Michelle Federer News

'This is a very special edition of Broadway Rewind,' says BroadwayWorld's Richard Ridge, 'because it is a look at the musical Wicked, which has gone on to become a worldwide phenomenon. It's with the show's original stars, just six months after the show opened. I was invited by the shows original publicist, the beloved Bob Fennel, who passed away way to young, to sit in the dressings rooms of Kristin Chenoweth, Idina Menzel, Joel Grey, Michelle Federer and the late great Carole Shelley and chat about their individual journeys with Wicked.'

The Olivier Award-winning, international sensation SLAVA'S SNOWSHOW returns to Broadway for a limited holiday engagement at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre (124 W 43rd St., NYC) through January 5, 2020.

Oh what a celebration we'll have today because it's the sixteenth anniversary of Wicked, which opened at Broadway's Gershwin Theatre on October 30, 2003. We're helping our fellow Ozians rejoicify by looking back at what the show's original cast has been up to since leaving the smash hit, including Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, Norbert Leo Butz, and more. Check it all out!

On Sunday, October 13th, Tony Award nominee Laura Osnes spent the day with a group of students at Broadway Artists Alliance, workshopping audition material and sharing stories about her experience on Broadway. Osnes was most recently seen on Broadway in the critically acclaimed production Bandstand, in which she originated the role of Julia Trojan and was nominated for a Drama Desk Award. Osnes is also well known for her starring turns in Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella (Ella, Tony Award Nomination), Bonnie and Clyde (Bonnie, Tony Award Nomination), Anything Goes (Hope Harcourt), South Pacific (Nellie Forbush) and Grease (Sandy). Osnes took time out of her busy schedule to connect with the students and share her advice for navigating the theater industry.

On Thursday, July 25th, Tony® Award winner Beth Leavel stopped by Broadway Artists Alliance to share some words of wisdom before the students' highly anticipated industry showcase. Leavel has been starring as Dee Dee McAllen in the Broadway hit The Prom for the last year, a role for which she received a Tony® Award nomination for Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical. She is also well known for her Tony® Award win for The Drowsy Chaperone, and her other Broadway credits include Bandstand (June Adams), Elf (Emily), Baby It's You! (Florence Greenberg, Tony® Award nomination), Mamma Mia (Donna), 42nd Street (Annie, Dorothy Brock), Showboat (Ellie), and The Civil War (Mabel, Mrs. Bixby).  Leavel took time out of her busy show schedule to connect with the students and share her advice for navigating the theater industry. 

On Thursday, July 18th, Tony® Award winner Santino Fontana surprised the students of Broadway Artists Alliance during their exciting week of master classes and rehearsals in the heart of New York City. It's been a little over a month since Fontana took home the 2019 Tony® award for playing Michael Dorsey/Dorothy Michaels in Tootsie, but he is also well known for his roles in Cinderella, Hello, Dolly!, Billy Elliot, The Importance of Being Earnest, and for his various roles on screen in shows and movies like Frozen, Crazy-Ex Girlfriend and Fosse/Verdon. Fontana took time out of his busy show schedule to share some encouraging words with the young performers.

Deciding where to go for college or university is nothing short of daunting. There are all kinds of factors to consider such as location, ideal class size, and admission requirements. We're rounding up some of the top theatre schools to give students some stats to consider when getting ready to apply or even transfer.

The stars are shining on tonight's red carpet, and BroadwayWorld's got a first look - check out the first batch of arrivals below, including Josh Groban, Cynthia Erivo, Laura Osnes and more!

This past Sunday, Will Roland led a song interpretation Master Class for a few lucky students of Broadway Artists Alliance of NYC.

On Friday, August 5th, the students of Broadway Artists Alliance received a visit from Tony Award winner, Jessie Mueller. She charmed them from the first moment when she sat down for her interview and rescued an eyelash from Artistic Director Jennifer Johns' cheek so that she could make a wish. Mueller's down-to-earth insight and wisdom was welcomed by the students of Broadway Artists Alliance in a Q&A that seemed to fly by. Scroll down for photos!

On July 21st, the students of Broadway Artists Alliance of NYC were tearfully overjoyed by a surprise visit from Hamilton star Renee Elise Goldsberry. Recently winning a Tony Award and Grammy for her role as Angelica Schuyler, Goldsberry spoke about the incredible journey that Hamilton has taken from workshopping a concept, to performing at The Public and moving to the Richard Rodgers Theatre, to earning 16 Tony nominations and winning a Pulitzer Prize. Goldsberry captivated the students of Broadway Artists Alliance during a lively Q&A where she offered generous advice. Scroll down for photos from her appearance!

Tony Award Winner, Laura Benanti, delighted the students of Broadway Artists Alliance's Summer Intensive program with a surprise visit this past Thursday! Benanti, who recently finished up a successful run of She Loves Me (2016 Tony Nomination for Leading Actress in a Musical), was as inciteful and entertaining off stage as she is on, during her Q&A with these aspiring young professionals. Scroll down for photos!

Tony Award Nominee and School of Rock's leading man, Alex Brightman, visited the students of Broadway Artists Alliance on Thursday, July 7th. Brightman spoke of how his career journey led to originating the role of Dewey Finn, which earned him a Tony nomination for Best Actor in a Musical. Scroll down for photos!

How many of these great songs do you know from underappreciated musicals?

Midtown Direct Rep (MDR) will present LET IT SING! Broadway Comes Home for the Holidays, a one-night-only benefit concert on Monday, December 21, 2015 at 7:30pm at the South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC, One SOPAC Way, South Orange, NJ 07079).

Midtown Direct Rep (MDR) will present LET IT SING! Broadway Comes Home for the Holidays, a one-night-only benefit concert on Monday, December 21, 2015 at 7:30pm at the South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC, One SOPAC Way, South Orange, NJ 07079). Tickets are $30-$50 and can be purchased at www.sopacnow.org or by calling 973-313-ARTS (2787). For direct link to purchase tickets, please Click Here.

Midtown Direct Rep (MDR) continues its 2015-16 Theater in the Loft series at the South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) with a staged reading of WHAT GOD HATH WROUGHT ~ A TRANSATLANTIC FARCE, written by John Walch, with songs by Rachel Peters.

Midtown Direct Rep (MDR) continues its 2015-16 Theater in the Loft series at the South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) with a staged reading of What God Hath Wrought! ~ A Transatlantic Farce, written by John Walch, with songs by Rachel Peters.

MIDTOWN DIRECT REP (MDR), the theatre company in residence at the South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC), concludes their Theatre in the Loft series with a staged reading of a new serio-comedy by the playwright of Rated P (for Parenthood)andThe Cottage, Sandy Rustin. STRUCK will be directed by Will Pomerantz (The Blue Flower). The reading of STRUCK is on Sunday, March 8 at 7:00 pm at SOPAC (One Sopac Way, South Orange, NJ, 07079).

'Stone', a new play by David Wiltse (A MARRIAGE MINUET, SEDITION), will have a reading Jan 13 at the Playwrights Theatre of New Jersey.