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A.A. Cristi - Page 7

A.A. Cristi

A.A. Cristi is a Managing Editor and Features Writer for BroadwayWorld. For more than a decade, she has covered theater news from coast to coast, attended major industry events including the Tony Awards, and contributed extensive special features ranging from in-depth interviews and original exclusives to long-form historical research projects.

She is a graduate of the College of Staten Island, where she earned a degree in Communications/Journalism. Her performance and production experience includes work both onstage and behind the scenes with La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club, Theater for the New City, Midtown International Theatre Festival, Richard Frankel Productions, NYU Tisch School of the Arts, Scorpio Entertainment, Commercial Theater Institute, FringeNYC, Planet Connections Theatre Festivity, and CAGE Theatre Company.

Outside of her work in theater journalism, Cristi is an award-winning children’s author. Her debut book, Bruce the Spruce: A New York City Fairytale About the True Meaning of Christmas Trees, is published by Mascot Books.




LEARN MORE ABOUT A.A. Cristi

First Show:

Thoroughly Modern Millie

Favorite Show:

West Side Story

Favorite Stories:

  • BWW Exclusive: Bringing Back Broadway, Part 3- Curtain Up! Light the Lights! - This article is the third installment in a three-part series examining Broadway’s return after the pandemic. While the first two pieces focused on tourism, economics, and the broader industry, this final entry went behind the scenes—into costume shops, rehearsal rooms, wings, and dressing rooms—to show fans what it actually took to bring Broadway back after a year-and-a-half shutdown. It was especially meaningful to spotlight the labor and dedication of the people working out of the spotlight.
  • SWEENEY TODD, A History- Part 2: The Demon Barber Slashes His Way From Page To Stage And Beyond - In-depth historical research has become a major part of my work at BroadwayWorld, and this two-part history of Sweeney Todd is the most extensive project I’ve ever undertaken. The first part traced the story’s Victorian-era origins, while the second explored its journey to the stage and beyond. Diving into the creative worlds of figures like Stephen Sondheim, Hal Prince, Tim Burton, John Doyle, and the many performers who have embodied these roles was both fascinating and deeply rewarding.
  • BWW First Person: Dear Phil Connors- Finding Truth in GROUNDHOG DAY, A Musical For All of Us - This piece is especially personal to me—it grew out of my reaction to seeing Groundhog Day and feeling that it was an undervalued and deeply meaningful musical. It marked the first time I really turned inward as a writer to explore my own response to a work of art. The piece unexpectedly went viral, was embraced by the show’s creators, and sparked an outpouring of messages from readers who shared how the show had affected them, making it a genuinely wonderful experience.
  • How the Scourge Stole Broadway: A Christmas Tale of 2020 - Written during the pandemic, this parody poem compared Broadway’s shutdown to The Grinch, focusing on how creativity endured even after everything was “taken away.” It became a cathartic and hopeful way to celebrate the resilience of the theatre community, while also allowing me to merge my identities as a Broadway journalist and a children’s book author by using a beloved story to reflect a collective artistic experience.
  • BWW Exclusive: Everything's Up To Date On Broadway: The People Versus Classic Musicals - This article tackled the challenging question of how older Broadway musicals and plays fit into a modern cultural landscape shaped by evolving conversations around representation and inclusivity. Through interviews with leading theatre thinkers and practitioners, including Jennifer Ashley Tepper, Ted Chapin, and Tony-winning directors Daniel Fish and Bartlett Sher, the piece explored how these works can be contextualized, reexamined, and responsibly carried forward without dismissing their historical significance.


These Celebs Are Coming to Broadway Fall 2023
These Celebs Are Coming to Broadway Fall 2023
October 7, 2023

Every season, more than a few household names swing through the Theatre District to perform alongside all of our Broadway faves! See which stars are making their mark on midtown for the Fall/Winter 2023 season!

SWEENEY TODD, A History- Part 2: The Demon Barber Slashes His Way From Page To Stage And Beyond
SWEENEY TODD, A History- Part 2: The Demon Barber Slashes His Way From Page To Stage And Beyond
August 26, 2023

Learn how Sondheim made Sweeney sing and how Mr. Todd made his mark on mass media in Part 2 of SWEENEY TODD, A History.

