American Sing-Song (A.S.S.) is a two-person musical theater factory made of up Jake Brasch and Nadja Leonhard-Hooper. Together, they write and perform filthy, big-hearted, big-cast musicals. Armed with nothing but a keyboard, a foley table, and the power of musical theater, this male alto and female tenor will attempt to give you a musical experience so epic, so sweeping, that the only stage large enough to hold it… is the one in your mind. 

Nadja Leonhard-Hooper is a writer and performer who makes plays, musicals, and movies. Her play Derangements will be produced by Clubbed Thumb in Summerworks 2026. Her screenplay, License to Drive, is being optioned by Working Barn productions. Her play Funny Bone was an Ojai finalist in 2024. Her work has been seen at Joe’s Pub, Ars Nova, the Edinburgh Fringe, the Ensemble Studio Theatre, The Elysian, and The Bell House. She has been produced by Two Headed Rep, One Year Lease Theater Company, and The Tank. She’s an alum of the Clubbed Thumb Early Career Writers Group, and Youngblood at EST, where she met a witch named Jake Brasch who blew up her life. She lives in Brooklyn with her sweetheart Erik. She does not have a website. Mysterious!

Jake Brasch (he/they) is a writer, performer, composer, and clown, and a graduate of The Juilliard School. His play The Reservoir has been produced by Atlantic Theater Company/Ensemble Studio Theatre, as well as Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Alliance Theatre, Geffen Playhouse, and Berkeley Repertory Theatre. His play Trip Around the Sun will premiere at Two River Theatre in 2027. He is an alum of Youngblood at Ensemble Studio Theatre and the Page 73 Writers Group, and is developing a series based on his decade as a birthday party clown. Jake has three brothers, 26 pairs of glasses, a demon wife/forever collaborator in Nadja Leonhard-Hooper, and lives in Brooklyn with his brilliant husband, Tyler Brasch.

RJ Tolan has been Program Director for Ensemble Studio Theatre’s OBIE-winning Youngblood incubator for early-career playwrights for more than 20 years.  Productions with EST include MOPE by Paul Cameron Hardy and FIVE TIMES IN ONE NIGHT by Chiara Atik, along with several plays in the EST Marathon of One-Act Plays, and dozens of short plays, readings and workshops with Youngblood.  Other directing includes productions, readings and workshops with Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater, NYTW, Second Stage and the Juilliard School.  With American Sing Song: GERALDINE (EST, Ars Nova ANT Fest), HOLE! (EST, Caveat, Bell House, Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2025, Joe’s Pub), HOMO ERECTUS (Ars Nova Discover Festival, WIP).  RJ is a member artist at Ensemble Studio Theater.