The YesBroadway 40 Under 40

May 20, 2021

by Sam Maher, Brookelynn Mason, Olivia Lusk, Gianluca Russo, Brian Cudina, Tyler Conroy, and Tom Coppola.

YesBroadway's 40 Under 40: Broadway is chock full of NYC theater people who are poised to be names as big as Lin-Manuel Miranda and Ben Platt one day very soon. Get to know them now and be a Broadway star early adopter!

P/S Follow them all on Twitter here.

Featured

Nuri Hazzard

Ya'll, you just don't get more dope than Nuri Hazzard. His extremely impressive performance in last year's Syncing Ink (#2 Favorite Theater of 2017!) was simply spectacular and he's also making waves in the music world with several amazing hip hop EPs that you should definitely check out. Watch one his music videos here and just try not to fall in love. Nuri is exactly the kind of artist NYC theater and Broadway needs a LOT more of. -Sam

Photo: Siyaka Taylor-Lewis

Mirirai Sithole

Mirirai has two (!) recent Off-Broadway hits under her belt. She charmed our faces off in School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play and then stole the whole damn show by breaking our hearts in The Homecoming Queen. She's got ton of television credits on her resume (Broad City!) and is, quite simply, a bright shining future megastar. -Sam

Photo: Deborah Lopez

Cesar J. Rosado

Cesar was charming AF in last year's Dolphins & Sharks and then went on to star in Two River Theater's super fun-looking El Coqui Espectacular and the Bottle of Doom. He's constantly booking readings of new plays all over the country, so prepare to see him show you what's uppppp on a stage near you soon in the next great American play. -Sam

Photo: Chia Messina

Vasthy Mompoint

If badass ensemble members are what you love, look no further than SpongeBob SquarePants’ Vasthy Mompoint. SpongeBob was YesBroadway's #1 favorite theater of 2017, so it’s no surprise that (more than one) cast member made it onto this list. SpongeBob is Vasthy's SEVENTH Broadway show, which is just...wildly impressive! Besides rocking it on stage 8 times a week, Vasthy also co-owns a company called Broadway Babysitters, which provides babysitting for families in the New York City area. Vasthy does it all, and we couldn’t be more excited about her. -Olivia

Photo: Emma Mead/The EMMA Experience

Jai'Len Christine Li Josey

FUTURE MEGASTAR ALERT! Jai’len Christine Li Josey is going to win alllllllll the Tony awards some day, just wait. At just 19 years old (Yes, you read that right. She’s only 19!), she is the recipient of the 2014 Jimmy Award for Best Performance of An Actress and has already made her debut in the Great White Way in SpongeBob SquarePants. Let me tell you: you need to listen to this girl sing. Watch this video at the 1:05 mark and your life will be forever changed. Needless to say, we are all completely in love with Jai’Len over here at YesBroadway. -Olivia

George Salazar

George is the heartthrob of Off-Broadway! After receiving his musical theatre degree in Florida, he came out of the gate swinging, joining the touring cast of Spring Awakening in 2010 and went on to star in the Broadway revival of Godspell in 2011. George Salazar's fan base is UNREAL, and we're not surprised. After all, what's not to love about Michael Mell (Be More Chill) and Grover (The Lightning Thief)? He opens his mouth and all you hear is a domino effect of thuds as fans hit the ground fainting one after another. This dude's got pipes that make our heart go tick...tick...BOOM! . We scream YESBroadway to George Salazar. Until then, DO NOT MISS his upcoming concert series with Be More Chill composer Joe Iconis at Feinstein's/54 Below! -Brookelynn

Photo: Kai Ravelson

Brynn Williams

Brynn Williams, who starred in Freedom Riders: the Civil Rights Musical, our #8 show for Top Ten Favorite Theater of 2017 is K I L L I N G right now on Broadway. Where? Oh, just a little show called SpongeBob SquarePants (our #1 of 2017)! She DESTROYS the audience with her pipes when stepping into the role of Pearl at some performances. If you've had the fortune of seeing her steal the stage with her soulful, lamenting Pearl, consider yourself #blessed. It's no surprise she's a knockout--after all, she is the youngest person in history to have worn Broadway's historical Gypsy Robe. -Brookelynn

Photo: BlueFairy Photography

Joshua Henry

Joshua Henry is a Tony nominee for his roles in both Violet and The Scottsboro Boys. He's been in all three of Lin-Manuel Miranda's Broadway musicals (In the Heights, Bring it On, and Hamilton). In fact, his "HamilJams" were extremely popular on Instagram during his run as Aaron Burr in the Chicago production of Hamilton, which was him covering songs from the musical in different and unique ways. He's also many people's favorite Jamie from The Last Five Years after doing a concert version with Cynthia Erivo in 2016. As if that didn't already clue you in as to why we are so. effing. OBSESSED...here's a little more: he's returning to Broadway this Spring, starring in Carousel opposite Jessie Mueller. Just try to contain your excitement! -Brookelynn

Photo: Gary Gershoff / Getty Images Entertainment / Getty Images

Gillian Pensavalle

How many people can say that Lin-Manuel Miranda himself wrote them a custom rap cover? None other than,"Good golly Miss Molly, Gillian Pensavalle!" What started out as a project used to talk to her friends about Hamilton has spiraled in a global community of fans rallying behind The Hamilcast, the official unofficial podcast for the show. The podcast features the stars, creative team, and pretty much anyone involved with the global phenomenon that is Hamilton. Two years and over 100 episodes in, Gillian is changing the theater podcast game. Not sure where to start? Look no further than #Lintoberfest, the 5-episode interview with Lin which features three interview episodes and two B-sides, where Gillian and husband Mike (you know Mike) discuss inside jokes, provide commentary, and talk about what it was like being in the room where the podcast happens with the man himself. -Brookelynn

