About The Band

Christina Norrup (vocals) began her professional career with The Joffrey Ballet and made her Broadway debut in The Red Shoes. Her Broadway credits include Putting It Together with Carol Burnett (standby for Ruthie Henshall), The Producers (original cast), and Young Frankenstein (understudy for Sutton Foster). She has toured nationally in A Chorus Line (Judy, Cassie) and internationally in West Side Story (Anita). Film: The Producers. She has also performed as a principal soloist in multiple symphony concerts under maestros Eric Kunzel (Cincinnati Pops) and Steve Reineke (New York Pops). For the past seven years, Christina has found joy in teaching 5th grade and working with middle schoolers in the Drama Club. She is beyond thrilled to reunite with her besties, Kim and John, for this amazing ride! Endless thanks to her incredible family—Anthony, Gia, and her mom, Barbie—for patiently listening to every single rehearsal (on repeat!) Love you so much!!!

John Samorian (piano and vocals) has been a professional musician for 35 years (he’s older than he looks). He has performed with over 25 Broadway productions and International tours, including A Bronx Tale, the revival of Little Shop of Horrors, Sweet Charity with Christina Applegate, and Grease on Broadway, and as the Musical Director of the first national tour of Jersey Boys, and The Book of Mormon Chicago. He has worked with such notable groups as Blood, Sweat, and Tears, as well as his own groups throughout Europe, Asia, South America, Canada, and across the United States.  John has also received both a BA and a Master’s degree in jazz education and performance.  He has released a CD of original jazz vocals entitled Out On a Limb, available on itunes.  More information about John can be found at www.johnsamorian.com.

Kim Shriver (vocals) was in the Broadway Revival of A Chorus Line and was a Radio City Rockette. She’s also toured the US, Europe, Canada, and Japan in many shows including Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Chicago, and Sweet Charity, just to name a few. Nowadays she fills her soul for performing by singing with this awesome band! The rest of the time she’s a hairstylist for film and TV and has worked on many shows like The Complete Unknown, The Gilded Age, Hunters, and the new Springsteen movie, Deliver Me From Nowhere. She is thrilled to be performing again, especially with her husband John, and bestie Christina Norrup.

Leo Huppert (bass) Leo Huppert arrived in New York 30 years ago and quickly found a home in the Broadway pits, where he has performed in hit shows ever since, going back to Crazy For You in 1994, and more recently Death Becomes Her, Smash, Cabaret, Jersey Boys, Dear Evan Hansen, Frozen, In The Heights and The Book Of Mormon. Leo was recently bassist for The Music Man, starring Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster. Currently he is appearing in Hugh Jackman’s residency at Radio City Music Hall. In addition to Broadway, Leo has been active in jazz, rock, Latin music and cabaret, performing everywhere from the Bitter End to Lincoln Center, Café Carlyle and The Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular as well as Carnegie Hall. Backing artists such as David Clayton-Thomas and Blood, Sweat & Tears, Bobby Caldwell, Hugh Jackman, Sutton Foster, Stephanie J. Block, and many others, he has earned a reputation as a solid accompanist and versatile instrumentalist. Leo’s bass work also can be heard on soundtracks for film and TV, including PBS, ESPN and HBO.

Courtney Sappington (guitar) Courtney has done extensive touring both in the U.S and internationally with several artists, most notably the great R&B singer Bobby Womack. On one memorable tour with Womack, Sly Stone was a featured guest performer and the Womack band played Sly and the Family Stone songs with him every concert. While on tour with Womack, Courtney had the opportunity to back up such artists as Wilton Felder, Millie Jackson, Chaka Khan, Patti LaBelle, Lulu, Stevie Wonder, Ronnie Wood, and Paul Young. Courtney also toured with Garland Jeffries and Ben E. King and most recently 1960's pop icon Petula Clark. www.courtneysappingtonmusic.com

Jon Berger (drums) Jon consider himself a musical linguist, as he loves playing numerous styles on both drums and percussion. BFA - Classical Percussion from S.U.N.Y. at Purchase studying Timpani with the principal of the Metropolitan Opera. He’s performed with Petula Clark, Aretha Franklin, Little Anthony and the Imperials, The Crystals, Shields and Yarnell , Jerry Vale, The Ocean City Pops, Garden State Philharmonic , Harrisburg Symphony, The Washington Ballet  - Bodrahm Ballet Fest, Turkey, National Symphony UK, The National Chamber Orchestra of Armenia, The Mark Morris Dance company,  The NY Tenors, Roy Orbison Buddy Holly Hologram Tour, Roy Merriwether Jazz Trio with Bassists Michale Wolf, Harvie S, Santi Dibriani , Greg Jones, Leon Dorsey, Jeff Carney. 2 records with Jazzers Jack Desalvo, Lee Marvin, Dan Willis, Bob Rodreguez, Arthur Lipner Todd Urban. Bluegrass Banjo Virtuoso Tony Trishka, The Mandala Jazz Octet with John Medeski , Folk Rock with Michelle Shocked, The Washington Squares. World Music Fusion with The Peter Lewis Band featuring Hiram Bullock and Mathew Garrison. Brazilian Jazz with Cidiniho, and Ana Lu. Samba Batucada with The Sambanditos Featuring kenwood Dennard and Amir Ziv. Recorded Jingles with Mitch Stein, Josh Heinemann for Omni Music, Wits end productions - Circuit City, PBS, Fuse T, CBS Sports, Outdoor Living channel, They Might Be Giants. 

Ben Ruebens (bass) has rapidly developed a reputation for being a supportive and well-rounded rhythm section stalwart. Performances include: The Kennedy Center, The Apollo Theater, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Blue Note Milano, Blue Note Beijing, The Nice Jazz Festival and the Red Sea Jazz Festival. He is a featured performer on a number of CDs, including the Smoke Sessions Recording “In The Moment,” by the Johnny O’Neal Trio Ft. late trumpet master Roy Hargrove and “Songs in the Key of Wonder” by James Austin Jr. Mr. Rubens is also experienced in musical theater, performing in numerous regional productions as well as the June 6th, 2022 performance of “Plays For The Plague Year” by Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks with musical direction by Ric Molina (“Wicked”). He has performed in Italy, France, Belgium, Germany, China, Russia, Israel, and Mexico. Studying bass with Harvie S and Bob Cranshaw, Rubens graduated from the Manhattan School of Music with a Bachelor’s of Music in Jazz Performance and Rutgers University with a Masters in Music Education.

Jonathan Kirschner (guitar) Jonathan is a jazz guitarist and composer based in the NYC area. Originally from Massachusetts, Jonathan moved to New Jersey to study with legendary jazz guitarist Vic Juris at Mason Gross School of the Arts. Since then, Jonathan has made a name for himself as both a player and composer on the New York City jazz scene. He is a creative and exciting guitarist with a unique voice who blends a love of traditional jazz guitar with his own modern flavor in his playing and compositions. In 2025 Jonathan released his debut record “Clarity”, showcasing his strengths as a bandleader. The album features Jonathan’s trio performing his original compositions. 

Mark Pappazian (drums)