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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