SWEENEY TODD, A History- Part 1: Murder, Meat Pies, Men and Myths
SWEENEY TODD, A History- Part 1: Murder, Meat Pies, Men and Myths
August 19, 2023

Since 1979, Stephen Sondheim’s take on the Victorian myth about an exiled barber who pairs up with a cunning pie maker to seek revenge on the men who wronged him has delighted and enthralled audiences with its thrilling score, pitch black humor, and chaotic plot, but what is the real story behind this penny dreadful turned musical delight? Was there a real Sweeney Todd? Where did the story come from? And, most pressingly of all, what inspired Sondheim to spin this nauseating nightmare into gothic musical comedy gold? The answers just might surprise you as we delve into the history of Sweeney Todd.

Don't Bet Against Clyde Alves- How NEW YORK, NEW YORK Brought A Dance Dynamo Back To Broadway
Don't Bet Against Clyde Alves- How NEW YORK, NEW YORK Brought A Dance Dynamo Back To Broadway
July 9, 2023

Read our interview with New York, New York star Clyde Alves and find out what it takes to bring the show's love letter to New York City to life eight times a week.

Photos: Tony Awards Fashion- See Who Turned Up And Turned It Out On Broadway's Biggest Night!
Photos: Tony Awards Fashion- See Who Turned Up And Turned It Out On Broadway's Biggest Night!
June 13, 2023

See photos of your favorite fashionistas who turned up and turned it out for Broadway's biggest night!

From The Winner's Circle: GOOD NIGHT, OSCAR Star Sean Hayes Celebrates His Tony Win In The Press Room
From The Winner's Circle: GOOD NIGHT, OSCAR Star Sean Hayes Celebrates His Tony Win In The Press Room
June 11, 2023

Sean Hayes has won the 2023 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Play for GOOD NIGHT, OSCAR. Hear what he had to say about his win in his visit to the press room!

From The Winner's Circle: PARADE Composer Jason Robert Brown Completes His Acceptance Speech In The Press Room
From The Winner's Circle: PARADE Composer Jason Robert Brown Completes His Acceptance Speech In The Press Room
June 11, 2023

Parade has won the 2023 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical. During his acceptance speech, composer Jason Robert Brown was cut off by the orchestra while discussing the show's legacy. In his visit to the press room, the acclaimed composer shared what we missed on the Tony telecast.

From The Winner's Circle: SOME LIKE IT HOT's J. Harrison Ghee Takes Home A Tony!
From The Winner's Circle: SOME LIKE IT HOT's J. Harrison Ghee Takes Home A Tony!
June 11, 2023

J. Harrison Ghee has won the 2023 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical for Some Like It Hot. J. joins Alex Newell as the first gender nonconforming performers to win a Tony Award. In their trip to the press room, J. discussed the impact of his take on Jerry/Daphne in a show that celebrates nonbinary identity. 

From The Winner's Circle: KIMBERLY AKIMBO Star Bonnie Milligan Makes Her Sh*tty Life Better With A Tony Win!
From The Winner's Circle: KIMBERLY AKIMBO Star Bonnie Milligan Makes Her Sh*tty Life Better With A Tony Win!
June 11, 2023

Bonnie Milligan has won the 2023 Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical for Kimberly Akimbo. In her visit to the winner's room, Bonnie discussed the process of building the musical's twisted fairy godmother Aunt Deborah and what she has taken out of portraying her casually criminal alter-ego.

From The Winner's Circle: LEOPOLDSTADT's Brandon Uranowitz Celebrates His Tony Victory!
From The Winner's Circle: LEOPOLDSTADT's Brandon Uranowitz Celebrates His Tony Victory!
June 11, 2023

Brandon Uranowitz has won the 2023 Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play for Leopoldstadt. In his visit to the winner's room, Brandon celebrated the impact of Tom Stoppard's epic drama and reacted to his director, Patrick Marber's win in real time!

From The Winner's Circle: SOME LIKE IT HOT Choreographer Casey Nicholaw Takes Home A Tony!
From The Winner's Circle: SOME LIKE IT HOT Choreographer Casey Nicholaw Takes Home A Tony!
June 11, 2023

Acclaimed Some Like It Hot director/choreographer Casey Nicholaw swung by the winner's room after picking up a Best Choreography award for making the hot feet of his massive new musical dance!

