You know that feedback you hear? "Sorry, you're not right for this role ... you're not young enough, old enough, tall enough, short enough, MALE enough?!" So, what's a girl to do? Tongue in cheek, with humor and heart, with songs, stories, dances, and goofy antics, 2014 Theatre World Award winner, Emerson Steele, turns the norms upside down and, tonight, plays the roles she has always wanted to play and some she hopes to play in the future!
Emerson's introduction to Broadway and New York audiences as Young Violet in Violet was called "a strong Broadway debut" by NBC News, an "excellent performance" by Broadway World. She was blessed to be met with a lovely and warm embrace by the Broadway community and the press who referred to her as "a genuine revelation," a "talented newcomer," "feisty," "a very talented young singer," as well as "endearing, hearty-voiced." As Mary Phagan in Jason Robert Brown's Parade at Lincoln Center, Theatremania called Emerson "appropriately chirpy!"
Feinstein's/54 Below just featured an evening with Emerson and some special guests as they performed a range and variety of Broadway favorites, all the while spinning the "no's" into a resounding "YES"!!! With special guests Annie Golden (Orange is the New Black, Violet, Hair), Derek Klena (Wicked, Bridges of Madison County, Dogfight), Charlie Pollock (Violet, Urinetown, 9 to 5), Sophia Gennusa (Matilda, Doctor Zhivago), Gabriella Baldacchino (A Christmas Story MSG), Michael Nigro (Sound of Music Live) and Mavis Simpson-Ernst (Evita, Les Miserables Tour, Project Runway).
Directed by Ilana Ransom Toeplitz. Musical Direction by Sonny Paladino.
Photo Credit: Jessica Fallon Gordon
Mavis Simpson-Ernst, Emerson Steele and Gabriella Baldacchino
Mavis Simpson-Ernst, Emerson Steele and Gabriella Baldacchino
Mavis Simpson-Ernst, Emerson Steele and Gabriella Baldacchino
Emerson Steele and Annie Golden
Michael Nigro, Emerson Steele and Annie Golden
Charlie Pollock and Emerson Steele
Emerson Steele, Sophia Gennusa and Michael Nigro
Michael Nigro, Emerson Steele and Sophia Gennusa
Derek Klena and Emerson Steele
Laura Steele and Emerson Steele
Laura Steele and Emerson Steele
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