Photo: Carla Ten Eyck

Ariana DeBose

You know Ariana DeBose as the original Bullet from Hamilton, so PHENOMENAL dancer? Check! But, she's really more of a leading lady! She's brought theaters all over the country to their knees through regional productions and in the national tour of Bring it On, before coming back to Broadway and stealing the show in Pippin (for which she would eventually take over the role of Leading Player, nbd!). Then came Hamilton and then A Bronx Tale. Did she stop? NO! Broadway will see Ariana DeBose again this season in Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, reprising her role as Disco Donna from the show's La Jolla Playhouse run. YAAAS! -Brookelynn

Photo: Lindsey Lou Creations

Alex Newell

If you’ve ever heard Alex Newell sing, you will not be shocked why he ended up on this list. Seasoned theatre nerds may recognize him from Glee as Unique Adams. Alex is now starring as Asaka in Once On This Island, and THIS BOY CAN BELT. Listening to his voice is an ethereal experience, not to mention he’s never even had formal vocal lessons(!!!). He’s also our ultimate #dreamcasting for Effie for the upcoming revival of Dreamgirls. The world NEEDS Alex singing "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" 8 times a week on Broadway! - Olivia

Isaac Cole Powell

An insanely talented Broadway newcomer who is also a ridiculously wonderful human? You’ve probably already guessed, but the person I’m describing is none other than Isaac Cole Powell! Isaac recently graduated from University of North Carolina School of the Arts and is making his Broadway debut as Daniel in Once On This Island. Get ready to be obsessed with his voice. It's so freakin' good! Not to mention, his boyfriend is Wesley Taylor (Plankton in SpongeBob SquarePants). Ultimate #couplegoals! Yes, yes, and more yes to Issac Cole Powell. -Olivia

Krystina Alabado

Since making her Broadway debut in American Idiot in 2010, Krystina Alabado has slayed every role she has touched. Even in the Lazarus and American Psycho ensembles, she stood out with her voice and stage presence. She’s going to be a #MEGASTAR one day soon, so you better keep your eye on her now. Her other theatre credits include Burn All Night, the original cast of Miss You Like Hell, and she most certainly knocked it out of the park in The Mad Ones. Krystina is also married to Tuck Everlasting star Bob Lenzi. Talk about a Broadway power couple! -Olivia

Jelani Alladin

Ladies and gentlemen, we are DEFINITELY including your Kristoff from Frozen on Broadway in our 40 Under 40. Jelani is blazing right onto the scene making his Broadway debut in one of the biggest musicals of the season and we're pummmmmped. He got rave reviews when the show had it's out-of-town tryout in Denver. He slays on Rob Rokicki's delicious Monstersongs cast recording. Get a lot more Jelani Alladin in your life! -Sam

Photo: Karen Santos

Shaina Taub

Seeing Shaina Taub perform feels like watching a comet about to hit Planet Earth. First of all, know that she's just as good at writing musicals as she is performing in them. There was a whollllle lot of buzz around her performance in Old Hats, then she wowed in the Off-Broadway production of Hadestown, but our favorites are her her musicals that are part of the Public Theater's Public Works Initiative in Central Park each summer. Her As You Like It (she also starred in it!) was in YesBroadway's Top 10 Favorite Theater of 2017 and her Twelfth Night is getting a full run this summer as one of the Shakespeare In The Park mainstage shows. She's also an activist, organizing events for the theatre industry for Everytown for Gun Safety and more. Check out her TED Talk at TEDxBroadway 2018 here (it's delicious!) and prepare for Shaina to be Lin-Manuel Miranda-level famous one day VERY soon. -Sam

Lileana Blain-Cruz

Lileana Blain-Cruz is a splendid director that is going to make a big splash as a Broadway director one day very soon. She's hitting up all the big Off-Broadway theater companies, with multiple successes in the past couple of years, including the superb Pipeline (by playwright Dominique Morrisseau), MTC's Actually, and NYTW's Red Speedo. Oh, and no big deal, she also won an Obie (Off-Broadway's Tony Awards) for the Signature Theatre's The Death of the Last Black Man in the Whole Entire World. Impressive resume, huh? Coming up: Lileana is back at New York Theatre Workshop for The House That Will Not Stand this summer. -Sam and Gianluca

Jamie Brewer

Jamie Brewer is the breakout star of Roundabout Theatre Company's Amy & The Orphans (Off-Broadway), but you might recognize her from American Horror Story: Murder House. Jamie was also the first woman with Down Syndrome to walk the New York Fashion Week red carpet! What's next? She'll be starring in the upcoming Amazon comedy Love You More. Let's get her to Broadway soon! - Tom and Sam

Tedra Millan

Which Tedra are we talking here? Are we talking the Tedra who literally made her Broadway debut starring opposite Kevin Kline on Broadway in Present Laughter…or the Tedra who kicked ass and a soccer ball as #46 in The Wolves? One of the nicest athletes on Broadway, Tedra is someone you'll immediately root for once you’ve met her. She’s got the skills (and the accents!) to put #46 in our 40 Under 40. -Brian

