It all began when we were
banished from our respective church choirs after college.
Following an overwhelming response to a “Missed Connections” post on
Craigslist,
What's On Tap was established in February 2008.
We are a fun loving crew of about 15 guys and gals in their twenties and thirties who all love to sing and like to be good at it. We are based in the greater New Haven area and rehearse twice a week. Our repertoire consists of well-known selections of pop, oldies and rock and almost all of our music is arranged by Laura, our musical director, giving us a unique and original sound. We perform whenever possible with other groups, in public and at private parties... we've even been hired to arrange and sing specific songs at the host or bride's request, so please keep us in mind for your next special event.
We're always looking for new talent, so if you've got mad singing skills, check out the ‘audition’ link on our contact page. Thanks for your interest in What's On Tap!
Our current lineup features:
NAME: Sarah Davis
OCCUPATION: Orthopedic Medical Sales Rep.
HOMETOWN: Woodbridge, CT
VOICE PART: Alto
SARAH ON TAP: Sarah popped out of her mother’s womb holding a pitch pipe, uttering her first a cappella syllables (abba dabba do bow wow) at the ripe age of 2 minutes. At Connecticut College, Sarah sang with the Shwiffs, an all-female a cappella group, for four years. She also enjoys skiing, writing, watching people fall, and using organic sod in home design. Sarah kindly asks you to send donations to the inner-city organization she started last year: Glue Guns for Gangsters. Co-founder of What’s On Tap, Sarah is excited to serve as business manager and continue living the a cappella dream.
FAVORITE THING TO TAP: Telephone lines
NAME: Win Davis (no relation to Sarah, other than blood)
OCCUPATION: He politely asks others to do their job
HOMETOWN: Woodbridge, CT
VOICE PART: Laura calls him an alto, but we'll be nice and say he’s a tenor.
WIN ON TAP: He sang in high school with the chamber singers and at the University of Vermont with an all-male group called the Top Cats. After school, he wanted to stick with it and sang with the Shoreline Community Chorale before singing with What’s on Tap. He enjoys skinny skiing, going to bull fights on acid, babysitting, and golf.
FAVORITE THING TO HAVE ON TAP: Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA is a good thing to have on tap. A really good thing.
NAME: Alex "Beat Beast" Forte
OCCUPATION: Razor Blade QC Technician
HOME/CURRENT TOWN: Alex grew up in Cheshire, CT and currently lives in Hamden.
VOICE PART: Tenor, but usually serves as the groups’ vocal percussionist
ALEX ON TAP: Alex Forte began his singing career at the age of 11 as a member of an all-male quartet touring Beer Festivals in Bulgaria. The group was often paid in bratwurst sausages and sauerkraut, which is why Alex is currently unable to look at either without turning a certain shade of green. He later went to school at Harvard, where he earned a degree in Underwater Basket-Weaving. Alex performed with the little heard collegiate a cappella group, Wish We'd Gone to Yale. After graduating from Harvard, Alex decided that basket weaving under water was not what his destiny called for, so he took an overnight course at Lincoln Technical Institute in Razor Blade Quality Control. Alex is currently employed at Roy's Razor Emporium on Route 5.
FAVORITE THING TO HAVE ON TAP: Alex did not deign to answer such a gauche question.
NAME: Cullen Hagan
VOICE PART: Bass/Bari
OCCUPATION: Marketing Analyst
HOME/CURRENT TOWN: Lyme (as in the disease), CT
CULLEN ON TAP: After what could only be described as an underwhelming career with the trumpet (a career that culminated with his instrument being discarded off the Baldwin Bridge and into the murky depths of the Connecticut River) Cullen decided to take up singing. He sang with the Wheaton College Gentlemen Callers for four years and with the Wheaton College Chorale and Chamber Singers under the tutelage of Tim Harbold. When he's not working crunching numbers at Mohegan Sun, Cullen likes to read, watch sports and plot his meteoric rise towards global domination.
FAVORITE THING TO HAVE ON TAP: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
NAME: Laura Hartshorn
OCCUPATION: Elementary School Music Teacher
HOME/CURRENT TOWN: Laura is originally from Orange, CT and currently lives in New Haven.
