Interview: Director Eric Vaughn Johnson On OFC Creations' 2026-2027 Broadway in Brighton Series

OFC Creations Theatre has announced its 2026-2027 Broadway in Brighton Series™, returning for a fourth year with six professional musical productions under the direction of Eric Vaughn Johnson. The season features performers from New York City, Los Angeles, and across the country, and is built around a theme of worldwide adventure, transporting audiences from familiar destinations to far-off places. The lineup includes HAIRSPRAY!, A CHRISTMAS STORY: THE MUSICAL, KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN, THE WITCHES OF EASTWICK, THE OSMONDS: A NEW MUSICAL, and MISS SAIGON, with two special add-ons in BUN IN THE OVEN: CONTRACTIONS WITH THE CALAMARI SISTERS and Jim Henson's EMMET OTTER'S JUG-BAND CHRISTMAS.

Johnson is an award-winning director, producer, and writer from Rochester who founded OFC Creations in 2005. He is perhaps best known for directing and co-writing the world premiere of Eddie Money's original stage show TWO TICKETS TO PARADISE: THE MUSICAL at the Kodak Center, and his professional directing credits include WEST SIDE STORY, OLIVER, MARY POPPINS, SISTER ACT, and MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET. Through the Broadway in Brighton Series, he has collaborated with celebrity stars including Jodi Benson, Blake McIver Ewing, Kel Mitchell, and Garrett Clayton.

BroadwayWorld spoke with Johnson about curating a season of rarely seen shows, the historic opportunity to stage the first licensed North American production of THE OSMONDS, and what OFC's continued growth says about Rochester's appetite for professional regional theatre.

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What was the vision behind curating the 2026-2027 Broadway in Brighton Series around a theme of worldwide adventure, and how did that concept shape the final selection of shows?

When picking our season we wanted to feature a range of shows that audiences may not have had the chance to experience before, but may have heard of. A lot of these types of shows are rarely done that are set in far off places and have unique challenges causing most theatres not to tackle them. We want the shows to be more than just "going to the theatre" we want to make them an experience, and what is more of an experience than traveling on an adventure? Going somewhere you haven't been before? Maybe it is traveling back in time, or traveling around the globe, or just jumping over to Baltimore. Sitting in the theatre we want our audiences to feel that excitement of going somewhere new but nostalgic, and the 2026-2027 Broadway in Brighton Series will do just that!

THE WITCHES OF EASTWICK has only been produced six times in the United States. What drew you to bring this rarely seen musical to Rochester, and what can audiences expect from OFC's production?

THE WITCHES OF EASTWICK is SUCH a fun show and we're so excited to bring this to Rochester for the first time! Many audience members will know the 1987 movie that starred Jack Nicholson, Cher, Susan Sarandon, and Michelle Pfeiffer, but the musical version that came out in 2000 has been mainly only seen on the West End and in Australia, with only roughly six productions in the United States ever! This is the type of show we know our audiences will love and expect from us, shows and stories they may have heard of before but have never gotten the chance to see. The musical is very similar to the movie but the musical score takes this story to a whole new level! This is absolutely our biggest dance show of the season, a dark musical comedy where the production numbers keep getting bigger and bigger and the circumstances our characters get themselves into keep getting more ridiculous. Similar to when we brought THE BOY FROM OZ to New York State for the first time in 20 years, and when we premiered THE PRINCE OF EGYPT in New York State for the first time, seeing THE WITCHES OF EASTWICK next season may be a once in a lifetime opportunity for our audiences, and is absolutely not something to be missed. It is certainly a highlight of next year!

OFC will be presenting the first licensed North American production of THE OSMONDS: A NEW MUSICAL. How did that historic opportunity come about, and what does it mean for OFC to be the first theatre in North America to stage this show?