Photo: Deborah Lopez

The Movement Theatre Company

Each one of the 4 lovely humans that run The Movement Theatre Company deserve their own entry, but let's talk about them as a company. David Mendizábal, Deadria Harrington, Eric Lockley, and Taylor Reynolds are on a mission to create "an artistic social movement by developing and producing new work by artists of color." That's an IDEAL VISION OF THE FUTURE OF AMERICAN THEATRE right there! Their And She Would Stand Like This last year put queer and trans actors of color front and center where they belong. Fun bonus? TMTC's shows attract a VERY attractive crowd of young and hip audience members. More soon, please! -Sam and Tom

Photo: Joe Chiang

Adrienne Warren

We're letting London's West End borrow Adrienne for a little bit, but only because we're hoping that her star-making turn there as Tina Turner (!) in TINA: The Musical will bring her back to NYC in a juicy leading role if (when?!?) the show transfers to Broadway. Buzz is growing FAST for her performance and it's no wonder considering she already has a Tony nomination for Shuffle Along in 2016 after stealing everyone's hearts in Bring It On on Broadway a few years before that. A career just doesn't get more exciting than Adrienne's is right now. We always "need another hero" and Adrienne is "simply the best" person for the job! -Sam

Photo: Tyler Gustin

NSangou Njikam

NSangou Njikam wrote AND starred, Lin-Manuel Miranda-style, in Syncing Ink...YesBroadway's #2 Favorite Theater of 2017! This dude has the potential to also be Hamilton-level famous, bringing hip-hop and theater together in a way that would make Jonathan Larson proud. He's stayed pretty under the radar so far, but it's time you get into NSangou and his work. It's groundbreakers like him that are most certainly what makes American theater the best in the world! -Sam

Photo: Joan Marcus

James Anthony Tyler

Playwrights just don't get more buzzy than this! James Anthony Tyler wrote the delicious Dolphins & Sharks last year at Labyrinth Theater Company and, more recently, Some Old Black Man at 59e59 starring Wendell Pierce aka Bunk from The Wire. This graduate of Howard University, NYU, and Juilliard (!) also just won the prestigious 2018 Horton Foote Playwriting Award. He's got a play coming up in May at the Keen Teens Festival of New Work and his new work Artney Jackson will be at the 2018 Williamstown Theatre Festival in you happen to be in the Berkshires this summer. Summer theater road trip to Massachusetts? -Sam

Photo: Gregory Costanzo

Jordan Tyson

There are a few moments in the new musical Folk Wandering that make it so clear that Jordan Tyson is destined to be a future megastar. She's impossibly charming in the show and yet also somehow pulling off a dark and nuanced performance...which is very hard to do! Still in college, she caused quite a stir as Sweetee herself in Off-Broadway's Sweetee last year alongside fellow 40 Under 40 star Jelani Aladdin. Oh, and that "infectious giggle" she mentions on her acting resume? It's real. Get ready to have a big crush on Jordan Tyson as you watch her continue to take NYC theater by storm! -Sam

Photo: Bryce Todd

Gizel Jimenez

Gizel Jimenez is the star of the upcoming Miss You Like Hell at the Public Theater...and not just anyone gets to make a big splash in NYC theater starring in a new musical opposite Daphne Rubin-Vega! This stunningly talented newcomer (check out her voice here) did a national tour of West Side Story and was in City Center Encores' Big River last year. Don't be surprised when Gizel wins her first Tony Award one day soon! -Sam

Photo: Kate Johnson

Featured

Hammaad Chaudry

It is super rare that a playwright's professional debut is Off-Broadway, but Hammaad Chaudry from Scotland has done it. His An Ordinary Muslim at New York Theater Workshop explores British Islamaphobia and was generally very well-received. This graduate of the Royal Court Theatre’s Young Writers Programme is now being mentored by Angels In America's Tony Kushner. Watch out for him: This mangenue might just be writing the next great classic play!

Photo: Jenny Anderson

Whitney White

Whitney caught our attention as the director of Freedom Riders: The Civil Rights Musical (which I have a crush on, click here) as part of the New York Musical Festival in 2017. She's just finishing up directing a production of Othello at Trinity Rep in Rhode Island, after assisting buzzy director Sam Gold with his smash production in 2016 at New York Theater Workshop. She's also worked as an Assistant Director on Broadway and other Off-Broadway shows as well, including being an Artistic Development Associate at Roundabout Theatre Company. It won't be long before Whitney is up on that stage at Radio City Music Hall accepting her Tony Award for Best Director, so be an early adopter and follow her now! -Sam

Photo: Lena Wunderlich

Natalie Walker

Natalie is a swing in Off-Broadway's Puffs and a full-on fixture of Broadway Twitter. Follow her there IMMEDIATELY: @nwalks. Her hilarious summaries of Broadway musicals are required reading for anyone who likes funny things. She's always creating new content for you to devour! There is zero chance that Natalie wont either be: A-stealing scenes in a Broadway show one day soon, or B-writing the funniest new play in NYC theater. Look out, Tina Fey! P/S Keep an eye on the duo show she's putting together in August at 54 Below with The Great Comet's Heath Saunders that (her words) "will be like The Sonny and Cher Show if both Sonny and Cher were Cher". -Sam and Gianluca

