Tim Kashani

Apply now to Tim's Musical Theater Accelerator: An immersive musical theatre development accelerator for promising storytellers.www.nycoc.com/accelerator

As far as Tim Kashani can remember, he always loved two things: blazing his own way forward and the thrill of live performances.

Blazing a trail of your own becomes a necessity when you start a band at the age of 13. With three close friends, Tim formed Tempest, a rock band. Though they were too young to drive, they booked paying gigs, leaning on their parents for rides. Tim became the de facto manager and under his leadership, the four teens saved enough money to book gigs every weekend and even create a makeshift recording studio.

Upon attending UCI for computer science, Tim uncovered a love for technology. Although he filled his world with artificial intelligence, databases, and computer graphics, he never lost his passion for the arts. One day, he found himself thrust back in the performing world when he took a ballet class on a dare, wagering that it was easier than his chosen sport of crew. After a semester of struggle, his love for the arts flourished right alongside his love for technology. By adding Tap, jazz and reviving his vocal chords from the Tempest days, musicals became his artistic outlet.

Quickly tired of auditioning for other people’s performances, Tim ignored the traditional performer path and partnered with a local, struggling theater to put on a production of West Side Story. As part of their deal, Tim guaranteed financial success and promised to cover any losses.

Tim produced, directed and performed in a production that blended his two worlds. Through fiscal responsibility and artistic integration, Tim allocated the majority of the budget towards skilled actors and live music. The show broke box office records, requiring extra performances to keep up with demand, and Tim never looked back.

Post-college, Tim kept his two passions, technology and the arts, far apart. During the day, Tim ran his technology company, IT Mentors, meeting with business contacts, designing new systems and delivering experiential training programs. Tim and his firm focused on empowering employees and executives alike, and human centered design; even in a disruptive technological landscape, they understood that the human factor remains the most important one.

At night, Tim perf