Michael Arden (Director)
A few years ago, this man might have been squarely listed in the performer section. As of late, though, he has come on the scene as one of Broadway’s newest directors...but hasn’t put performing behind him, as evidenced by the stellar reviews he received as the title role in The Hunchback of Notre Dame in 2015. But we digress. A frequent collaborator with Deaf West Theater in Los Angeles, Arden’s 2016 revival production of Spring Awakening earned him a much deserved Tony nomination, and he is attached to the upcoming reimagined revival of Once On This Island. We can’t wait to see how he tells that story! - TC
Photo: Getty Images
Shakina Nayfack (Everything)
Director, Actress, Producer, Playwright, Activist. When does this woman sleep? This star of Hulu’s Difficult People also just started a Drama League residency to workshop her new play. She also runs the terrific Musical Theatre Factory, which nurtures new composers like Jahn Sood, who wrote The Disappearing Man. It won't be long before Shakina is dominating the Tony Awards and we can't wait to see if it's for acting, directing, writing, or producing...or all of the above! - SM
Photo: Shakina.nyc
Charlotte Brathwaite (Director)
It’s not surprising Brathwaite’s vast brilliance has reached international stages. Her originality, sensitivity, and inventiveness creates a feast for the eyes, while leaving a mark in your mind and on your soul by often combining multi-media, choreography and music into her work. Current example? Check out her recent work in Labyrinth Theater’s extremely good Dolphins and Sharks to see what we mean. - TC
Photo: Richard Greene
John Johnson (Producer)
John's career started right out of college working on The Tony Awards and then moved right on to winning lots of them for producing many hit Broadway shows like The Humans, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love, and Murder and Vanya, Sonya, Masha and Spike...just to name a few. Besides championing these new plays and musicals, he also gets his hands dirty -- and keeps winning Tonys -- with blockbuster revivals like A View from the Bridge and A Raisin in the Sun. He’s attached to this season’s hot ticket revivals of The Glass Menagerie, The Front Page and the upcoming box-office-record-breaker Hello, Dolly! starring Bette Midler. John has a real knack for keeping an eye on fresh new work. His love of Broadway and theater is equally matched by his love of sports -- so much so that Johnson has also produced live shows for Men in Blazers, a popular soccer podcast. #goals - TC
Photo: Ludovica Martella
Jon Rua (Choreographer)
You know him best as Charles Lee (weee!). That’s right, he is the original General Lee from Hamilton and is still involved with the production, even going on as Alexander himself this week! We're featuring him here as a choreographer, though, because he is making serious waves in the world of dance. Most recently, he taught a dance workshop at BroadwayCon 2017, and has been choreographing dance videos to works by Lin-Manuel Miranda such as his love story to Hamilton, and Moana’s “How Far I’ll Go”. Let's get this guy choreographing a modern West Side Story ASAP, please and thank you! - BM
Photo: Instagram/JonRua1
Sam Pinkleton (Choreographer/Director)
Sam Pinkleton is known for bringing human beings to life organically through spectacular movement. Sam showed off his directorial mastery in last year's Runaways and is currently represented on Broadway with The Great Comet, Significant Other (he's so good he even choreographs plays!) and soon to open Amélie. Pinkleton got into choreography “by accident”. Though he’s had an unconventional professional path, his career continues to build momentum because the shows he works on expertly showcase his smarts and sensibilities, which will ultimately solidify his name as one of Broadway’s best loved choreographers of the 21st century. Thank goodness for happy accidents! - TC
Photo: SohoRep.org
Alex Timbers (Director)
Choosing one defining moment in Alex Timbers’ career to date is no easy feat. The multi-award winning, Tony nominated director (Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson and Peter and the Starcatcher) proves time and time again what makes him one of Broadway’s most-clamored for talents. Off-Broadway loves him too: he helmed the sensational Here Lies Love and the current rockfest Joan of Arc: Into the Fire (which has already been extended...twice!). Both feature the music of David Byrne and got their start at The Public Theater. His "in your face" style of directing thrills and delights - audience members become active participants of the experience in most of his work. As co-creator and frequent writer of Amazon’s Mozart in the Jungle, Timbers is already a household name and bonafide creative genius. -TC
Photo: Blog.RoundaboutTheatre.Org
Rick Hip-Flores (Music Director)
Hamilton’s Alex Lacamoire is the “it” Broadway musical director right now, but allow us to tune you in to another musician who worthy of your ear. Rick Hip-Flores is the musical supervisor for Broadway’s first acapella musical: In Transit. Being both acapella and in the round (it plays at Circle in the Square) presents its own individual challenges - put them both together and the obstacles were unprecedented. In an email, Hip-Flores says, “Through experimentation and much trial by fire, we developed an entirely aural system of conducting. Everyone in the cast wears in-ear monitors, and I speak to them during the show -- counting into songs, out of underscoring vamps, and cutting them off with perfect synchronicity.” Outside of In Transit, Hip-Flores has also conducted or played piano for nearly a dozen Off-Broadway and Broadway shows including Fun Home and Beautiful. He sees the future of musical theatre in more of the hybrids that are renewing the form - think mashing up the New Testament and rock and roll, American History and hip hop, and acapella and musical comedy. -- AS
Photo: Michal Pereguski
Rachel Chavkin (Director)
Thanks to cutting edge works like The Great Comet and Hadestown, Rachel Chavkin has established herself as a director with a forward-thinking bent who champions new works. With theater degrees from NYU and Columbia, she has one foot firmly planted in theatrical traditions, while the other leans more avant garde - she recently had a punk rock band in one of her shows! Chavkin seems to be on the fast track for winning a Tony. She creates theater that is immersive, surprising, and exactly what we crave right now. - AS
Photo: Facebook/WorkingTheater
Liesl Tommy (Director)
Diversity in theater has always been a hot button topic of debate. Enter Liesl Tommy from South Africa, the very first woman of color to ever receive a Tony nomination for Best Direction of a Play for her work on Eclipsed on Broadway in 2016. Since then, she has. not. stopped! She directed Frozen at Disneyland in California, Party People at the Public in New York, and is currently thrilling audiences as the director of Off-Broadway's Kid Victory. (Even) more Liesl in our lives, please! - BM
Photo: YouTube/Dallas Center Theater