Photo: Emma Mead

Brandon Gill

Brandon stood out in two Off-Broadway shows this past year, so we can only expect that he'll be up for a Tony Award in a starring role in a Broadway show one day soon. He was already on Broadway in Holler If Ya Hear Me (the Tupac musical) and this Juilliard graduate stole just about every scene he was in in both Bella: An American Tall Tale and Too Heavy For Your Pocket. His acting is intense and delightful all at once, charming the audience while also breaking their hearts...not an easy feat to pull off! He's got lots of experience acting for television and movies, but mark my words: this dude is a future Broadway star. -Sam

Photo: Lelund Durond

Marky Irene

Marky Irene's performance in MCC's Charm last year broke our hearts and proved she is an actress to be reckoned with. She's a true inspiration in the theater community and someone who we all can't wait to see continue to shine on the stage and screen! Fun fact: her resumé lists "strong canoe/kayaking ability"! You can also support her Future Children Fund via GoFundMe. -Sam

Photo: Jimmey Leblanc

Sash Bischoff

Sash showed off her thrilling directing skills with the terrific Fuck Marry Kill last year year. Her resume is impressively long with multiple Off-Broadway directing credits and even several Assistant Director credits on Broadway with some big names (Christopher Ashley! Anne Kauffman!). She's also a magnet for grants and fellowships. I smell a Tony Award for Best Director for this Princeton grad in the very near future! -Sam

Photo: Tess Mayer

Brandon Looney

Sometimes all it takes is one performance to know that a performer is truly special. Brandon Looney sparkled as Schroeder in You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown (YesBroadway's #3 Favorite Theater of 2017!). His silky smooth voice will make you #swoon! He's got a lot of theater credits, but NYC casting directors: let's get this guy on stage a LOT more soon, okay? Thanks! -Sam

Photo: Malloriee Hill

Jessie Shelton

Very few, if any, of the musical theater performers have a podcast performance credit. Jessie starred opposite Jonathan Groff in the inventive podcast musical 36 Questions. You’re definitely a force for change if you are changing the literal landscape. But when she’s not streaming, she’s partaking in the fun and dark worlds of Hadestown and Cruel Intentions. That’s what we call variety! Common thread: Jessie Shelton = Fresh and Exciting Theater. -Brian

Photo: Rivka Rivera

DeMarius Copes

DeMarius is a star on the rise, plain and simple. He's worked his way from selling papes in Disney's Newsies to two (!) solo shows in the past year at Feinstein's/54 Below, and now he's making his Broadway debut in Tina Fey's Mean Girls. Also, he's hysterical on social media and worth a big ol' follow on all platforms. His Instagram Lives, for example, are very (wait for it) fetch & not to be missed. Oh, and he's also a REALLY good red carpet co-host! -Tyler

Photo: Ted Ely

Ashley Park

We're pretty convinced that Ashley Park is a superhero...She's starred alongside Jake Gyllenhall in Sunday In the Park with George, danced & sang her face off in the immersive KPOP (#7 in YesBroadway's Top 10 Favorite Theater of 2017), and she's currently making "fetch" happen playing the iconic role of Gretchen Weiners in Mean Girls on Broadway. She's a UMICH alumn, she's Grammy-nominated, and if you aren't following her journey: you're wrong! -Tyler

Diana Oh

Diana is a badass performance artists that OOZES love. Her Hedwig-ish {my lingerie play} proved that she is a true visionary and an extraordinarily talented and hilarious artist. The best part? She is someone who makes you feel like they are your new best friend the moment you encounter them. She's not afraid to break down taboos and challenge wokeness on a level that will inspire us all to be more kind and loving as humans sharing this planet together. You should be SCREAMING Yes(Broadway) to Diana Oh. -Sam

Photo: Facebook/mylingerieplay

Max Crumm

He's the one that we want...in our 40 under 40. You may know Max Crumm from his Broadway debut in Grease after winning the lead role thanks to a FOX reality show or from Disaster or Hot Mess, but what you don't know is he told the Huffington Post how he wants to be a role model for young gay teens who see themselves as a "regular dude" (MY HEART!) Oh, and also that he wants to kiss a boy onstage in a show and his dream co-kissers are Ben Platt, Taylor Trensch, and Gavin Creel (...and, I mean, #same). -Tyler

Photo: Jeremy Daniel

Tristan J. Shuler

Talk about a QUADRUPLE threat—actor, writer, choreographer, AND director?! We can’t get enough of Tristan J. Shuler, who is currently slaaaaaaying in Cruel Intentions: the Musical. As if that didn’t already clue you in to this hunk’s star quality, he just helped close Spamilton, the musical parody retelling of Lin-Manuel Miranda writing a little show called Hamilton. He’s choreographed and directed shows in his home state of Pennysylvania, as well as his own off-Broadway play, An Epidemic Play. And he’s an animal lover, guys—he’s the proud parent of Gwyndolyn Stefani, a really cute cat with her own Instagram account. Cute Broadway stars and cute cats? Sold! -Brookelynn

Photo: Kyle Rudd Photography & Little Wolf Collective

Alison S. M. Kobayashi

Alison created the magnificent theatrical experience Say Something Bunny! The fact that it's a such a smash hit with extension after extension (after extension!) means she has probably been quite busy over the past year or so, but it also solidifies her as a creator of the kind of genre-defying theater that makes NYC, well....NYC. Expect major things from her as her video-heavy work around the theater of "found objects" is the kind that attracts the attention of the nominating committees for things like the MacArthur "Genius" Grant. For now, though, just do NOT miss Say Something Bunny! -Sam

