The World's Cassette Library
Music by Mike Nappi Book & Lyrics by Mike Nappi, Sam Durant Hunter, and Max Sangerman
directed by Shannon Molly Flynn
music directed by Chris Gurr
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assistant director/dramaturg Erin Reynolds
stage manager Caroline Pastore*
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Cast
Joey Andy Christopher*
Brian Logan Farine*
Krysti Olivia Gjurich
Michael Cory Jeacoma*
Katie Sumi Yu*
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Mike Nappi (Music, Book, & Lyrics - he/him) is thrilled to be a part of Normal Ave’s NAPSeries! An NYC-based actor-musician, he is an emerging playwright and composer who is passionate about new play development. The World’s Cassette Library was a recent finalist for the Woodward/Newman Award at Constellation Stage and Screen. He is currently writing and developing another musical, Take Me Back To Yellowstone, which had its first reading this past spring. Theatre: Roundabout Theatre Company, Paper Mill Playhouse, Marriott Theatre, Goodspeed, Adirondack Theatre Festival, NAMT, Walnut Street Theatre, Rubicon Theatre Company, Bloomington Playwrights Project, Bucks County Playhouse, Alleyway Theatre, Nebraska Repertory, Seven Angels Theatre, Maples Repertory, 11th Hour Theatre Company, Gretna Theater, Fairfield Theatre Company. Mike recently performed in the Zumane Festival in Morocco with the Playing For Change Foundation, alongside musicians from around the world. Shoutout to Sangerman, Sammy, and Shannon. It all started with a Currrs and a dream. For Joey, Krysti, and Brian; the architects of the World’s Cassette Library.
Sam Durant Hunter (Book & Lyrics - he/she/they) A native Vermonter, Sam has lived in New York City for over a decade. They’ve had the pleasure of working on countless new musicals over the years as a performer but never exactly saw themselves on this side of the table. When Covid hit New York in March 2020, Sam was forced to turn their creative energy inward. An idea for a musical pitched just two weeks earlier by Mike Nappi and Max Sangerman, loosely based on Nappi’s life, suddenly became the center of our focus. The World’s Cassette Library was born about six months later. We couldn’t be more excited for the opportunity to (finally!) share this piece publicly. Thank you to Shannon and everyone at Normal Ave for seeing through to the heart of our little show. “All aboard!”
Max Sangerman (Book & Lyrics - he/him) is an Indiana native, residing in Queens, New York. He is a multi-instrumentalist who believes in the astronomic magic and immense, transformative power of music and theater. He also loves white cheddar cheese itz. Broadway: A Beautiful Noise. Off Broadway: Smokey Joe’s Cafe, Blue Man Group. Other credits: Footloose (Kennedy Center), Airness (Geva Theatre), BEAU (ATF), The 12 (Denver Center) Film: BEAU, Lights on the Radio Tower. Much love and eternal gratitude to DGRW, his family, friends, and his dog Leo.
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Shannon Molly Flynn (director - she/they) seeks to find our common humanity through specificity. They’re often drawn to stories that center subsets of society that are familiar yet misunderstood. She always leads with an inquisitive mind and a whimsical heart—sometimes the best way to a person’s brain is through their funny bone! Previous credits include: Luna and the Starbodies (Joe’s Pub/Powerhouse Theatre), When the Rain Stops Falling (Lenfest Center for the Arts), Cockroaches (Breaking and Entering Theatre Company), Vile Isle (Lenfest Center for the Arts.)
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Chris Gurr (Music Director - he/him) Currently on Back to the Future! Recently: Between the Lines, the Prom, Bandstand, Mean Girls.
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Erin Reynolds (assistant director/dramaturg - she/her) is a NYC-based director and theatre maker. Erin’s mission is to make space and collaborate with artists to create an active dialogue between the story and the audience. She has worked with playwrights such as Chloé Hayat, Sarah Alice Shull, Nora Daly, Jasen Miyamoto and Jason Sill, and Nina Roy. Assistant director credits include Normal Ave's Of the Woman Became Sin and Through Her We All Die by Lily Houghton (dir. Kylie Brown). She most recently wrapped the short film "I Cut Myself Shaving" and is currently working on/directing a one person show with her main collaborator Sarah Alice Shull (SAS) about Catholicism and how it shaped SAS's life.
