Broadways New Divas!

[suestorm]

is everyone as excited as i am with the fresh young blood appearing on Broadway these days? Patty, Bernadette, Liza all were great in their day, and still are but its nice to have some young stars that young fans can relate to! Sierra Boggess back in Phantom! Laura Osnes in Cinderella! Rachel Potter and Christine DeC in Evita... and please come back to us Jennnifer Damiano and Cassie Levy! Oh my goodness!

[muscle23ftl]

I don't really care for Laura as a performer, but all the other ones are amazing.

[Owen22]

Our last two great divas: Kristen Chenoweth and Audra McDonald. They aren't just great singers and actors. They are PHENOMENAL doing both.

Not one of the new crop comes close yet.

[suestorm]

i do like them as well OWEN, the new girls will too, they just need some great roles!

[Kelly2]

You forgot the fabulous Tony-nominee and definite diva-to-be Jessie Mueller. :)

[Scarywarhol]

They are all plain ingenue oatmeal, at least at this point.

[Wynbish]

Morgan James wants to be a diva

[Visceral_Fella]

I feel like Patina Miller may be an up and coming Diva as well. It's a bit early in her career to determine, but I feel like she has a lot of work ahead of her.

[Jordan Catalano]

I don't think it's fair to say "Well they're not there YET" because of course they're not there YET. How long did it take Bernadette or Kristin or so many of the others to become "divas" or wildly famous? It takes time and some of there women are well on their way.

[suestorm]

Yaay Jordan our minds are in sync! :)

Yes KELLY, i do need to see Jessie in Drood!

I didnt mean to leave anyother young divas out, these are just the ones i have seen.

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

At the most, I'd say they were "d.i.t." = divas in training. Just saying.... from RC in Austin, Texas

[newintown]

Chenoweth came to town in 93, I believe, at age 25-ish. She did a Paper Mill show, then an Off-Off-Broadway revue (Box Office of the Damned), some other stuff (like The Fantasticks) for a few years, then got her first Broadway gig (Steel Pier) in 97. Her first Tony came 2 years later for Charlie Brown.

So I guess you could say it took her 6 years from getting off the bus (figuratively speaking) to Diva-hood. 7, if you don't think she was a Diva until 2000's On A Clear Day at Encores. But she was definitely one by then, don't you think?

[broadwaydevil]

I agree that Kristin and Audra are the most recent divas.

Everyone else mentioned is on the rise but will take some time. I have a sneaking suspicion Jessie Mueller will be a big star.

[Wynbish]

If we're going that far back, then Sutton is a newer diva.

[suestorm]

lets not forget about the great Megan Hilty! I never saw her in Wicked and 9 to 5 except on YouTube, but i did see her in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes at CITICENTER and she was amazing!!! would that be considered Bdwy? .. and Karen Cartwright! ha kidding about that last one.

[PalJoey]

How can you possibly make a list like that and leave off Leslie Kritzer?

[suestorm]

JOEY i didnt say it was difinitive, just people that i have seen!

[TheatreFan27]

RECENT/CURRENT DIVAS (obviously not counting Peters, Lupone, etc.)

Audra McDonald
Kristin Chenoweth
Sutton Foster
Stephanie J. Block
Sherie Rene Scott
Alice Ripley

UP AND COMING DIVAS

Sierra Boggess
Lindsay Mendez
Betsy Wolfe
Jessie Mueller
Leslie Kritzer
Laura Osnes

[Kelly2]

I have a sneaking suspicion Jessie Mueller will be a big star."

I share this suspicion. If I was a betting girl, I'd bet on her. :)

[beensince1987]

I never understand one thing. What quality or skill you need to be a diva?
To me it's like supermodel. Used to be a few supermodels but now pretty much everyone (pseudo-famous ones) is called supermodel. Seems like everyone is diva nowadays.

Sometimes I call these singers DIVETTES.

[Wishing Only Wounds]

Can we add Lilla Crawford to that up and coming list? That girl has got it!

[PalJoey]

Patty, Bernadette, Liza all were great in their day

Oh--and unless you mean Patty Cohenour or Patty Duke, the single-named Patti is spelled with an "i"

[EgermanArmfelt]

Laura Benanti! Girl has got 3 Tony Award nominations and 1 win, all for musicals.

[bdn223]

The thing with Broadway Diva's is that they not only need to have presence on Broadway that can sell tickets within the theater community, but the also need some recongition outside of Broadway. Due to this I think Sutton Foster just recently attained "Diva" status with Bungeads. Although not a hit, the show gives Sutton a more recognizable name above the marquee, thus truly allowing her to attain diva status. Although Anything Goes can also be considered when she got Diva status as well.

Laura Benanti if she ever gets to play a role center stage instead of being the scene stealer in a Diva's show ( gypsy, Into the Woods, Woman on the Verge) she will definitly get her "Diva Card". She is a 3 time Tony Nominated/Tony Award winner, with a leading role on a by NBC standards hit comedy. Her name will most definitly be above the marquee in her next Broadway role.


I agree 100% with Jessie Muller, being the female lead opposite an A Lister, similar to Stephanie J Block, only hopefully Ms Muller will be more careful in picking the first show she carries on her back (aka not a Pirate Queen).

[Hannahbelle]

If we're considering Audra, Sutton, and Kristin divas, I would like to nominate Idina Menzel for that list as well.

[suestorm]

i never had the pleasure of seeing Sutton on stage in person, but i do love her on Bunheads, she does some dancing there, but i hvent seen her sing which seems to me as dumb as having the cast of MAGIC MIKE leaving their shirts on!~!!!