How to Bring A New Musical To Life! LOL

POLARYSS
RAP LYRICS

Polaryss is a rapper, artist and activist whose synergy and passion are unmatched. Born and raised in the home of Hip Hop, The Bronx, New York, Polaryss incorporates her life experiences into her music which speaks to culturally diverse audiences. A social entrepreneur and educator, Polaryss uses her craft to advocate for women in Hip Hop. She uses Hip Hop in the classroom as a tool to promote self-advocacy and effective communication. She also utilizes improvisation (freestyle) to teach social and fiscal responsibility, classroom curriculum, and self-awareness. Founder of Intentional Movement, an arts-based literacy program that uses Hip Hop to promote self-advocacy and effective communication, Polaryss has significantly impacted the global Hip Hop community. A founding member and former Co-chair of MC Lyte’s Hip Hop Sisters (www.hiphopsisters.org, www.hiphopsisters.com), she is Director of Creative Operations, Education Advisor, and Lead Facilitator for Toni Blackman’s Rhyme Like A Girl (@RhymeLikeAGirl), and Hip Hop Ambassador to the US State Department. She is on the board for the Women In Hip Hop Division of the Universal Hip Hop Museum.

JANET NOH
MUSIC AND LYRICS

Janet Noh is a NYC-based songwriter, singer, musical theatre writer, and classical pianist. With a double major in economics and history from Yale, she started her career as a successful investment banker on Wall Street. But spreadsheets couldn’t satisfy her daring creative spirit. After winning a scholarship at NYU-Tisch, Janet abandoned finance for good and received an M.F.A. in musical theatre writing. Since graduating in 2016, she made her Broadway singing debut in Rocktopia as a featured performer, recently made her acting debut as the principal role of Ella in Mack and Mabel (Encores! New York City Center), and has performed at Lincoln Center, New York City Center, Public Theater, Signature Theatre, and more. As an active educator, Janet taught as a guest composer/teaching artist at Columbia University, Borough of Manhattan Community College, and Marymount Manhattan College. She is currently a songwriting teaching artist at Lincoln Center Theater. Janet’s musical works include THE ISLAND CLUB (commissioned by Chicken Soup for the Soul Publishing LLC, available for licensing thru Concord Theatricals), PANGAEA (Live & In Color, MMC, Frederick Loewe Foundation), MODEL MINORITY (BMI - Lehman Engel Workshop), and an original piece for The BARS Workshop written with original cast members of Hamilton (The Public Theater). Prior to the pandemic, she gave a TED talk at the TEDxMidAtlantic Conference for 1200 attendees in Washington, D.C. Janet recently wrote songs for the feature film Anastasia (Paramount Pictures, Amazon, Disney+) and is currently developing several new musicals as well as a debut album of original music. IG: @janetnoh

RYAN BERNSTEN
BOOK

A recent graduate of the University of Oxford’s Dramatic Writing Master’s program, Ryan's work has been performed both off-Broadway and internationally, from Cherry Lane Theatre, The American Musical Theatre Project, Stage 773, The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, NYFringe, and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. He is the writer of BAD PRESS (Cherry Lane Theatre), THE NEW ORDER (Oxford University, Corkscrew Theatre Festival), ATLANTIC: AMERICA & THE GREAT WAR (a collaboration between Northwestern University and The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland at the Edinburgh Fringe), WE ARE BLOOD, and DREAM TICKET (The Players Theatre) which was recommended by the Huffington Post and Time Out New York and won a NY Fringe Excellence Award. Ryan is the host of the "50 States of Mind" podcast and has been published in USA Today, The Oxford Political Review, The Kansas City Star, The Infatuation, and The Oxymoron. He is a proud graduate of Northwestern University. More at ryanbernsten.com.

LINDA CHICHESTER
STORY ADAPTATION

Co-founder of  HipHopMusicals.com.  Proud member of Women in Hip Hop. BFA graduate of Hofstra University and CTI Commercial Theater Institute Seminars.  A member of Women In Music,  Linda has shepherded the development process of various musicals through readings, workshops, productions, and raised financing. Additionally, Linda scouts Broadway and Off-Broadway shows for overseas buyers.  She is also a member of the board of Amas Musical Theatre.

DAVID COFFMAN
STORY ADAPTATION

Cofounder of Hip Hop Musicals.com. Conceived and produced the Latino Off-Broadway musical 4 Guys  Named José. Conceived and produced the musical Blackbirds of Broadway which started at the National Alliance of Musical Theater Festival and played regional theaters across the U.S., the Montreal Jazz Festival, and two European tours. David is also the Managing Director of Sundance Productions Inc, which is the New York office of BB Promotion GmbH, which one of the leading firms providing high-quality musicals and live entertainment in Europe including international tours of  West Side Story and The Harlem Gospel Singers. Also New York representative for Scandinavia's largest theatrical stage rights agency, Nordiska ApS, David has negotiated international licenses the foreign language live stage rights for many Broadway musicals including The Addams Family, Flashdance, Hairspray, Spring Awakening, The Full Monty, Avenue Q (Helsinki), Wicked (Helsinki), The Last Ship, Next To Normal. Additionally, negotiated licenses for Cats and Rock of Ages in Mexico.  David speaks at Commercial Theater Institute and at the seminars on the international licensing of Broadway musicals.