Photo: Lanna Apisukh

Will Davis

Will's robust directing credits include much of NYC's primary theater companies (and Chicago's!). Will first caught our attention directing the exquisite Charm Off-Broadway at MCC last year, but the world was already noticing him: he was nominated for an 2017 Lortel Award for his direction of Men In Boats. Currently, he's directing Bobbie Clearly at Roundabout and has a show coming up at Manhattan Theatre Club as well. Talk about a buzzy director to look out for! -Sam

Photo: Missy Davis

Nabiyah Be

Not only is Nabiyah Be making a name for herself in the theatre community, but she is also making herself known in Hollywood. Recently spotted in a little movie you might have heard of called Black Panther (!!!!!!!!), Nabiyah is a force to be reckoned with. She originated the role of Eurydice in Hadestown and recently turned heads in School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play. She’s amazing and, quite frankly, slaying every role she comes near. Oh, and she's also a singer-songwriter with new music coming out this Spring. Get into Nabiyah Be! -Olivia

Photo: Dar's Good Light Works

The 2017 YesBroadway 40 Under 40

May 19, 2021

40 Under 40: Broadway (2017)

by the YesBroadway team: Sam Maher, Brookelynn Mason, Annie Schiffmann, Tom Coppola, and Gianluca Russo

LOOKING FOR THE 2018 40 UNDER 40? Click here.

YesBroadway is all about championing the fresh and exciting people that we think are future megastars...and some who already are! Here are 40 people under the age of 40 you should keep an eye on. We start with 10 performers, followed up with 10 directors, choreographers, and producers who rock it out behind-the-scenes. After that, it's 10 playwrights and composers and we finish up with 10 influencers who are changing the way you find out early about the next Hamilton & generally awesome NYC theater. Click here to follow them all on Twitter!

ONSTAGE

Each photo links to a video to check out the performer in action. Click and explore!

Featured

Sas Goldberg

Every now and again, someone bursts onto the scene with a Broadway debut and charms the faces off everyone in the theater every single night, immediately solidifying their legacy. Sas opens Significant Other with a 5-minute monologue that sets the tone for the rest of the show: pure hilarity and realness! This breakout star is also a screenwriter and, even cooler, an entrepreneur with a neon sign company (yes, for real). Click the photo above to see a video of her freaking out about how hot Aaron Tveit is. You will become completely obsessed with her about 10 seconds in! -SM

Will Roland

In Dear Evan Hansen, Will Roland steals every damn scene he's in every night and the Tony Awards nomination committee is going to have a hard time ignoring this future megastar. Will is part of the Joe Iconis/Jen Tepper gaggle of fresh young Broadway sensations and we can't get enough of him. He can SANG, he's funny AF, and exudes kindness and charm. Hiiiiiiiiiiiii. -GR

Photo: Matt Murphy

Luca Padovan

Luca's exuberant performance in Broadway's School of Rock as the sassy Billy was an A+ and many Hamilton fans also know him as Young Eliza in the video you can watch by clicking his photo above. This young star has a ridiculously bright future ahead of him, knocking everyone out at this year's Junior Theater Festival West. His smile is contagious and you can see the twinkle of the future of American Musical Theater in his optimistic and fearless eyes. Watch out for this kid! -SM

Photo: Guido Venitucci Photography

Amber Gray

This is a name you need to get used to hearing, because she is going to win a billion Tony Awards one day. Amber Gray is making her Broadway debut in Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812. She was previously part of the New York Theater Workshop production of Hadestown, where she slayed as Persephone. Click her photo above for proof that her voice is absolutely CHARMING! - BM

Photo: Joan Marcus

Todrick Hall

A viral YouTube star. “Lola” in Broadway’s Kinky Boots. American Idol finalist. MTV show star. What HASN’T Todrick Hall touched with his extremely talented hands? He’s been dancing since the age of 9 (classically trained ballet, hello!), and is a big name in the Disney community. He’s performed on Broadway in Memphis, The Color Purple, was a judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race...seriously, how is it possible that so much talent is in one human being? He's finishing up his run in Kinky Boots to headline a concert world tour (nbd!), but we'll always have a video of him as Lola on Drag Race. Click his photo above to see it. - BM

Photo: Facebook/toddyrockstar

Ali Stroker

We could have Ali Stroker on this list based on her talent alone, but she doesn’t stop there. Stroker made her Broadway debut in the revival of Spring Awakening last season and became the first performer in a wheelchair on the Great White Way. She is also an advocate, humanitarian, and motivational speaker. She is the co-chair of events that support the United Cerebral Palsy of NYC, tours throughout the country with the anti-bullying organization Be More Heroic, and has been to South Africa with Arts Inside Out to lead workshops and classes on theater for women and children affected by HIV/AIDS. Oh yeah, and she has a recurring role in the new ABC show Ten Days in the Valley. Phew! What an inspirational woman..she makes us shout with Glee.- AS

Damon Daunno

Damon stunned in 2016’s Hadestown and is making waves again in Beardo, currently playing Rasputin himself in Dave Malloy’s new indie rock musical staged at a church in Brooklyn. With swarthy good looks and an angelic voice, this sexy star is on a fast climb towards megastardom. He’s also a really good guitar player and budding composer. Check him out in a clip from Hadestown by clicking his photo above. Swoon... - SM