VOICE PART: Soprano
LAURA ON TAP: Laura is a co-founder and the musical director of What’s On Tap. She attended New York University, where she majored in Music Education. At NYU, Laura was the musical director of the all-female a cappella group, The NYU Cleftomaniacs. After college, she taught elementary school music in the Bronx for a year before moving back to Connecticut to teach and go to school yet again! Laura is currently getting a Master’s degree in Special Education and Early Childhood Education from Southern Connecticut State University, and is teaching music at Osborn Hill Elementary School in Fairfield. She also works part-time in the laboratory at St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Bridgeport and teaches private voice lessons. When she’s not driving herself crazy with work and school, Laura likes arranging music, playing Frisbee, cooking, watching movies, catching up on the sleep, and singing with What’s On Tap!
FAVORITE THING TO HAVE ON TAP: Post-Its. She uses about 25 of them every day. Seriously.
NAME: Dan Jeanette
OCCUPATION: Writer, aspiring vintner
HOMETOWN: New Haven, CT
VOICE PART: Tenor
DAN ON TAP: Dan graduated in 2005 from the University of Connecticut. He worked in New York with the Metropolitan Opera for three years and is now living in New Haven working on a children’s book and looking to get involved with the wine industry. He has sung a cappella throughout high school and college and enjoys rock climbing and biking in his spare time. He is excited to be singing with What’s On Tap.
FAVORITE THING TO HAVE ON TAP: Can’t live without good wine.
NAME: Mike Johnson
OCCUPATION: Legislative analyst
HOME/CURRENT TOWN: Mike grew up in Oceanside, NY and now lives in Middletown, CT.
VOICE PART: Bass(ish)
MIKE ON TAP: Mike started singing in a Valentine’s Day show when he was 10. When he found out that he could carry a tune, his ego was never the same! Mike’s previous groups include the Kellenberg Memorial Firebird Swing, Four Heart Harmony at Sacred Heart University, and the Huntington Choral Society. Other than singing, Mike’s interests include happy hours in New Haven, playing tennis, watching Yankee games, and eating pizza.
FAVORITE THING TO TAP: Long Trail
NAME: Karen Lenahan
OCCUPATION: Museum Manager at the Eli Whitney Museum
HOME/CURRENT TOWN: New Haven, CT
VOICE PART: Alto? Soprano? Not sure...
KAREN ON TAP: Karen went to Georgetown, where she sang in the co-ed a cappella group called the Phantoms, majored in Psychology (which she does absolutely nothing with now) and spent most of her time working at Wisey's Deli, a favorite Gtown eatery. She lives in New Haven, works at the Eli Whitney Museum in Hamden and is getting her masters in Public Administration at UCONN. (She occasionally can be found waitressing at Temple Grill too). When Karen isn't doing any of those things, she can be found eating chocolate, wearing sweatpants, doing yoga, or cooking. Oh, and she also likes shaking her booty.
FAVORITE THING TO HAVE ON TAP: Dark chocolate
NAME: Allison Rock
OCCUPATION: Elementary School Music Teacher
HOME/CURRENT TOWN: Allison grew up in Colchester and now lives in Milford.
VOICE PART: Soprano
ALLISON ON TAP: Allison went to Syracuse University for her undergrad, and is currently finishing a master’s degree at the University of Hartford. In addition to What’s On Tap, Allison sings with the New Haven Chorale, and sang with several different groups in college. In addition to being a full-time music teacher, she also teaches private voice, piano and guitar.
FAVORITE THING TO HAVE ON TAP: Cosmopolitan
NAME: Julia Rowny
OCCUPATION: Middle/High School Math Teacher
HOME/CURRENT TOWN: Julia is originally from Washington DC, and currently lives in New Haven.
VOICE PART: Alto
JULIA ON TAP: A lot of people like Julia because she is polite and rarely late. She recently spent four years singing in the cornfields of central Ohio, which have reverb. Critics at her alma mater, Kenyon College, have deemed her performances “a-maize-ing.” Julia sang with the Kenyon College Chamber Singers, a jazz a cappella group called Take 5, and a “folk acousti-pella” group, the Stairwells, before settling in New Haven.
