BWW Blog: Give My Regards to BEAR-dway with Nicole D'Angelo

Nicole D'Angelo (she/they), gigging musician and actor, wants to help you with your next Broadway-inspired gift.

For Halloween in times past, D'Angelo began creating Broadway-inspired costumes. One year it was Evan Hansen, and the next, she decided to go bigger: HAMILTON.

Coming from a family that loves Broadway, she wanted to take her sewing skills to create a special gift for her mother. "I thought that she wouldn't want her own full [HAMILTON-inspired] costume... So what's the next best thing? A teddy bear, of course!" She tells me in our recent interview.

And thus, her small business, Custom Broadway Bears, was born.

Her designs don't stop at Hamilton-inspired bears. There's "Elizabeth Schuybear", "Anne Bearlyn", "Beartlejuice", and more. The subsequent designs are inspired by SIX and BEETLEJUICE.

"As a queer and disabled owned business, I really strive for accessibility," D'Angelo says, "and I understand that not everyone can afford a full-sized bear. So, I've been making smaller 'baby' bears at a lower price point." Most recently, her WAITRESS-inspired "Baby Jenna Bear" has been a hit. A TikTok detailing how they are made just surpassed 34K views. D'Angelo also makes custom requests.

You can check out more of Nicole's work on her instagram, @custombroadwaybears, and her TikTok, @custombroadwaybears. And, be sure to check out the Custom Broadway Bears Etsy page here to purchase your very own Broadway-inspired furry friend.