9 TO 5 and More Set for Baldwin Wallace Music Theatre 2025-26 Season

Baldwin Wallace University's music theatre program is coming into sharper focus with the announcement of an expanded 2025-26 production season, new professional theatre partnerships, more frequent masterclasses and much more.

Starting in August, the program will be led by new music theatre director Jenn Hemphill, new music theatre music director Richard Biever and longtime dance director Greg Daniels, along with a plethora of talented voice, acting and dance faculty in the BW Conservatory of Performing Arts (COPA).

The much-anticipated fall mainstage musical will be "9 to 5" with guest music supervisor Susan Draus (music director of Broadway's "Good Vibrations" and numerous national tours).

New this year, an added fall performance opportunity with a staged reading of the musical "Assassins."

The winter musical will be "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" in collaboration with new BW partner Near West Theatre. "We are proud to team up with BWMT and thrilled to collaborate with the program's music theatre talent on this production," said Trinidad Snider, Near West Theatre artistic director.

BW's annual spring partnership with Playhouse Square will feature a fully produced premiere of "Star Machine," written by brothers and BW students Gideon '25 and Hank '26 Temple. A New York guest director with experience helming new theatre works will lead the run, along with Broadway music director Wendy Bobbitt Cavett ("Come from Away," "Mamma Mia" and "Scarlet Pimpernel") as music supervisor.

Both longtime and new professional partners in Cleveland's thriving theater scene will be part of the BWMT experience moving forward. BW's strong partnership with Playhouse Square will mark its 19th year in 2026!

New BWMT partner Near West Theatre offers a beautiful, 10-year-old theatre venue and represents one of the most diverse theatre organizations in the region, including the artists on stage and behind the scenes, as well as the audiences in the seats.

Under a new expanded partnership, Cleveland Play House (CPH) will increase opportunities for BWMT students to audition for all CPH productions. The first round of CPH auditions for the 2025-26 season took place last week.

CPH artistic director Michael Barakiva commented, "I am deeply impressed by the work of the BW students, both in 'Fiddler' rehearsals and at auditions last week. I look forward to inviting many of them back for callbacks with our mainstage directors for our '25-'26 season."

Artistic directors at other area theaters also confirm they are eager to cast BWMT students in their productions.

One of the hallmarks of a BW music theatre education is a robust masterclass series, which will also expand in the coming year to include returning and new Broadway industry professionals for added networking aimed at opening more doors to success.

The growing lineup of world-class agents, talent managers and artists already confirmed to come to campus for the coming year includes Broadway actor John Hemphill, who is currently appearing in "Redwood" with Idina Menzel, and BWMT alumna Veronica Otim '20.

After multiple visits to BW for masterclasses in the coming academic year, Hemphill will join the BWMT acting faculty in fall 2026.

To develop plans for the next season and beyond, BW Conservatory leaders sought extensive feedback from students, alumni and industry partners and will implement additional changes as a result, including a newly augmented acting curriculum.

"We'll roll out acting training that is more sequenced and add an 'Acting Bootcamp' course, which will be open to all current BWMT students this fall, with a continuation in the spring," explained Jenn Hemphill. "These changes will give our students an immediate opportunity to increase foundational acting skills that will give them an important edge in casting."

Other changes based on dialogue with current students:

• Senior Recitals will resume as in-person events at the end of fall semester.
• New York City headshot artist Michael Kushner will spend three days photographing students in the fall with a donor covering the cost to all seniors.
• Regular, holistic wellness check-ins (physical, vocal, mental health) will be added to the BWMT schedule.

While the program leadership vows to innovate and evolve along with the industry, students are eager to keep some elements the same.