FAVORITE THING TO HAVE ON TAP: Sprite
What's On Tap was established in February 2008.
We are a fun loving crew of about 15 guys and gals in their twenties and thirties who all love to sing and like to be good at it. We are based in the greater New Haven area and rehearse twice a week. Our repertoire consists of well-known selections of pop, oldies and rock and almost all of our music is arranged by Laura, our musical director, giving us a unique and original sound. We perform whenever possible with other groups, in public and at private parties... we've even been hired to arrange and sing specific songs at the host or bride's request, so please keep us in mind for your next special event.
We're always looking for new talent, so if you've got mad singing skills, check out the ‘audition’ link on our contact page. Thanks for your interest in What's On Tap!
Our current lineup features:
NAME: Sarah Davis
OCCUPATION: Orthopedic Medical Sales Rep.
HOMETOWN: Woodbridge, CT
VOICE PART: Alto
SARAH ON TAP: Sarah popped out of her mother’s womb holding a pitch pipe, uttering her first a cappella syllables (abba dabba do bow wow) at the ripe age of 2 minutes. At Connecticut College, Sarah sang with the Shwiffs, an all-female a cappella group, for four years. She also enjoys skiing, writing, watching people fall, and using organic sod in home design. Sarah kindly asks you to send donations to the inner-city organization she started last year: Glue Guns for Gangsters. Co-founder of What’s On Tap, Sarah is excited to serve as business manager and continue living the a cappella dream.
FAVORITE THING TO TAP: Telephone lines
NAME: Win Davis (no relation to Sarah, other than blood)
OCCUPATION: He politely asks others to do their job
HOMETOWN: Woodbridge, CT
VOICE PART: Laura calls him an alto, but we'll be nice and say he’s a tenor.
WIN ON TAP: He sang in high school with the chamber singers and at the University of Vermont with an all-male group called the Top Cats. After school, he wanted to stick with it and sang with the Shoreline Community Chorale before singing with What’s on Tap. He enjoys skinny skiing, going to bull fights on acid, babysitting, and golf.
FAVORITE THING TO HAVE ON TAP: Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA is a good thing to have on tap. A really good thing.
NAME: Alex "Beat Beast" Forte
OCCUPATION: Razor Blade QC Technician
HOME/CURRENT TOWN: Alex grew up in Cheshire, CT and currently lives in Hamden.
VOICE PART: Tenor, but usually serves as the groups’ vocal percussionist
ALEX ON TAP: Alex Forte began his singing career at the age of 11 as a member of an all-male quartet touring Beer Festivals in Bulgaria. The group was often paid in bratwurst sausages and sauerkraut, which is why Alex is currently unable to look at either without turning a certain shade of green. He later went to school at Harvard, where he earned a degree in Underwater Basket-Weaving. Alex performed with the little heard collegiate a cappella group, Wish We'd Gone to Yale. After graduating from Harvard, Alex decided that basket weaving under water was not what his destiny called for, so he took an overnight course at Lincoln Technical Institute in Razor Blade Quality Control. Alex is currently employed at Roy's Razor Emporium on Route 5.
FAVORITE THING TO HAVE ON TAP: Alex did not deign to answer such a gauche question.
NAME: Cullen Hagan
VOICE PART: Bass/Bari
OCCUPATION: Marketing Analyst
HOME/CURRENT TOWN: Lyme (as in the disease), CT
CULLEN ON TAP: After what could only be described as an underwhelming career with the trumpet (a career that culminated with his instrument being discarded off the Baldwin Bridge and into the murky depths of the Connecticut River) Cullen decided to take up singing. He sang with the Wheaton College Gentlemen Callers for four years and with the Wheaton College Chorale and Chamber Singers under the tutelage of Tim Harbold. When he's not working crunching numbers at Mohegan Sun, Cullen likes to read, watch sports and plot his meteoric rise towards global domination.
FAVORITE THING TO HAVE ON TAP: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
NAME: Laura Hartshorn
OCCUPATION: Elementary School Music Teacher
HOME/CURRENT TOWN: Laura is originally from Orange, CT and currently lives in New Haven.