Photo: Suzi Sadler

Lauren Patten

The work Lauren Patten has done in the past two seasons alone warrants her being on this list. She played Medium Alison in Fun Home - see her performing the infamous song "Changing My Major" by clicking her photo above. Lauren's voice is strong and clear and the roles she takes are edgy and complicated. She finished out the year turning heads with her acting chops in the superb The Wolves Off-Broadway. Watch this one! - AS

Anthony Rosenthal

When the New York Times calls you “thoroughly wonderful”, you know you’re doing something right. Rosenthal was riveting last fall in Falsettos and fits neatly in the camp with other child actors who bring depth instead of a cloying two dimensional woodenness. Kid actors are bringer richer, more nuanced performances on the Broadway stage with grown up approaches to their characters and their craft. We see Anthony Rosenthal as one of the leaders in this ever-growing pack (Fun Home's Sydney Lucas is another that comes to mind). Check out the video of him hosting our coverage of the Newsies red carpet by clicking his photo above. - AS

Photo: The EMMA Experience

Brandon Uranowitz

There’s no surprise Brandon Uranowitz made the list, especially since he starred in one of our top 10 favorite theatre experiences of 2016, Falsettos! Brandon made his Broadway debut in Baby It’s You! before blazing onto the scene in the original Broadway cast of An American in Paris in 2015. Brandon's performance as Mendel in Falsettos was electrifying and won over our (and many others') hearts. We can’t wait to see what else is in store for this powerhouse talent! - GR

Offstage

Featured

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

Composers and Playwrights

Featured

Joe Iconis

Joe Iconis writes musical theater masterpieces that have the ability to tear your soul into pieces, make you grip your sides in laughter...or maybe even both! He is the father of many a musical (our favorite being Be More Chill), including an upcoming piece about Hunter S. Thompson. He also wrote songs for Smash and has an immeasurable amount of charm as a cabaret host. The Joe Iconis' Christmas Spectacular has become an institution at 54 Below. His fingertips ooze genius and we will be front and center at the first preview of his first Broadway musical one day soon! - BM

Photo: Instagram/@HagerMolly

Tanya Saracho

This Latina playwright is making serious waves with this year's searing Fade Off-Broadway about her real-life experience as a network television writer on such shows as How To Get Away With Murder and Looking. She is a total cutie and we need to be sure she keeps that pen handy...the girl can WRITE! - SM

Photo: Twitter/TanyaSaracho

Max Vernon

If you read our writeup about The View UpStairs, you’ll understand why we are OBSESSED with Max Vernon. There are only so many young composers who write such incredibly moving and powerful music--spoiler alert, Max is one of them. He won the Jonathan Larson grant and channels the essence of Rent in his songwriting. Oh, and did you know that he made it through tech week with kidney stones? I mean, come on. He’s the coolest! - GR

Photo: Frederic Lagrange Photography

Jahn Sood

Jahn Sood is the mastermind behind The Disappearing Man, a folk-opera that takes place in 1939...backstage at a traveling circus. The show sold out a short run at Cloud City back in 2014, and is currently on its way for the Ignite! Festival at the Rep in St. Louis in April 2017. If you’re in the area, get tickets--the show is fantastic and the score is mind blowing. Don’t live near STL? No problem! There’s a cast album, so you can dive into the absolute genius that is Jahn Sood and his breathtaking music until he's a Broadway shining star with lots of Tony Awards. - BM

Photo: Facebook/MK Morrissey

Sarah DeLappe

People are talking about Sarah DeLappe’s breakout play The Wolves. More specifically, people are talking about the way people are talking in The Wolves. Most of the dialogue is teenage girls on a soccer team overlapping one another, and speaking in the specific patois of female adolescence. The show has attracted the attention of mega producer Scott Rudin (The Front Page) among others. Sarah was the first person to win the 2015 Relentless Award which has the biggest cash prize of any playwrighting award in the US today. Will there be another run - possibly on Broadway - for The Wolves? The Circle in the Square Theater would be perfect for it, just sayin'...For now, Sarah is focusing on finishing grad school. - AS

Photo: IIAlaska.org

Rob Rokicki

Get familiar with this name quickly: he’s the guy behind the upcoming show The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical. We had the pleasure of seeing some of his work performed at a press event in January, and we are SO STOKED for this show. The music is fun, emotional, and just all-around fantastic. Although he has a ridiculously long list of credits both as a performer and as a musical director, we can't wait for him to keep creating even more theater! - BM

Photo: RobertRokicki.com

Paola Lázaro

We were so in love with Tell Hector I Miss Him, and by proxy, the playwright who made it all possible! Paola is the current writer-in-residence at Off-Broadway Atlantic Theater Company and has been nominated for a lot of awards and scholarships. This mentee of playwright Stephen Adly Guirgis isn't afraid to make her dialogue raw and real, just like his. Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Paola’s plays are beautiful tributes to her Latina heritage--as is the tattoo on her left wrist (an outline of Puerto Rico) that she got in exchange for a pack of cigarettes. We can't wait to see a lot more work by this extremely cool playwright. - BM

Photo: Arts.Columbia.Edu

Sara Bareilles

Sara Bareilles is no stranger to writing music -- she is, after all, a Grammy award-winning artist in her own right. She also performed the In Memoriam segment at this year's Oscars, nbd. However, Broadway welcomed her last year with her hit musical Waitress, which was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Original Score. Get ready for more! It was recently announced that this songwriting genius would also be taking over the lead role in the show for a 10-week run in March. Cannot. Wait. - BM

