Interview: Rachel Potter Celebrates New Album STAGES at The Laurie Beechman

On Monday August 11, 2025, theater star and Nashville recording artist Rachel Potter (“The X Factor,” Evita) will celebrate her new album Stages with a special concert at The Laurie Beechman Theater in Midtown, New York. The concert will feature an array of special guests including Tony Award winner Ali Stroker (Oklahoma!), Christine Dwyer (Wicked), Matt DeAngelis (Waitress), Caroline Bowman (Smash), Omar Cardona (“The Voice”), Marty Thomas (Xanadu), and Voctave’s Jamey Ray and EJ Cardona, many of whom appear on the album. Physical CDs will be available for sale for the first time at the event, and all attendees will receive limited edition printing of the Stages Playbill. Tickets to the concert and livestream are available on the Beechman’s website here.

Stages – which garnered over 100,000 streams its first month – is a curated collection of reimagined Broadway classics, showcasing Rachel’s roots in musical theater and her passion for reinterpreting these iconic songs with full symphonic arrangements. An exciting full throttle listening experience that feels both classic and contemporary, Stages embraces recent stage musicals whose songs aren’t often heard outside the context of the show. The album, produced by David Wise, is available through Joy Machine Records.

We spoke with Potter about the album and upcoming concert.

How does it feel to be celebrating your new album Stages with this live concert at the Beechman with some of the people who sang on it with you?

It feels so special! The Laurie Beechman actually happens to be the very first stage I ever sang on in New York City when I moved there in 2008. I used to frequent “The After Party” as much as I could, so it’s a very full-circle moment to be having the album release party there. And the fact that everyone (except Natalie) was available for this date is nothing short of miraculous.

What are you most looking forward to about this concert?

The celebration. This has been such an undertaking for me workload-wise, mostly due to the fact that I have been juggling it along with a full-time job and being a wife and mom to three little kids. This was probably the craziest thing I have done, adding this project to my overflowing plate, but it feels SO great to have it finished and out in the world. Now, I am just so excited to go sing with my friends and have a very big drink – after the show, of course.

Have you gotten any feedback on the album so far that stuck with you?

Yes, definitely. This album seems to be connecting with people of all ages, which is really cool to see. I have heard from people that my version of one of their favorites is now the one they prefer, or how much “He Was Mine” has touched those who have lost loved ones. But the most profound thing I have heard from people is that sharing my journey of making this project has inspired them to pick up a dream they had put on the shelf. I think sometimes when you go for something crazy, without apology, it gives others around you permission to do the same. The biggest secret is, we actually don’t need anyone’s permission at all. But, if I have stirred something up in someone else to have the courage to chase a dream, well then, I say, hell yeah.

Can you tell us a little bit about the process of putting the album together? (Coming up with the arrangements, choosing the track list, etc.) 

Sure! I had been toying with the idea of doing a Broadway album for years, but it never seemed like the right time, between work and babies. But finally, the year I was turning 40 – I figured now or never. I partnered with my producer, David Wise, and we had meetings to go through my lists and lists of ideas, and narrowed it down to the most meaningful ones to my story. Some of the mashups came during the selection process, just through a spark of inspiration trying to figure out how I wanted to incorporate certain friends – like the “Come What May” / “I Love You Song” mashup. That one was born out of searching for songs I could do with Marty Thomas and Omar Cardona. Then there were others that I had come up with over the years and held close until the right time to bring them to life! Ultimately, every song really connects me to a certain stage of life, or physical stage I have performed on - making the name “Stages’ quite appropriate. 

What’s been the most rewarding part of it for you so far?

Honestly, the best part of this process for me has been getting to be creative again with my friends. It was something I didn’t realize I missed so much until I got the chance to do it again. It has been so special to rope in all my buddies, who just happen to be insanely talented! A close second is just what it has done for my own joy and fulfillment. Music had definitely taken a back seat in my life, and prioritizing my artistry again has truly brought me back to life in so many ways.

Are you working on any other projects or any other upcoming shows you’d like to let us know about?

Yes! I will have a few more album release concerts - one in Orlando on August 25 at The Ren, and one in Nashville in October at Analog at the Hutton Hotel! (Date TBD) 

I will have a music video coming out just about every month for the rest of the year, until all tracks on the album are represented in video form, thus creating a full Visual Album by the end! So, please keep an eye on my YouTube channel for those new releases. “Waitress Medley” is up next… with my children making cameos!

I am also working on morphing Stages into a POPS Symphony Show, so stay tuned on that development! 

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

I’d just like to say thank you to everyone who listed and has loved Stages. This was a project that started out pretty much as a midlife crisis and ended up being so much more. Getting 100k streams in the first month was something I never dreamed possible! I did this initially for myself, in an effort to leave a tiny little legacy somehow in the world of Musical theater, but ultimately seeing it resonate with so many listeners, is something I will never take for granted. I’m very grateful. 

RACHEL POTTER will celebrate Stages on Monday, August 11 at 7:00 PM at The Laurie Beechman Theater at The West Bank Café, located at 407 West 42nd Street, NYC 10036. The cover charge ranges from $40-$55. For tickets, please visit www.thebeechman.com/events/lbt25-rachelpotterstage.