micky York, Piano
Bob Potsic, Guitar
Maddi Vogel, Drums

 

Friday, April 4 at 7:30pm

MAN OF THE PEOPLE:
THE TRIALS OF
HUEY LONG

Book, Music, and Lyrics by
Wyatt Andrew Brownell 

Directed by Andrew Lund
Music Directed by Chuck Larson

CAST

Wyatt Brownell, HUEY LONG
Julie Peterson, ROSE McCONNELL
Michael Penick, EARL LONG
Jodi Gage, ALICE GROSJEAN
Gavin Rhys, MASON SPENCER
Alicia Berneche, ENSEMBLE
Stephanie Stockstill , ENSEMBLE
Macee Maddox, ENSEMBLE
Devon Desmond, ENSEMBLE
Neill Kelly, ENSEMBLE
Michael David Arnold, ENSEMBLE

BAND

Bob Potsic, Guitar
Jade Throneberry, Guitar/Mandolin
Chuck Larson, Piano 

 

Saturday, April 5 at 2:30pm

QUEEN BEA

Book, Music & Lyrics by
Scott Evan Davis

Book, Music & Lyrics by
Jason Marks

Directed by Jamal Howard
Music Directed by Micky York
Orchestrations & Accompaniment
Tracks by Jason Marks

CAST

Cameron Cai, Worker Bee, Drone Bee 2, Royal Attendant 1, and Others
Abbey Demorrow, Charlene, Worker Bee, and Others
Niki-Charisse Franco, Melody Mantis, Nectar Mixologist, and Others
Ismael Garcia, Franklin, Drone Bee 3, and Others
Beck Hokanson, Bentley
Bryson Howard, Worker Bee, Drone Bee 1, and Royal Attendant 2
Halli Morgan, Lily
Caleigh Pan-Kita, Beatrice
Catherine Rodriguez O’Connor, Poppy, Worker Bee, and Others
Britain Gebhardt, The Royal Queen

Sophia Hines, Stage Directions

The writers of Queen Bea wish to thank: Samuel Perlman for Music Prep.

 

Saturday, April 5 at 7:30pm

THE MUSES

Book, Music, and Lyrics by
Liam P. Mulligan

Directed by Becca Holloway
Music Directed by Nick Sula

CAST

Catilin Cerza, The Muses
Tommy Thurston, William Albright

Ashlyn Quintus, Stage Directions

BAND

Nick Sula, Piano
Bob Potsic, Guitar
Maddi Vogel, Drums

 

Sunday, April 6 at 2:30pm

BIG WIG

Book and Lyrics by
Jonathan Keebler

Music by
Ryan Korell

Directed by Will Karls
Music Directed by Nick Sula

CAST

Joel Arreola, Ben
Mai Hartwich, B.B.’s Wig
Justin Grey McPike, Umbrella Shade
Halee Myers, Shade’s Wig
Neill Kelly, Fair
Nafia Hunter, Little Girl

Ashlyn Quintus, Stage Directions

BAND

Nick Sula, Piano
Bob Potsic, Guitar
Maddi Vogel, Drums

 

WRITER BIOS

SARAH SLIPP (Music, Bend Toward the Light)

Sarah Slipp is a composer, flautist, orchestrator, and music teacher from New Brunswick, Canada. She holds a Bachelor of Music in Flute Performance from Acadia University and studied Graduate Musical Theatre Writing at NYU Tisch. Sarah is passionate about using music as a dramatic language to help deepen an audience’s experience of a story. Instagram: @sarah_slipp. Website: www.sarahslipp.ca

BRYCE PALMER (Book & Lyrics, Bend Toward the Light)

Bryce Palmer is a bookwriter, composer, and lyricist. He studied Theatre & Music at Vanderbilt University, where he finished in the top 100% of his class and graduated Sicut Vix (“just barely”). MFA: NYU. He is a proud member of the BMI Lehman Engel Advanced Songwriting Workshop and The Dramatists Guild. Instagram: @bryceplmr

