the writers

Mika Kauffman (Book & lyrics)

Mika Kauffman (they/them/theirs) is a multi-hyphenate queer artist based in Brooklyn, primarily a director, musical writer, dramaturg and producer. Hailed from Baltimore, they received their BFA in acting from Towson University and an MFA in musical theatre writing from Tisch. They firmly believe in leading with radical empathy and creating equitable, collaborative spaces for cultivating new work. Off-Broadway credits include #adulting, a millennial opera (Director), The Great Cat Massacre (Director), safeword. (Associate Director), Afterglow (Assistant Director, co-dramaturg), reading-performance of Paranormative (Book, Lyrics), We Are The Tigers (Dramaturg); upcoming projects include MAXA, The Maddest Woman in the World (Book, Lyrics) premiering at University of Minnesota Duluth in 2021, and 10 Days in a Madhouse (Director) set to premiere Off-Broadway in 2022. They are a resident artist of Poetic Theater Productions as well as a member of Ring of Keys and SDC. Mika also began the Trans Entertainment Guild (TEG), an organization that supports and protects TGNC workers in the entertainment industry. Instagram: @mikakauffman – Website: www.mikakauffman.com

Thomas Jacobsen (Music)

Thomas Jacobsen (he/him) hails from Milwaukee, WI where he worked as a director at Theatre Unchained and Skylight Music Theatre, directing such productions as Carrie: the Musical, Spring Awakening, Jesus Christ Superstar, Chicago, The Producers and Mame.  He also worked as a performer, and holds BFAs from the University of Wisconsin in vocal performance and musical theatre, and an MFA from NYU in Musical Theatre Writing. He wrote the music for the musical Paranormative which had an Off-Broadway performance reading at the Kraine Theatre, and he currently serves as the Assistant Professor of Musical Theatre at the University of Minnesota Duluth.