From The Winner's Circle: Chatting With SOME LIKE IT HOT Orchestrators Charlie Rosen and Bryan Carter
From The Winner's Circle: Chatting With SOME LIKE IT HOT Orchestrators Charlie Rosen and Bryan Carter
June 11, 2023

In their visit to the press room, recently annointed Tony winners, Some Like It Hot orchestrators, Charlie Rosen and Bryan Carter discussed the timely and important subject of the need for Broadway-sized orchestras for Broadway shows. 

BroadwayWorld's 5th Annual Phonys! 2023 Tony Categories We Wish Existed
BroadwayWorld's 5th Annual Phonys! 2023 Tony Categories We Wish Existed
June 9, 2023

Check out our picks for some of Tony's most overlooked honors of the 2022-2023 Broadway season. This is the 2023 BroadwayWorld Phonys.

Interview: How SHUCKED Star Alex Newell Is Manufacturing Standing Ovations With 'Independently Owned'
Interview: How SHUCKED Star Alex Newell Is Manufacturing Standing Ovations With 'Independently Owned'
April 27, 2023

Liberated, educated, motivated. These are just a few adjectives used to describe Alex Newell's luscious entrepreneur, Lulu, in the hilarious new musical, Shucked. But underrated? Not according to audiences. Each night, Alex and Lulu are stopping the show, earning mid-performance standing ovations for the single lady anthem, 'Independently Owned'. 

7 Things You Might Not Know About NEW YORK, NEW YORK Composers John Kander and Fred Ebb
7 Things You Might Not Know About NEW YORK, NEW YORK Composers John Kander and Fred Ebb
April 18, 2023

This season the new musical New York, New York is bringing the hopes and dreams of young artists to the Broadway stage in a new musical from iconic duo John Kander and Fred Ebb. From their meeting in 1964, Kander and Ebb have forged one of the longest-running and most successful partnerships in Broadway history, crafting beloved hits like Flora, the Red Menace, Cabaret, Zorba, Chicago, Kiss of the Spiderwoman, Curtains, The Scottsboro Boys and many more. 

Interview: How KIMBERLY AKIMBO Orchestrator John Clancy Went From Rock Drummer To Broadway Pro
Interview: How KIMBERLY AKIMBO Orchestrator John Clancy Went From Rock Drummer To Broadway Pro
April 9, 2023

Meet John Clancy, the Tony-nominated orchestrator behind this season's heartfelt hit musical, Kimberly Akimbo!

Inside the Hidden History Of Henrik Ibsen's A DOLL'S HOUSE
Inside the Hidden History Of Henrik Ibsen's A DOLL'S HOUSE
March 18, 2023

Henrik Ibsen's timeless classic A Doll's House has made it back to Broadway season in a newly streamlined production from playwright Amy Herzog and Tony-nominated director Jamie Lloyd, and starring Academy Award-winner Jessica Chastain in the iconic role of Nora Helmer.

Interview: How SOME LIKE IT HOT Orchestrators Charlie Rosen and Bryan Carter Brought Big Band Back To Broadway!
Interview: How SOME LIKE IT HOT Orchestrators Charlie Rosen and Bryan Carter Brought Big Band Back To Broadway!
February 26, 2023

This season, the new musical Some Like It Hot is bringing the old-fashioned showstopper back to life on Broadway. Read our interview with the rollicking new musical's esteemed orchestrators, Tony and Grammy Award-winner Charlie Rosen and esteemed jazz musician, bandleader, and educator Bryan Fuller.

Interview: Broadway's Ellen McLaughlin Presents A Radical Retelling Of 'Antigone' With KISSING THE FLOOR At Theatre Row
Interview: Broadway's Ellen McLaughlin Presents A Radical Retelling Of 'Antigone' With KISSING THE FLOOR At Theatre Row
February 9, 2023

One Year Lease Theater Company will present the world premiere of Ellen McLaughlin's KISSING THE FLOOR, directed by Ianthe Demos, with movement direction by Natalie Lomonte, running Off-Broadway February 23 - March 12, 2023 in a limited engagement at Theatre Row.

Interview: How Playwright David Lindsay-Abaire Gave KIMBERLY AKIMBO A Musical Makeover
Interview: How Playwright David Lindsay-Abaire Gave KIMBERLY AKIMBO A Musical Makeover
February 3, 2023

Before Kimberly Akimbo was an acclaimed musical, it was an acclaimed play by future Pulitzer Prize-winner David Linsday-Abaire. Read our interview with this acclaimed American playwright!



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