WYATT ANDREW BROWNELL (Book, Music, and Lyrics, Man of the People)

Wyatt Andrew Brownell is an actor, musician, songwriter and playwright based in Lubbock, TX. He began writing songs at fifteen, but first ventured into writing for the theatre during his senior year at West Texas A&M University with the one act piece BFA Project: The Musical! Since graduation Wyatt has continued to work as both an actor and a writer. Man of the People is his first full-length work. Instagram/TikTok: @GeauxWyatt

SCOTT EVAN DAVIS (Book, Music, & Lyrics, Queen Bea)

Scott Evan Davis is a multi-award-winning NYC-based composer, lyricist, vocal coach, musical director and social media personality. His musical Indigo premiered in 2023 and will play London’s Curve Theatre in May 2025. Named New Yorker of the Week for his work with autistic artists, and his songs have been performed worldwide. Instagram/Facebook/TikTok: @scottevandavis

JASON MARKS (Book, Music, & Lyrics, Queen Bea)

Jason Marks is a Richmond, Virginia-based award-winning actor, singer, composer, and music director. He has performed on regional stages all over the United States, and his original works for young audiences have toured with Virginia Repertory Theatre, and been seen by thousands of school children across the nation. Instagram: @jasonmarks80 Show Instagram: @queenbeamusical

LIAM P. MULLIGAN (Book, Music, & Lyrics, The Muses)

Liam P. Mulligan is a composer, writer, and music director who studied at Moravian College and Carnegie Mellon University. He has written musical and dramatic works for stage, screen, and concert hall. Mulligan regularly serves as arranger, music director, and conductor for theatrical productions and new musical workshops in Pennsylvania, New England, and New York City. Website: www.liampmulligan.com

JONATHAN KEEBLER (Book & Lyrics, Big Wig)

Jonathan Keebler is an NYC-based lyricist and bookwriter. Notable works include A Most Average Musical, Gay Card, and Meet and Run. His work is licensed by MTI and Uproar Theatrics. He is a member of the Theatre Now Writers Lab and the Dramatist Guild. Music available on streaming. 

RYAN KORELL (Music, Big Wig)

Ryan Korell is an award-winning composer, arranger, and orchestrator whose work has been featured globally. Credits include Gay Card, Meet and Run, Love in NY, and The Bridges of Madison County (Broadway). He is an alumnus of Vanderbilt University and NYU Tisch. Find his music on any streaming platform.

CMTF STAFF

Scot Kokandy, Kokandy Executive Producer
Derek Van Barham, Kokandy Producing Artistic Director
Nicholas Reinhart, Festival Producer
Nick Sula, Festival Resident Music Supervisor
Kendyl Meyer, Production Stage Manager
Shane Roberie, Festival Casting Director
Jackson Mikkelsen, Lighting Designer
Isaac Mandel, Sound Designer & Sound Engineer

2025 CMTF READING & SELECTION GROUP

Andrew Milliken (Pianist, Producer, Electronic Composer), Andrew Lund (Director, Actor, Writer), Ariana Miles (Pianist, Composer, Arranger), Brittney Brown (Actor, Director, Casting Director), Brennan Urbi (Director, Actor), Britain Gebhardt (Actor), Derek Van Barham (Kokandy Artistic Director), Eric Matthew Richardson (Writer, Composer, CMTF Alum ’24 – ei hytte (the cabin): an a cappella musical), Erik Kaiko (Producer, CMTF Alum ’24 – The Brass Teapot), Frankie Leo Bennett (Actor, Director, Writer, Producer), Halli Morgan (Actor, Marketing Director), Heidi Joosten (Music Director, Orchestrator, Music Supervisor), Isabella Isherwood (Music Director, Actor), Neill Kelly (Actor), Kelan M. Smith (Actor, Composer/Lyricist, CMTF Alum ’24 – Out of Focus), Larry Little (Producer), Leo Batutis (Director), Maryanne Boaz (Playwright, Composer, Director, CMTF Alum ’24 – Jenny; A New Musical), Micky York (Music Director), Micah Kronlokken (Actor, Educator, Writer), Noah Watkins (Director), Christopher Pazdernik (Director, Producer), Quinn Rigg (Actor, Writer, Musician, CMTF Alum ’24 – Out of Focus), Nicholas Reinhart (Producer, Production Manager), Ryan Stajmiger (Actor, Director), Stephanie Stockstill (Actor, Casting Associate), Tyler Anthony Smith (Actor, Writer, Mother), Will Karls (Actor, Director, Writer)

