BringAbout Studio Residency
with NYU GMTWP and Tisch School of the Arts
PROJECT IN RESIDENCY: The Garden Bridge
Libretto by Jill Ohayon
Music by Andy Li
"We had an incredible experience with BringAbout. Watching each character move throughout the room gave us ideas on how to develop the characters further, both individually and in relation to each other. It was also helpful to track the moving pieces of the scene in real time, which is an especially useful exercise for a piece with a group protagonist. Getting to collaborate and play with artists who are open-minded and enthusiastic inspired us in ways that already have and will continue to inform our development of this piece significantly. We truly hope to have the opportunity to work with this organization again in the future!"
- Jill Ohayon & Andy Li
NYU Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program (2024 graduates)
"I feel very grateful to have been included in this process. I'll jump in and say it was a very fun, challenging (burpees), and eye-opening experience. I loved the emphasis on visual/physical storytelling and the creativity/playfulness that the BringAbout team brought to the material. Just the fact that it was off-book was a huge boon, and not one that we GMTWP folks get to experience often, if at all. I hope to see more of these residencies occur and would love to be involved however I can!"
- Alexander Ronnenburg
NYU Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program (2024 graduate)
BringAbout Residency Artists
Sharon Ahn, Music Director
@noremi.wav
Sharon Ahn is a NJ-based/NYC-adjacent (via the GWB) songwriter, composer, performer, keyboard instrumentalist (piano, carillon, organ), music tech enthusiast, and music director with a B.A. in Music from Yale University. Singer on occasion: formerly a member of the Whiffenpoofs. Fan of new and devised works, improvisation, open tunings, and the DIY ethos. Member of MUSE and Maestra.
Jessie Jo Aka, SHUFEN
@jessiejoaka
Jessie Jo Aka was just seven years old when her parents took her to see a youth theatre production of Mulan Jr. and she’s lived onstage ever since! Jessie Jo recently made her Off-Broadway debut, starring as Noel in the musical thriller An Axemas Story. Regional credits include Marie in The Scarlet Pimpernel (John W. Engeman Theater), Nicola in Kinky Boots (The Phoenix Theatre Company), and Young Ceci in the world premiere of ¡Americano! You can find her next in her hometown of Arizona, performing in Casey Likes’ production of Rent. She loves her family, friends, and the Wendy’s 4 for 4.
Denise Chan, BringAbout Assistant Director / Choreographer
@_denise_chan_
Denise Chan prides herself on being a versatile, dynamic dancer with a unique movement style pulling from all aspects of her diverse training. Born and raised in Vancouver, Canada, Denise started dancing at the age of 2 and trained extensively in all styles including ballet, contemporary, jazz, lyrical, hip hop, and musical theatre and participated in various competitions and conventions across North America as a student at Tri-City Dance Centre. She is also well-versed in many street styles like popping, locking, and hip hop, and has trained with teachers like AJ “Megaman" under the Gigabots crew and Team Canada Hip Hop. After high school, Denise was accepted into Peridance’s Certificate Program in the commercial track and graduated in June of 2022. There, she had the privilege working with professionals such as Yoshito Sakuraba, Bo Park, James Alonzo, Preston Mui, Tushrik Frederiks, Roya Carreras. Kendrick Samuel, Igal Peri, and Cebo Carr amongst many others.
Denise is currently a dancer with multiple companies in NYC including Akompany (dir. Kenichi Kasamatsu), Alma Collective (dirs. Kat Bark/Bianca Dam), Project TAG (dir. Hussein Smko), Sun Kim Dance Theatre (dir. Sun Kim), The Pocket Fuel Groovers (Dir. Nick Alselmo), and The Dynasties (dir. Preston Mui). She has performed works by choreographers such as Larkin Poyton and Buddha Stretch, and has been a dancer for many events such as Choreographer's Carnival, EEEEEATSCON, WestFest, and LayeRhythm held at iconic venues such as The NY Public Library, New Victory Dance Theatre, NYU Skirball, and Forest Hills Stadium.
