creative team
Clown notes
It began as an experiment; a clown and a composer walked into a room, and tried to find a way to speak each other’s languages.
Bebop lets ‘Carlotta-B-from-1593’ play with with words as sounds.
This has always been my reason for Shakespeare’s relevance-that in Shakespeare; the sound is the meaning.
In bebop, this is true. And the sound is also the feeling.
‘Sonnets and The Self’ is, I hope - where meaning and feeling coalesce.
- Carla Kissane
Composer notes
Shakespeare embodies perfection in verse and rhythm.
In particular, his sonnets are perfectly compact distillations of form, pulse, and poetic swing.
Jazz—and bebop in particular—shares this tight rhythmic structure while adding raw instinct, emotion, and risk.
The sonnets feel as natural as a bebop solo, lending themselves perfectly to a Jazz setting.
Indeed, Shakespeare is the ultimate lyricist that any cat could ever hope for.
- Isaac Raz
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Shakespearean Cabaret One Sheet
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'Sonnets and The Self' Pitch Deck
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Whisper in the wings podcast
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NEW YORK SHAKESPEARE INTERVIEW
Live Music
May 2026 Photography & Videography by Nelson Luna
recorded Music
February 2026 photography and videography by cold-media
Live Music
May 29th
Support for live music thanks to the Bill T Stubing Development Award from the Mabel Mercer Foundation.
Ben Wolstein on Bass
Zach Malian on Drums
Choreography by Katherine McClintic
August 15th, FLY NYC Festival
https://riversideparknyc.org/event/fly-nyc/
Isaac Raz on Keys
Ben Wolstein on Bass
Isaac LaVigne on Drums
Recorded Music
January 9th & February 27th 2026
The Delancey, 168 Delancey St, New York 10002
Direction by Miriam Grill (Jan 9th)
Direction by Grant Cartwright (Feb 27th)
June 27th, SPEAK UP Festival
https://riversideparknyc.org/event/speak-up-festival/
Sep 10th, PATH Performs NJ
https://www.panynj.gov/path/en/community-events.html