VOICE PART: Soprano
LAURA ON TAP: Laura is a co-founder and the musical director of What’s On Tap. She attended New York University, where she majored in Music Education. At NYU, Laura was the musical director of the all-female a cappella group, The NYU Cleftomaniacs. After college, she taught elementary school music in the Bronx for a year before moving back to Connecticut to teach and go to school yet again! Laura is currently getting a Master’s degree in Special Education and Early Childhood Education from Southern Connecticut State University, and is teaching music at Osborn Hill Elementary School in Fairfield. She also works part-time in the laboratory at St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Bridgeport and teaches private voice lessons. When she’s not driving herself crazy with work and school, Laura likes arranging music, playing Frisbee, cooking, watching movies, catching up on the sleep, and singing with What’s On Tap!
FAVORITE THING TO HAVE ON TAP: Post-Its. She uses about 25 of them every day. Seriously.
NAME: Dan Jeanette
OCCUPATION: Writer, aspiring vintner
HOMETOWN: New Haven, CT
VOICE PART: Tenor
DAN ON TAP: Dan graduated in 2005 from the University of Connecticut. He worked in New York with the Metropolitan Opera for three years and is now living in New Haven working on a children’s book and looking to get involved with the wine industry. He has sung a cappella throughout high school and college and enjoys rock climbing and biking in his spare time. He is excited to be singing with What’s On Tap.
FAVORITE THING TO HAVE ON TAP: Can’t live without good wine.
NAME: Mike Johnson
OCCUPATION: Legislative analyst
HOME/CURRENT TOWN: Mike grew up in Oceanside, NY and now lives in Middletown, CT.
VOICE PART: Bass(ish)
MIKE ON TAP: Mike started singing in a Valentine’s Day show when he was 10. When he found out that he could carry a tune, his ego was never the same! Mike’s previous groups include the Kellenberg Memorial Firebird Swing, Four Heart Harmony at Sacred Heart University, and the Huntington Choral Society. Other than singing, Mike’s interests include happy hours in New Haven, playing tennis, watching Yankee games, and eating pizza.
FAVORITE THING TO TAP: Long Trail
NAME: Karen Lenahan
OCCUPATION: Museum Manager at the Eli Whitney Museum
HOME/CURRENT TOWN: New Haven, CT
VOICE PART: Alto? Soprano? Not sure...
KAREN ON TAP: Karen went to Georgetown, where she sang in the co-ed a cappella group called the Phantoms, majored in Psychology (which she does absolutely nothing with now) and spent most of her time working at Wisey's Deli, a favorite Gtown eatery. She lives in New Haven, works at the Eli Whitney Museum in Hamden and is getting her masters in Public Administration at UCONN. (She occasionally can be found waitressing at Temple Grill too). When Karen isn't doing any of those things, she can be found eating chocolate, wearing sweatpants, doing yoga, or cooking. Oh, and she also likes shaking her booty.
FAVORITE THING TO HAVE ON TAP: Dark chocolate
NAME: Allison Rock
OCCUPATION: Elementary School Music Teacher
HOME/CURRENT TOWN: Allison grew up in Colchester and now lives in Milford.
VOICE PART: Soprano
ALLISON ON TAP: Allison went to Syracuse University for her undergrad, and is currently finishing a master’s degree at the University of Hartford. In addition to What’s On Tap, Allison sings with the New Haven Chorale, and sang with several different groups in college. In addition to being a full-time music teacher, she also teaches private voice, piano and guitar.
FAVORITE THING TO HAVE ON TAP: Cosmopolitan
NAME: Julia Rowny
OCCUPATION: Middle/High School Math Teacher
HOME/CURRENT TOWN: Julia is originally from Washington DC, and currently lives in New Haven.
VOICE PART: Alto
JULIA ON TAP: A lot of people like Julia because she is polite and rarely late. She recently spent four years singing in the cornfields of central Ohio, which have reverb. Critics at her alma mater, Kenyon College, have deemed her performances “a-maize-ing.” Julia sang with the Kenyon College Chamber Singers, a jazz a cappella group called Take 5, and a “folk acousti-pella” group, the Stairwells, before settling in New Haven.
FAVORITE THING TO HAVE ON TAP: Sprite