Today we’d like to introduce you to Johnny Cassidy.
Hi Johnny, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I grew up in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, being very sensitive from a young age, I was drawn to writing books and making tv shows in middle school. As I grew up to understand this was a way of being accepted, I adopted it full-time. I started to learn in high school that I had less of a passion for writing than I did for a need for acceptance. As I moved into college creating full-length films and online series, I started to learn how to make my content reflect my mental health struggles. After COVID-19, I started to develop a passion for writing musicals, leading to even more discoveries about my need for acceptance. Through therapy and studying psychology, I started to commit full-time to coming up with ways to better my own mental state as well as advice for others. I now create musicals and continue to pitch tv show ideas that revolve around light-hearted, funny plots that have mentally-aware undertones. I continue to find new and exciting ways to make people laugh through my company, Authentic Stories, as I try to create the first musical licensing company specifically designed for educational institutes. I make it my mission to bring the importance of empathy to the newer generations.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There were a lot of struggles to find my voice- especially being fogged by my social surroundings. I found the more I leaned into trying to impress people with raunchy humor and outlandish goals- the more I found myself displeased. As I moved through college, I was even harassed after misplaced jokes in my media that lead to a lot of attention, but mostly negative. As I navigated my mental anguish, I was able to learn the impact of my voice despite one person or two hundred people listening. When I moved toward teenage content, I struggled to find an audience that cared about empathy-themed stories. The first musical I wrote in Los Angeles was a feature film- derailed by the educators at my college in favor of other ‘more realistic’ stories. As I continue to learn and grow, there is a fight to every new direction I take and though it’s rocky, my goal is always clear- make forgiveness and understanding a superpower.
We’ve been impressed with Authentic Stories, LLC, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I create and package original musicals that focus on the importance of adolescent mental health in today’s world. My goal is to produce meaningful expression in the form of collaborative performance without the limits of age, budget, and resources. I write and produce scripts, cast albums, and instrumental music in hopes that a non-profit or educational institute finds value in the mental health stories.
I’m most proud of my recent musical/novel combination: The Consequences of Victoria Grey, where a teenage superhero is pressured to fit the mold of ‘hero’ and influenced by the magic-powered amulets she collects that come with mental side effects. Putting self-worth into a short hour-long musical and making it work for a 300-page novel was the highlight of the past year!
I hope people know that I want to be a resource for empathy- whatever story helps me remind the world that.
Something I hope sets me apart is the fact current Broadway musicals like Grease or Hairspray force kids to wrap their heads around an adult state of mind, overpaying upwards of $5,000 just to use it for a weekend! I want to make socially relevant stories about technology and current issues that are budget friendly to educational institutions- allowing students to have more creative flexibility with their own voices.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Unconditional acceptance to everyone and everything.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.authenticitythemusical.com
- Instagram: @Authenticity_Inc
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4LiDXZ5hArD2TFriGWECWA
- Other: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/johnnycassidy/the-consequences-of-victoria-grey-a-musical-2