The fans of The Osmonds are incredibly loyal and care so much about The Osmonds who created the songs that became a soundtrack to their generation, and these fans have been begging for this brand-new musical to come to the U.S for years. THE OSMONDS: A NEW MUSICAL was a huge hit in the West End opening in 2022, but never made it over to the U.S. This was the perfect show for OFC to premiere as part of our season as we love bringing (and sometimes workshopping) new shows in our space. Last year, OFC was one of the first theatres to present EMMET OTTER'S JUG-BAND CHRISTMAS, collaborating with the Jim Henson Company and iTheatrics we workshopped the show to sold out audiences. I also co-wrote and directed the premiere of Eddie Money's 2018 musical TWO TICKETS TO PARADISE, working alongside the late Money-Man (who also starred in the show); and I wrote the script to several other musicals including parody pieces. Having these experiences, alongside regionally premiering so many shows previously (THE PRINCE OF EGYPT, FINDING NEVERLAND), this was the perfect show for us to tackle. We know Jay Osmond is so thrilled that his musical is making it to North America, and with the incredible team and cast we've assembled, we know it will set the bar high as this musical becomes more widely known across the country.

KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN is a Tony Award-winning musical that hasn't been seen in Rochester in over a decade. Why was now the right time to bring it back, and what excites you most about directing it?

We've been trying to bring KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN to OFC for a few years, and now with the recent Jennifer Lopez movie that came out, this is the perfect time to bring the full show to our community. While the recent movie was really well done, it took the story in a different direction and eliminated a bunch of the songs and plot points that make this musical so incredibly amazing. We want our audiences to experience this entire beautiful piece. Although the show is set in the 80s and set in Argentina, there are so many elements of this story that will resonate with our local audiences today, resistance, gender identity, standing up for what's right, and showing love for a friend that you would do anything for. While many audience members may not be familiar with this show, I really encourage everyone (18 and older please!) to take a chance on this one. It is unlike any other musical I've ever seen, and is probably why many claim this is Kander and Ebb's best musical (which I agree with).

Can you talk about the process of working directly with authors, estates, and securing special professional licensing agreements to build a season like this? What does that effort look like behind the scenes?

Our show selection process takes over a year, sometimes longer, as the show titles we want to bring to Rochester usually are not widely available. This all starts with making a list of our favorite movies, books, and stories and wondering, "does a musical version of this exist" and if so, how many people will recognize it? Once we know it is a good fit, we have to track down who has access to it, and usually this results with many dead ends. But creating relationships with incredibly talented authors and representatives of these works and showing them the unique nature of our productions, most recently bringing Elaine Hendrix (THE PARENT TRAP, DANCING WITH THE STARS) for HELLO DOLLY, gives them a reason to explore this further with us. We have a laundry list of shows we are so hopeful to bring to Rochester in the future when the stars align. But in the meantime, with the shows we have, we want to continue putting on great musicals and fostering these wonderful relationships with Theatre Partners from across the country.

OFC is returning to EMMET OTTER'S JUG-BAND CHRISTMAS in collaboration with the Jim Henson Company. What has that partnership been like, and what makes OFC one of the first theatres in the country to consistently present this production?

We LOVE Emmet Otter! And it is clear fans do as well! After selling out last year, we knew that couldn't be the end for this story. We know so many audience members couldn't get tickets to see it, or want to see it again, and we had to bring it back, with the exact same cast, as an add on for the 2026-2027 season. What really takes this show over the top is working with the Jim Henson Company and featuring their beautiful and timeless puppets in this story. Those familiar with the beloved television special will be pleasantly surprised to see a wide mix of live human characters alongside the Emmet Otter puppets creating a very unique world for this heartwarming story. With brand new songs by Paul Williams, Emmet Otter is a musical like nothing I have seen before, bringing together so many artforms to make this story magical for audiences. Last year we were able to workshop a few scenes and see how audiences responded, and with puppets, the audiences loved all of the choices made! Jordan Brownlee, who starred in the NYC and Chicago runs of Emmet Otter, will once again be joining us as our puppet director and in the show, his expertise and precision in making the show come to life is the cherry on top. It wouldn't be possible without Jordan, the Jim Henson Company working with us again, and this whole cast and crew who believes so deeply in making this show magical. This year we will also be one of the first theatres to pilot Emmet Otter Jr, the shorter version of the show with our students. OFC has a large theatre school of students ages 4 to 18 and they will be among the first to work with actors from our Broadway in Brighton production putting on the educational version of this show. We hope this is the beginning of many more theatres and communities getting to bring Emmet Otter's new musical to their stage!