Joshua Harmon

Joshua Harmon is a fresh face to Broadway, and we are LOVIN’ IT! After his very successful Off-Broadway play Bad Jews, his Broadway debut with Significant Other is already a huge success even though it just started, and we predict a fafillion Tony Awards coming its way for all the play categories. His dialogue is so real you feel like you're watching your friends and family speak to each other up there on that stage. This dude has a long and bright future ahead of him and we are PUMPED to see more! - BM

Photo: YouTube/Significant Other

Pasek & Paul

We can’t have a 40 Under 40 without including THE Pasek & Paul. This adorable young songwriting dream team wrote, no big deal, Dear Evan Hansen (which we haven’t been able to stop listening to, and predict ALL THE TONY AWARDS for them), and just won an Academy Award for Best Original Song for “City of Stars” from the movie La La Land. Are they on the fast track to becoming the youngest to win the coveted EGOT? We can’t wait to find out! - GR

Photo: Instagram/PasekandPaul

Influencers

Featured

Laura Heywood

If you were unsure that being a Broadway superfan was a way to make a living, just take one look at the famous @BroadwayGirlNYC, Laura Heywood. She started the anonymous Twitter account in 2009, and it EXPLODED. She began anonymously writing for BroadwayWorld as an advocate for the theatre experience and didn’t reveal her true identity until (cue “DUN DUN DUUUUUN”) 2015's TEDxBroadway. Because of this reveal, she’s been able to launch a social media company and maintain her status as a Broadway Expert...which paved the way for her to do cool stuff like host interviews with Broadway A-Listers for the AOL BUILD series. - BM

Click her photo above to see Laura's AOL BUILD interview with fellow 40 Under 40 star Ali Stroker.

Matt Rodin

Are you a fan of The Red Carpet Challenge or Broadway Game Night? This hottie hosts BOTH of them! He’s a talented actor, musician, broadway personality...oh, and he does YouTube skits called “BROadway” with his friend Reed Campbell which are hilarious! He’s “innovating the way artists approach the business by inspiring others to utilize their talents," according to his website bio, and we could NOT AGREE MORE! If this dude isn't on your daily rotation, make that adjustment to your schedule STAT. - BM

Click the photo above to watch Matt bro out with Reed as they get drunk and watch the 2016 Tony Award nomination livestream.

Jennifer Ashley Tepper

This woman has one of the most powerful positions in the Broadway community: she is the Director of Programming at the supper club 54 Below. If you are lucky enough to be chosen by her to perform in the club, you’re going to fly, baby, fly. Oh, did we also mention that she’s a world renowned theater historian and the author of “The Untold Stories of Broadway” book series? She has the inside scoop on everything that's happening in the NYC theater scene. She’s also just cool AF. - BM

Click the picture above for her extremely cool TEDxBroadway presentation (nbd) about Broadway theaters as the buildings they are.

Chelsea Nachman

No one can deny Nachman is funny AF. She doesn't hold back her Broadway superfandom in her multiple-times-a-day tweets even though she works in the industry as a PR rep for major shows like Dear Evan Hansen (nbd), Beautiful, and Fun Home. Who says Broadway's biggest cheerleaders can't actually do it for living? Her well-known BFF status with Broadway A-lister Laura Benanti makes you wonder which of them is the straight (wo)man in that team. - TC

Get a sense of Chelsea's dry humor by clicking the photo above for a video of her announcing who won Annoying Actor Friend's (see below) Awarsies for marketing and PR.

Iain Armitage

Theater aficionado. Impressive tap dancer. Extremely thoughtful critic. Choose any of those descriptions, and you would still be understating this 8-year-old's infectious enthusiasm for all things Broadway. Iain has been seeing and reviewing theater all over the US since 2011, and we hope for our sake that this little man doesn’t stop. Ever. As they say in Hamilton: "Let's get this guy in front of a crowd!" Iain has recently started conquering the world of acting and is on HBO's Big Little Lies...and it was just announced that he'll be playing Young Sheldon in a Big Bang Theory spinoff, nbd. - TC

Even though he is several years older and much more refined these days, check out the video that catapulted him to fame by clicking the video above. We highly recommend going down a YouTube hole on his channel and watching all his other reviews, too!

Andrew Briedis

Do you have that one annoying actor friend? Well, Andrew Briedis is, LITERALLY, the @AnnoyingActorFriend...on Twitter. If you are an actor or have a friend who is an actor or aspiring actor, his satire will have you hitting “retweet” with a nod of “yep, me”. For three years, the Twitter account was anonymous (very @BroadwayGirlNYC of him), but in December of 2015 we were finally introduced to the sheer awesome that is Andrew. Since then, he’s created a blog (hello, Tony Awards drinking game!), empowered actors to get involved with Actor’s Equity Association, and was the driving force behind the viral movement #Dim4Joan, which caused the Broadway League to reverse their decision to not dim the lights for Joan Rivers. We LOVE how he uses his voice to empower and take action! - BM

Click the picture above to see a video of Andrew auditioning for Michelle Tanner in Fuller House. Yep.

