Fly Me Away follows teenage jazz pianist Frank and his father as they move from Shanghai to New York City in pursuit of a better life. Despite his father’s dissuasion, Frank immerses himself in the NYC jazz scene; meanwhile, his father loses his corporate job and finds work in a Chinatown dumpling shop. As life grows more difficult for Frank and his father, they realize just what it takes to succeed in America and fly away to their dreams.

Music, Lyrics & Book Miguel Sutedjo

Direction Dennis Yueh-Yeh Li

Music Direction Sobina Chi-Kanter

Featuring

Alyssa Bernstein as Stage Direction

Leo Chang as Lester

Madison Cu as Angela

Emma O’Loughlin as Michelle

Jeremy Rafal as Si-Yuan Liu (Father)

Miguel Sutedjo as Frank

Musicians Anthony Haddad (bass), Sobina Chi-Kanter (piano) & Matt Termine (drums)

MIGUEL SUTEDJO, Writer/Composer/as Frank

Miguel Sutedjo is a composer, lyricist, actor, singer, and jazz pianist. Born in Jakarta, he grew up in Munich and now resides in New York City. Miguel aspires to tell international and interdisciplinary stories that move, unite, and inspire. As a composer and lyricist, he most recently premiered two theatrical vocal works (“Theseus and Ariadne” and “Waiting on the Winds”) at the Narnia Festival Vocal Arts Program in Narni, Italy. As an actor, his favorite credits include P.B. Jones in Illegal: A New Musical, Shrek in Shrek the Musical, and Melchior in Spring Awakening. This spring, he graduates from Fordham University’s Honors Program with majors in Music and International Political Economy and minors in Mandarin and English. FLY ME AWAY is Miguel’s first full-length musical, and he is forever grateful to everyone who has lifted him higher than he could ever fly by himself. IG: @miguel_sutedjo

DENNIS YUEH-YEH LI, Director

Originally from Taiwan, Dennis works as a director, playwright, performer, and performance artist. Dennis’ works explore sexuality, power structure and diaspora experiences. Dennis is especially interested in adapting rarely produced modern classics by connecting them with current sociopolitical phenomenon and issues. Dennis earned his MA in Performance Studies, New York University.

Dennis is an alumnus of the New York Directing Fellowship of Drama League and the Institute Fellowship of Target Margin Theater. Dennis is also a member of Lincoln Center Theater Directors Lab. Dennis worked with The Living Theatre and is one of the founding members of Al Límite Collective. www.dennisyuehyehli.com

SOBINA CHI KANTER 祁苡瑄, Music Director/Piano
Sobina Chi Kanter (Yi-Hsuan Chi 祁苡瑄), pianist, composer, music director and educator. This native of Taipei, Taiwan came to the states to further her performing career. She received her BA and MM in jazz performance from CUNY Brooklyn College. She hopes to continue to make an impact on the New York/ New Jersey musical community and abroad. Music director credits include: Astoria Performing Art Center: “Man of La Mancha” (2022). National Taichung Theater: “Tropical Angels” (2019-2021). The Gallery Players: “Little Women” (2019) “Once upon a mattress” (2019) “A New Brain.” (2018) “You’re a Goodman Charlie Brown.” (2017) “Marry Me a Little.” (2017). Bishop Kearney High School: “Wizard of Oz“ (2019) “Godspell” (2018) sobinamusic.com

ALYSSA BERNSTEIN, as Stage Direction

Alyssa Bernstein (she/they) (Stage Directions) is a third year Playwriting and Screenwriting major with a double minor in Psychology/Theatre and Performance at Purchase College. Purchase directing credits include ORDINARY DAYS (Assistant Director), Behind Us Is Noise (Director), and No Longer Human (Director). Upcoming Purchase credits include Refrain (Director), Room For Growth (Director), and Angels In America Part 1: Millennium Approaches (Assistant Director). She has gotten the opportunity to work with Dennis Yueh-Yeh and Miguel on Double Happiness at the Museum Of Chinese In America and is excited to be working with them once again.

LEO YU-NING CHANG, as Lester

Leo Yu-Ning Chang is a bilingual performer, educator, proud immigrant, and a strong advocate for International and BIPOC artists. This Spring, Chang finished his term as the Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at MTEA (Musical Theatre Educators’ Alliance) and now serves as the Asia-Oceana Director.

Born and raised in Taiwan, Chang is a co-founder of an award-winning A Cappella Band- Guess What. His performing career includes musical theatre, plays, films, commercials, street dance, a cappella, and event hosting. His selected credits include The Fantasticks (Taiwan Premiere), Bubble Boy, Farewell My Concubine (Reading), Mr. Holland’s Opus (Reading), Company, The Full Monty, and Enchanted April.

As an educator, Chang has taught internationally at various institutions, including Marymount Manhattan College, La Jolla Playhouse, New York City Center, Internation Thespian Festival, and National Taiwan University.  M.F.A. Musical Theatre- San Diego State University @jumpingleo

MADISON YUELIANG CU 邱月亮, as Angela

Madison Yueliang Cu 邱月亮 is an Asian-American singer and actress from New York. She graduated from The Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in 2022. She is an alto/mezzo-soprano and has been training her voice for at least fifteen years. In 2018, she competed in the singing competition, Tricoastal: Search for a Superstar, and placed in the Top 8. Madison recently spent time in Italy, where she trained, studied, and performed in the Narnia Vocal Arts Program. Madison first started acting in 2017. Her theatre career began at the Rita Morganthau Theatre, where she played Connie in Dance Nation and Amethyst in the musical, Another Hundred People. Her most recent role was Sheila in Two Princes. During quarantine, she began to study voiceover acting. She holds a BS in Health Science with a concentration in disability studies and human development from Stony Brook University.

EMMA O’LOUGHLIN, as Michelle

Emma (she/her) is honored and excited to be a part of this new work! She aspires to create and participate in work that advocates for marginalized communities in order to inspire reformative and restorative justice and shed light on the human condition through a lens of empathy. When she’s not performing you can find her baking, cooking, writing, or reading in a hammock. Recent credits include: A Chorus Line (Baayork Lee) and Descendants: The Rise of Red. Special thanks to the incredible creative team and cast for making this possible. All my love to family, friends, and teachers. Graduate of Boston Conservatory at Berklee.

JEREMY RAFAL, as Si-Yuan Liu (Father)

Jeremy Rafal was born in the Philippines, raised in Hawaii, and now based in New York City as an actor, musician, writer, director, and educator.  He was last seen in Heart Strings (The Atlantic Theater) as Grandpa and as The Kralahome from The King & I (Interlakes Theatre).  His favorite roles include Eric Sun in MOCA’s production of Double Happiness, Philip the Bastard in King John, Hastings in Richard III, and performing his own solo shows The Boy from Bantay and Funhouse Funk.  He has also appeared on film, TV, and several commercials.  Besides being an actor-musician, Jeremy is also in linguistics, jump roping, and CrossFit.

The performance of Fly Me Away is supported by the Fordham Undergraduate Research Grant and the Fordham Honors Ambassadorial Grant.