KOKANDY STAFF

Derek Van Barham, Producing Artistic Director
Adrian Abel Azevedo, Leda Hoffmann, Artistic Associates
Scot Kokandy, Executive Producer
Ben Hinc, Technical Consultant
David Rosenberg, Public Relations
Jeff Meyer, Graphic Designer

Board of Directors: Preston Cropp, Danielle Sparklin, Scot T. Kokandy, Katie Svaicer 

Kokandy Productions was founded in 2012 by Allison Hendrix, John Glover, and Scot Kokandy. 

NEXT UP THIS SEASON

DONORS

Allison Hendrix
Ana DeJesus
Angela Pasyk
Babs Maltenfort
Barbara McBlain
Bob & Pat Kokandy
Brenda Didier
Brittney Brown
Bruce & Nancy Stolman
Cole Stolman
Corky Bellile & Jim DeNuccio
Court Theater
Craig Leslie
Dan Cohn
Daniel & Courtney Markovich
Deb Milne
Debbie & Phil Brown
Dell & Susan Bellile
Derrick Everett
Don & Ann Bellile
Eddie Castellanos
Elizabeth Seff
Elizabeth Zilis
Ernie Lopez
Fran & Chuck Licht
Frank Meccia
Gitta Jacobs

 Hubbard Street
Jack Piliponis
James Johnson
James Schulman
Jayson Van Deel
Jean Klingenstein
Jeff & Amy Losh
Jeremy Wechsler
Jerry Miller
Joanne Leslie
Jodeen Benjamin
John D. Glover
Jonathan Schwart
Katherine Smith
Katie Jane
Kenn & Peggy Sinko
La Voute Bistro & Bar
Lance Wolfe
Laura Reali
Laura Spearman
Lauren Taslitz
L.C. Bernadine
Lettuce Entertain You
Liz Norton
Marian & Stan Kaderbek
Marilyn E. Barrett
Marnie Warner
Martin Till
Matthew Huston
Matthew Johnston

Mel Katz
Michael Maltenfort
Nancy Woodruff
Natalie Swinnea
Peter Janssen
Phil & Karen Kokandy
Phillip Joseph
Rochelle Hochman
Robert Ollis
Sandra Boves
Scot T. Kokandy
Seymour Zitomersky
Steep Theater
Stephen Stanko
Susan Haimes
Susan Wishnick & Allen Steinberg
Swasti Shah
The Cottage on Dixie
The Second City
Thomas & Donna Ray
Tilly Wilhoite
Timothy Comar
Timothy Ledna
Tom & Jan Kokandy
Victor Giannini
William Szany
Youth Guidance
Zach’s Metalz / Zach Larks
David Ottoman
Linda Bosy
Allan Waite
Martin Dybel
Theodore Krakowski
Charles Wilson
Keith Schnabel
Kenneth Meyer
Patricia & Ed Blumen
Deborah Granite

 

Matching gifts received from: Caterpillar Foundation, PNC Bank, The Saints

This program is partially supported by grants from: 

SPECIAL THANKS

Keith Ryan, Lela Headd Dyrkacz and Zygmunt Dyrkacz of the Chopin Theatre, David Rosenberg