BWW Exclusive: Josh Radnor, Auli'i Cravalho & Damon J. Gillespie Get Ready to RISE on NBC!

BroadwayWorld recently got to chat with cast members from the new NBC series Rise. Hear what Auli'i Cravalho, Josh Radnor, and Damon J. Gillespie have to say about their characters, inspiring young people, and the importance of a good teacher.

Cravalho, still reeling from her break as the title role in Moana, is thrilled to be inspiring young girls with yet another role of hers. "It means the absolute world to me. This character is so close to my heart," Cravalho said. "She doesn't come from a perfect home and no one does and that's what counts. That no matter what, no matter what your passion is, no matter where you start out from, it's where you go and what you do with your life, that is something that even you don't fully know and you won't know until you try."

Given his background in musical theatre, it comes as no surprise that Gillespie names the show's ensemble as his favorite part of the experience. "It is everything you want from ensemble theatre where you have that very intimate relationship and you bring it on the screen and it's everything you want and it's wonderful," he says.

Radnor loves to be in a show where TEACHERS are heroic and inspiring, and he notes that we unfortunately do not see that represented often enough. "I started acting in a high school Drama Department in Columbus, Ohio," Radnor said. "I think a lot of people fell in love with theatre [then], even if they didn't go on to do it professionally. It's a really transformative thing to be a part of theatre when you're in high school. A good teacher in that regard or a good director can really change your life."

From Jason Katims, writer and executive producer of "Friday Night Lights" and "Parenthood," and "Hamilton" producer Jeffrey Seller comes a heartening new drama about finding inspiration in unexpected places. When dedicated teacher and family man Lou Mazzuchelli (Josh Radnor) sheds his own self-doubt and takes over the school's lackluster theater department, he galvanizes not only the faculty and students but the entire working-class town. Inspired by a true story.

The cast includes Josh Radnor, Rosie Perez, Marley Shelton, Auli'i Cravalho, Damon J. Gillespie, Amy Forsyth, Rarmian Newton, Ted Sutherland, Casey Johnson, Taylor Richardson, Joe Tippett and Shirley Rumierk.

Jason Katims will write and executive produce. Mike Cahill will direct and executive produce. Michelle Lee, Jeffrey Seller and Flody Suarez also executive produce. "Rise" is produced by Universal Television, True Jack Productions and Seller Suarez Productions.

Photo Credit: Peter Kramer/NBC