MISS SAIGON is returning to Rochester for the first time in eight years and features a co-direction credit alongside Eric Quang Gelb. Can you tell us about that collaborative directing approach and what audiences can expect from this production?

Eric Quang Gelb is such a gift to us and to all of the theatres he works with. We had the pleasure of working with him on our production of ANYTHING GOES (starring Kel Mitchell) and JERSEY BOYS and he brings such warmth, talent, and dedication to everything he touches. I was fortunate enough to sit on rehearsals when he directed XANADU last year, and the way he works with actors and brings his 100% to everything he is involved with is mesmerizing. We've wanted to bring MISS SAIGON to our stage for a number of years and have been waiting for the right time. We always want to bring authenticity to the shows we are bringing to our stage, and this is incredibly important with a piece like MISS SAIGON. Without the many meetings and brainstorming sessions with Eric Quang Gelb, and his wholehearted agreement and passion to take on this show, doing MISS SAIGON would not be possible. With the show being over 10 months away, he already has so many unique ideas that really challenge this story. While the pieces of MISS SAIGON audiences love will be there, the vision Eric Quang Gelb brings to the story will feel reignited and reenergized for what modern audiences want to see. Bring your tissues.

With performers being brought in from New York City, Los Angeles, and across the country, as well as Hollywood actors and Tony Award nominees in starring roles, how do you approach casting for a season this ambitious?

Scott Charles with Charles Casting Company has been our casting director for three years and the collaboration we have with him is electrifying, we have so much fun dreaming up "what if" situations while also making sure justice is done for the shows we present. This year we have already announced that GloZell Green (the original Queen of YouTube) will be lighting up our stage in A CHRISTMAS STORY as Ralphie's no-nonsense school teacher. Who knew GloZell had her BFA in Musical Theatre? Our hope with bringing actors in from NYC, LA and across the country is to make our shows at OFC one of a kind, a show that they can only see for a brief moment in time with us, until it is a distant memory. And we're so fortunate that there is such a huge talented community of performers in Rochester, Buffalo and Syracuse that come to join us locally too. Our local performers alongside performers from out of town help build each other up and reconsider that possibly our local performers may want to move to NYC and do this as a full time career, and our series was the first part of the process to make that possible. We love seeing these connections and journeys happen!

This is the fourth year of the Broadway in Brighton Series. How has the series evolved since its launch, and what does its continued growth say about Rochester's appetite for professional regional theatre?

Four years has flown by! The series has definitely evolved from what we originally imagined four years ago, from starting off with Garrett Clayton in THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW, it was clear from that point on that the sky was the limit! How can we think outside the box with these shows? What do audiences want to see? We believe strongly in listening to our audiences and hearing from them what they want more of, and doing everything we do for them. We want to make them proud, we want them to look forward to the next show, and the next season. The sky is still the limit and we want to bring them the very best, in a unique and one-of-a-kind way!

With subscription packages now on sale and single tickets going on sale in June 2026, what would you say to someone who has never attended a Broadway in Brighton production to convince them that the 2026-2027 season is the one to finally experience?

There is no time like now to join us! Yes, you may have seen HAIRSPRAY and MISS SAIGON before, but have you seen them in an intimate 260-seat theatre? Our space feels like you are part of the show, and that's part of the magic of this season's theme, "going on a world wide adventure," you get to be part of the show without even leaving your seat. But 2027 starts off with three shows you've most likely never seen before, and might not have another opportunity to see, KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN, WITCHES OF EASTWICK, THE OSMONDS, you've heard of them, now finally get the chance to experience them with the most amazing casts. And who doesn't want to see GloZell tell Ralphie Parker he'll shoot his eye out in A CHRISTMAS STORY? This is the time to see theatre. Without you, the audience, we don't have anything. We need the support from Rochester, and beyond, to be able to keep bringing these unique offerings to the stage. And we believe it is possible! Now, take a chance on us!

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