Lin-Manuel Miranda

We can’t have a Top 40 list of any kind without including the man himself, but in what category? He's pretty much in charge of the entire institution of theater at this point, so we've decided to focus on him as an influencer. Probably the most influential part of all of his work has been changing the way Broadway casts shows. His first production, In the Heights, put Latinos front and center without highlighting them as gang members. His next big Broadway hit, which is arguably the most ingenuitive of our time, completely set the groundwork for people of color to take on roles that would traditionally go to caucasians. An Asian-American as the wife of our Treasury Secretary? African-Americans leading the Revolutionary War? A rap musical? Everything about Lin’s work is about breaking barriers between performer and audience and making theater accessible to everyone, not just the majority. Plus, he has over ONE MILLION followers on Twitter, making him an influencer of influencers. One tweet from Lin changes the game -- it helps a fan make the perfect mix for her secret love, helps raise $2,000+ for charity, and even changes the way Twitter formats their gifs. Can we literally start talking about getting him into the White House in 2020? - BM

Click above to watch his opening monologue as host of SNL.

Louis Peitzman

The theater critic world is changing. A ten-paragraph analysis of a show is dull and boring in the world of instant-gratification and social media. Enter Louis Peitzman, stage right: he’s a senior entertainment editor for BuzzFeed, and the only writer who covers Broadway for the site. If he tweets about a show, ticket sales will probably increase and it becomes a hot topic of conversation. It helps that he's a Broadway superfan and most of his picks are fresh and exciting...and that’s what we like! - BM

Watch the Facebook Live video starting at 14:45 to see Louis hosting Buzzfeed's Oscar party by clicking his photo above.

Kelvin Moon Loh

Kelvin Moon Loh came out of the shadows of treading the boards with one Facebook post. A cast member of The King and I at Lincoln Center, Loh wrote an impassioned firsthand account of a mother pleading with her autistic child to be quiet while an audience twittered around them that people “like that” shouldn’t go to the theater. This instantly catapulted him to fame as an activist in the Broadway community. In his post Loh said, “Her plan, as was yours, was to have an enjoyable afternoon at the theater and slowly her worst fears came true.” Since then, Loh has become an advocate for autism-friendly performances. He also appeared in the Broadway-bound The Spongebob Musical in Chicago last summer. Thanks to Kelvin for standing up for the people in this world who need it the most! -AS

Check out a short video of him explaining the now famous incident by clicking his photo above.

Frank DiLella

Frank is a fixture on every New Yorker's favorite television channel: NY1. He covers theater for their weekly show "On Stage", worked on a spinoff show about regional US theater with former Playbill editor Blake Ross, and also hosts Broadway stars at his frequent "Show Biz After Hours" cabaret nights at Birdland Jazz Club. Anyone who is famous enough to play themselves (!) on Smash definitely makes it into our 40 Under 40 list! - SM

Click the video above for his interview with fellow 40 Under 40 Influencer Iain Armitage.

Click here to follow them all on Twitter!

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7 Reasons You Need The Falsettos Cast Recording In Your Life

January 20, 2021

Photos of the 2016 Broadway production: Joan Marcus

**7 Reasons You Need The Falsettos Cast Recording In Your Life**

by Tom Coppola

Falsettos has been a cult favorite since it premiered in the late 80’s/early 90’s and here are seven reasons why should listen to the sublime Broadway revival cast recording on Ghostlight Records. Prepare yourself for conversion into a Falsettos superfan!

“I’m Breaking Down”

Stephanie J. Block slays in this rendition of a woman on the brink from a failed marriage due to her husband’s infidelities…with men. The only thing missing from the recording is the marvel that is Block singing the end of the song with a half-eaten banana in her mouth, which she did every night in the show, catching the attention of the Tony Awards nomination committee!

Christian Borle

Already a two-time Tony Award winner, Christian was nominated yet again for for his performance as Marvin. Take a look at the video above and you’ll see why.

The Music

Despite the sometimes difficult subject matter, William Finn’s sung-through show is filled with humor, tenderness, gorgeous harmonies and infectious tunes sung by some of the most glorious voices on Broadway today.

The Story

Set in the early 1980’s at the cusp of the AIDS crisis, Falsettos was ahead of its time when it premiered on Broadway in 1992. The plot is even considered provocative by today's standards. Marvin leaves his wife for a man. Said (now ex-) wife ends up romantically involved with Marvin’s psychiatrist. Their son is on the verge of turning 13 and is fraught with anxiety dealing with puberty and this new family dynamic...and that’s just the beginning.

It’s the first fully recorded version of the show

The original 90’s recording is combined of the two original one-act musicals that make up the plot--March of the Falsettos and Falsettoland--and doesn't include all the songs from the revival. This album provides all of the sung dialogue and full songs from the show in its entirety.

Anthony Rosenthal

Rosenthal’s portrayal of soon-to-be-Bar-Mitzvahed Jason is equal parts precocious and mature as he struggles with identity, puberty, Jewish studies and loss. A fine performance by such a young actor ensures that he has a long career ahead. Check him out hosting our coverage of the red carpet for the Newsies movie above to get excited about his tracks on the Falsettos recording!

Brandon Uranowitz

It was no surprise that Uranowitz was a Tony nominee for his performance in Falsettos. As Mendel, the psychiatrist who begins courting Marvin’s wife after she starts coming to him for therapy, he projects neurosis, insecurity and ineffectiveness with his hilarious take on the role.

Check out the cast recording via Ghostlight Records or, even better, watch the production on Broadway HD!

LISTEN ON SPOTIFY

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