"CAN HAS A BIG SMILE AND A BIGGER VOICE, AN INFECTIOUS ENTHUSIASM AND A KNACK FOR CAPTIVATING STORYTELLING."
- Gerry Geddes
Can M. Yasar (pronounced “John”) is a Turkish award-winning actor, writer, and musician based in New York City. His work blends cabaret, musical theatre, and solo performance to tell stories of identity, faith, and belonging. Can’s solo show A Hundred Dollar Bill won the “Best Autobiographical Award” at the United Solo Theater Festival at Theater Row. His cabaret debut Turkish Rhapsody at Don’t Tell Mama earned the Broadway World “Best Cabaret Debut” Award and a MAC Award nomination for “Best Male Debut.” Other credits include Smoke Point (Brick Theater), Master of Time (Teatro LATEA), and Only Place I Belong (The Tank).
He has collaborated with institutions such as Target Margin Theater and CrossPollination, and was a fellow at The O’Neill Cabaret Conference under the leadership of Emmy and Grammy Award winner John McDaniel. As an immigrant Muslim artist, Can creates work that explores home, love, and acceptance with humor, heart, and a fearless pursuit of authenticity. His performances invite audiences to reflect, connect, and imagine new possibilities for themselves and the world around them. By writing his own work, he advocates for inclusion and representation, addresses complex subjects, and strives to create innovative, thought-provoking theater.