Eric Elizaga, XINFAN
@ericelizaga
Eric Elizaga used to have a sales and marketing job in his hometown of Honolulu, Hawaii, but decided he needed something WAY more stable. So, he did the sensible thing and quit his job in order to move to New York and become an actor. Since that fateful day, Eric has acted in multiple films, commercials, theater productions, and TV shows. You can currently see him as a recurring guest star on the Steven Soderbergh directed limited series, Full Circle, streaming on Max.
Veronica Fiaoni, ROZA
@vernyverny
Veronica is originally from Toronto, Canada but was raised in Los Angeles, California. She discovered her passion for the arts at the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts (LACHSA), where she majored in Dance. Veronica went on to attend Montclair State University where she graduated with her BFA a full semester early in order to join the International Tour of West Side Story. Since then, she has continued to work both on Broadway and TV. Credits include: Broadway: Lempicka. Regional: Chicago (The Muny), Jerome Robbins’ Broadway (TUTS), Anne of Green Gables (Goodspeed). Tours: A Chorus Line; Beetlejuice; West Side Story. TV: “American Horror Stories,” “Law and Order,” and “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.”
Jennifer Jancuska, BringAbout Director / Choreographer
@jencuska
(she/her) New York based Director & Choreographer (The Old Globe, Berkeley Rep, The Public, City Center, Dallas Theatre Center, Goodspeed and more). Resident Choreographer (Broadway’s HAMILTON). Founding Artistic Director of BringAbout, a 501c3 nonprofit development and production company dedicated to developing dance as a narrative tool early in the process of writing new musicals and plays. Jennifer is known for producing the sold out bi-annual event BC BEAT, described by The New York Times as the place to “step into the spotlight and re-imagine the possibilities for dance in musical theater.” As an educator, Jennifer has been a master teacher and guest lecturer at theatre and dance programs across the country and internationally including NYU GMTWP, Syracuse University, Ithaca College, Pace University, University of the Arts, College of Charleston, and Shanghai Theatre Academy.
Jennifer is a graduate of Cornell University and member of the Society of Directors and Choreographers. She resides in Brooklyn and is an avid traveler alongside her husband and two children - Linus, Ruthie. Jennifer is named to the Broadway Women’s Fund 5th Annual Women to Watch List 2024.
Eddy Lee, BringAbout Associate Director / Choreographer
@edru00
Eddy Lee grew up in East Lansing, Michigan finding his love for performing late in high school. But it wasn’t until after he got his degree in Kinesiology, at Michigan State University, that he decided to pursue his dreams of performing and moved to New York City. He’s always eager to collaborate, explore and grow. A student of life. Some credits include: BWAY: Hamilton (Swing/US A.Ham), KPOP (OBC). VOICE OVER: Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh, Gundam, Maquia. FILM/TV: Tick, Tick…BOOM!, Big Sky.
Andy Li, Music
@andy_li_99
Andy Li is a Chinese American theatre and media composer based in New York City who seeks to combine Western classical and Chinese classical traditions. His works have been performed in The African Grove Theater, Joe's Pub, and the Hudson Guild Theatre. For film, he has composed original scores for two short documentaries featuring daily life in China: Blank Canvas (dir. by Xuecong Zhao), a semi-finalist at the 2020 Student Academy Awards, and Her Summer (dir. by Yunye Chen). He is currently working on a musical titled The Garden Bridge with librettist Jill Ohayon. Li holds an MFA from the Graduate Musical Theatre Writing at NYU, a BM degree in Music for New Media from the Peabody Institute and BA degrees in French and Medicine, Science, and the Humanities from the Johns Hopkins University. His past composition teachers include Thomas Dolby, Christopher Kennedy, Vid Smooke, Martyn Harry, and Travis Hardaway. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild and MUSE.
