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Introducing PolyPilot:

Our AI-Powered Mentorship Program

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Katherine C

- Research Program Mentor

MFA at New York University

Expertise

Music Theory, Music Composition, Sound Design/Introduction to DAWs

Bio

Kat Cartusciello is an NYC-based composer, sound-designer, and multi-instrumentalist who works as Jason Robert Brown’s music assistant. She currently has three musicals in development: Nima and the Jenn (written with Thalia Ranjbar,) which appeared on Ramin Karimloo’s podcast The Hang, and was selected for the Rhinebeck Writers Retreat (7/23); HardTack (written with Jessie Field), which was selected for the Catwalk Writers Retreat (8/23); and Then She Ran written Alex Becker: (Theater Accelerator (5/23) Scranton Fringe Festival (10/22) Feinstein’s 54 Below (2/22) New Studio on Broadway (11/21) AMDA (8/21)). Other Recent credits include musical The Tattooed Lady (Philadelphia Theater Company); podcast The Doctor is Dead (Apple Podcasts), interdisciplinary dance-piece 2.5 Breaths, (Chain Theater), and short-film Heirloom (Winner of Monmouth Film Festival & New York International Film Festival). Other original works include Village Song (Rattlestick Playwrights Theater); and Walks of Life, (Blindspot Collective/La Jolla Playhouse). Kat has played bass guitar regularly at 54 Below since October 2021 (over 20 performances) including Wren Rivera’s Solo Show. She can also be heard playing bass on the EP Vaibu Mohan’s Pure Brown Noise, and played in the pit for Charlotte Lucas is 27 and Not Dead (Piper Theater Company). She is the recipient of the Max Dreyfus ASCAP Award and the Betty Green Fischoff Troupers Scholarship. She received her MFA from NYU Tisch School of the Arts (May 2021), and her BA (Music) from Columbia University (Departmental Honors) in 2016.

Project ideas

Project ideas are meant to help inspire student thinking about their own project. Students are in the driver seat of their research and are free to use any or none of the ideas shared by their mentors.

5-10 Minute Play/Musical

Write a short piece for up to seven characters. Can be a one-act, or part of a larger concept. The complexity of the project is something we would work out together - your job is to dream big and let your imagination run wild, and my job is to help you figure out how to make it work. I like to think that anything is possible in the world of theatre, and it is not a question of "if," but rather a question of "how."

1 - 3 Album Songs

Have a concept for an album in mind but can't seem to put notes to paper? Or, do you have a couple songs but want to find a way to tie them together into a larger concept? These are all great and exciting places to be in, and I would love to help you manifest your visions!

Mentorship for a Work Already in Progress

Do you already have a project you are passionate about and need help finishing, or figuring out the next steps? If so, I would love to be your mentor!

Credentials

Work experience

Jason Robert Brown (2020 - Current)
Music Assistant

Education

Columbia University
BA Bachelor of Arts (2016)
Music Composition
New York University
MFA Master of Fine Arts
Musical Theatre Composition

Interested in working with expert mentors like Katherine?

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