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Caroline Pastore (stage manager - she/her) is a NYC based stage manager who's originally from Vermont. Since graduating from SUNY Purchase, she's been seen working at The Cape Playhouse as a Production Stage Manager and Assistant Stage Manager, at Minetta Lane Theatre most recently as an Associate Production Manager, and touring the country with Parable of the Sower as the Assistant Stage Manager. Huge thank you to Shannon Molly Flynn for bringing her on board and Sam, Nappi, and Max for sharing this story.
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Andy Christopher (Joey- he/him) Growing up in Texas, I fell in love with theater at age 4 when the living room couch served as the barricade for spirited renditions of Les Miserables with my older brother. Years later, in the midst of a 5-year medical career as an EMT and pre-med student, I auditioned for The Buddy Holly Story in Lubbock, TX. I was cast in the title role alongside the British stars from the West End production. I had a little under 3 months to learn the guitar and begin rehearsals. That was it - I was hooked. That was 13 years ago. I love the little families every single theater project creates - especially new works such as The World’s Cassette Library! I love how those families overlap through the years, and most of all, I love introducing my two daughters, Haven & Mercy, into those families. This performance is dedicated to their sisterhood!
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Logan Farine (Brian - he/him) couldn't be more excited to be a part of NAPSeries and The World's Cassette Library! He spends his free time disc golfing and auditioning for productions of HAIR. Most Memorable Cassette: Van Halen's 1984. Recently you may have seen him in the 20th anniversary international tour of RENT as Roger Davis, or at Pittsburgh CLO in the ensemble of Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812. Other credits include Jack Kelly in Newsies, Ren McCormack in Footloose, and Jerry Allison in Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story. Thank you to Shannon Molly Flynn, Max Sangerman, Sam Durant Hunter, and Mike Nappi for having me on the team! Another special thanks to family, friends, and teachers that have helped along the way! ^..^meow?
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Olivia Gjurich (Krysti - she/her) can't explain how excited she is to be a part of this series and, in particular, World's Cassette. She's spooked audiences in Fiddler on the Roof, danced her way around An American in Paris, and screlted to the Lord in Sister Act, but World's Cassette Library takes the cake. The whole dessert table, really. To be trusted to bring this story to life, with people she loves, is an honor and... ALL ABOARD!
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Cory Jeacoma (Michael - he/him) is an actor and musician who has been seen on screen and stage starring in shows such a as Ghost on Starz as well as Jersey Boys and Beautiful on Broadway. Cory also gets much of his joy as a singer-songwriter performing his original music at clubs throughout the city. You can stream some of his older tunes while he prepares his newer catalogue anywhere that you find your music. Major thanks and love to the incredible World’s Cassette team for creating such an original heart piece.
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Sumi Yu (Katie - she/her) is thrilled to be here making awesome art with awesome human beings! Originally from Tokyo, Japan, Sumi has been bopping around in the US for the last decade or so performing and traveling all over the country. On TV she plays a badass wrestler named Nozomi in a show called Heels on STARZ. Her favorite stage credits are the ones where she gets to break racial stereotypes, like when she played Audrey in Little Shop and Laurey in Oklahoma! She made her Lincoln Center Theater debut right before the panini in the world premiere of Greater Clements written by Sam Hunter, who also wrote the film The Whale (which Sumi loved even though it was a really sad movie). In 2022, Sumi was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the St. Louis Theatre Circle Awards for her role as Hamida in House of Joy, and now falsely believes she is a famous superstar in the state of Missouri. Sumi is a Libra to a tee, loves matcha lattes, adores her evil cat Kona, and would describe her perfect day as a day spent on the couch doing absolutely nothing. Follow along on her journeys: @sumireyu www.sumiyu.com
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