Devon McClesky, JOSEF
@devon.devoff
Devon McCleskey (he/him) is simply wandering through life and remembering to smell the flowers along the way. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan (Go Blue!) and recent credits include the national tours of Cats (Munkustrap) and Pretty Woman (US Guilio and Alfredo). Love and thanks to the army of friends who inspire adventure and make life worth living. Here’s to being as curious tomorrow as we are today.
Betsy Morgan, EVA
Betsy has appeared in the original casts of numerous Broadway productions, including Kimberly Akimbo, The King and I, Les Miserables, A Little Night Music, The Little Mermaid, and High Fidelity. Betsy has worked closely with Stephen Sondheim, Alan Menken, PigPen Theatre Company, Bartlett Sher, Jeanine Tesori, and has a 20-year history with composer Michael John LaChiusa, appearing in 5 of his original musicals. As an “out of the box” musical theater actor, she has found a home in the daring and vibrant downtown theater scene, originating roles in First Daughter Suite at The Public, Found at the Atlantic Theater, and Pirelli/Beggar Woman in Barrow Street Theatre’s production of Sweeney Todd, for which she was nominated for a Lucille Lortel Award.
Jill Ohayon, Book & lyrics
@jillohayon
Jill Ohayon is a Brooklyn-based Montreal-born librettist, songwriter, actor, and singer. She studied philosophy and religion before attending McGill Law School and obtaining both a Juris Doctor and a Bachelor of Civil Law. After spending a few years working as a litigator and human rights lawyer, she made the decision to pursue her love of writing at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program. (It is the best decision she has ever made.) Her legal background and justice-oriented mindset inform her writing, and she is drawn to themes of identity, community, and resilience. She is a Member of Maestra, the Dramatists Guild, and MUSE.
Jasmine Joy Rafael, XUELIN
@jasminejrafael
Jasmine Rafael (she/they) is a queer Filipino-American artist making her Broadway Debut! She has danced for artists like Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj, Tori Kelly, and Jojo Siwa, and taught at Millennium Dance Complex. Recent Credits: The Prom movie, Book of Queer on Discovery+. She thanks mentors Paul Lincoln, Mark McPherson and Jackie Diamond, among many. For Mom, AJ, Justine, and my whole tribe. Love And Light, forever.
Alexander Ronnenburg, ITSIK
@alexanderronneburg
Alexander Ronneburg is a composer/lyricist/bookwriter, music director, and singer. His original musical Tomorrow, by the Sea won the 2024 Kennedy Center Musical Theatre Award and the 2024 Pipeline Arts Foundation Award. His original podcast musical SS Splendor won the 2020 Alsop Entrepreneurship Award. He has worked on musicals including Hamilton (Philip Tour), Come From Away, and How to Dance in Ohio. His original songs have been performed at The African Grove Theatre, The Bangkok Theatre Festival, National Sawdust, and the Jalopy Theatre. Alexander graduated from Stanford University with a B.A. in Music in 2017, and from NYU with an M.F.A. in Musical Theatre Writing in 2024.
Addie Symonds, Photographer
@symondsaddie
Addie Symonds is a New York based theatre writer, photographer, and visual artist originally from Houston, Texas. Her songs have been performed at Joe’s Pub and The Green Room 42. Recent work: Flatland with James Powers, and Adderall Nation with Matt Graham. BFA University of Houston, Playwriting and Dramaturgy. MFA New York University, Musical Theatre Writing.
BringAbout Development
BringAbout is transforming the way dance is integrated into the making of new musicals through residencies, fellowships, BC Beat, theatrical partnerships and the conceiving of new works. Our programming connects more than 200 artists annually to collaborate, contribute and grow in ways that are only happening at BringAbout. As a 501c3 nonprofit, we are dedicated to fostering genuine artistic relationships between writers, composers, choreographers, sound designers, and performers. Our mission transcends traditional barriers of gender, race, socioeconomic status, and sexual orientation, creating an inclusive space where diverse artists can meet and collaborate, often for the first time. By breaking these boundaries, we build a vibrant, interdisciplinary community rich with mutual understanding, appreciation, and innovation.
BringAbout Studio Residency - VIDEOS HERE