BWW Video Interview: LAURA OSNES: Born for Broadway in Minnesota + Spotlight Education Showcase

Minnesota born and raised Laura Osnes, well-known Broadway star of CINDERELLA, BONNIE & CLYDE, ANYTHING GOES and GREASE, knew from the beginning she was a performer. Her education via theatre in the Twin Cities like Children's Theatre Company and others paved the way for her current status. As a high school student at Eagan High, she got a taste of the big stage at Minneapolis' State Theatre via the Spotlight Education Program at Hennepin Theatre Trust.

Now Osnes is giving back to students across Minnesota as the Spotlight Education Spokesperson and leading master classes with students. She sat down with me recently to talk about this program, her own background and what's next for her on stage in NYC and back here in Minnesota, including a July performance with the Minnesota Orchestra that reunites her with another Minnesota-connected star, Santino Fontana (who was her Prince in CINDERELLA on Broadway and is a graduate of the Guthrie Theatre/University of MN BFA program).

Watch the interview with Laura Osnes now:

Spotlight Education Showcase information:

The annual SPOTLIGHT SHOWCASE, a component of the Trust's Spotlight Education program, will run June 12-13 at the historic State Theatre (805 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis). Professionally produced, SPOTLIGHT SHOWCASE highlights the hard work and talents of the state's finest musical theatre students and programs with live performances. Schools and students are honored in categories including individual performances, overall productions and technical achievement.

More than 80 schools participate from across Minnesota with more than 5,000 students benefitting from the year-long educational opportunities including master classes, critical review and production assessments along with the annual showcase.

Tickets are on sale to the general public at the State Theatre Box Office, charge-by-phone at (800) 982-2787 and online at HennepinTheatreTrust.org.

The Spotlight Education program is funded, in part, by the Minnesota State Arts Board through the arts and cultural heritage fund as appropriated by the Minnesota State Legislature with money from the Legacy Amendment vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008.

Photo: Laura Osnes, Spotlight Education Spokesperson, Courtesy of Hennepin Theatre Trust

Video: Laura Osnes, interviewed at State Theatre, Minneapolis, March 2016, for BroadwayWorld Minneapolis by Kristen Hirsch Montag; videography and editing by Dale Stark, Hennepin Theatre Trust.