Photos: THE GREAT GATSBY Star Eva Noblezada Stops By NYC's Broadway Artists Alliance

On Thursday, August 1st, the students of Broadway Artists Alliance welcomed Grammy Award winner, and two-time Tony nominee Eva Noblezada to Ripley-Grier Studios for a special Q&A!

Eva is currently starring as Daisy Buchanan in Broadway’s The Great Gatsby, Noblezada made her Broadway debut at just twenty years old, earning a Tony® nomination for her portrayal of Kim in Miss Saigon. Two years later, Noblezada was nominated again—and won a Grammy® Award—for her performance as Eurydice in the hit Broadway musical, Hadestown. An international sensation, Noblezada has also starred in West End productions of Miss Saigon (as Kim) and Les Misérables (as Eponine), as well as such on-screen projects as Law & Order and Luck. The cheers were deafening as the students of BAA realized they were about to meet Noblezada. More than a hundred of those students had tickets to see The Great Gatsby with BAA that night!

As Noblezada arrived, she recalled what it was like to be these students’ age: “Like you, I’ve always had this passion in me. I knew I had to do something with this feeling … something powerful.” Students’ eyes lit up as Noblezada described performing on a Broadway stage for the first time at the Jimmy Awards–the moment she promised herself, “I will be on this stage [again], and this will be my life.” From auditioning for Miss Saigon inside Broadway’s Majestic Theatre (“It was like the scene in High School Musical where they sing ‘Breaking Free!’ Noblezada exclaimed) to spotting her first ghost while performing as Eponine on the West End, Noblezada’s stories captivated the room, and the students were eager to absorb her advice. “Slowing down,” Noblezada said, has taken her performances to the next level: “honoring the present,” and “allowing my body to sink into the world I’ve created … as opposed to anticipating my next line.” Noblezada also emphasized the importance of setting boundaries and taking care of one’s health. “There are a lot of things you can do for yourself that are Free 99!” she said, sharing her personal go-tos, which include hydrating and watching movies that make her feel “comforted and peaceful.”

When asked how to avoid comparing oneself to other performers, Noblezada shared what she considers to be the most valuable piece of advice she’s ever received: “Never feel insecure because you can’t do something. Allow yourself to be inspired instead—be like, ‘I’m going to learn that skill!’” She went on to encourage the student who’d asked: “There’s no other [you] in the world. That power you have, you can do exponential things with that.” Each student who raised their hand was touched by Noblezada’s sincere and uplifting response.

Of course, the group had their laughs too! Asked how two of her iconic characters, Daisy Buchanan and Eurydice, would get along, Noblezada smirked and said, “If Eurydice went to Daisy’s house—and I’m with Eurydice on this one!—we’d be taking stuff home. The two characters have so little in common, but I think Eurydice would find a bunch of cool trinkets that would just disappear from the Buchanans’ house.”

Noblezada wrapped up the Q&A by reaffirming what a special world these students are entering. “You can't spell ‘theatre’ without ‘heart.’ If audiences open themselves up to experiencing something, they’re bound to leave transformed in some way, and I think that's really, really cool.” Students could hardly contain their excitement as they posed for a group photo with Noblezada, one voice calling out to her: “You are literally my favorite person on Broadway ever!” It was a day these young artists are bound to remember forever.

Broadway Artists Alliance of NYC, founded with the goal of providing professional-level training to talented young artists, enlists talented Broadway performers, Tony® Award winners, and top industry professionals. Students enjoy a wide range of classes including vocal training, song interpretation, scene study, on-camera technique, and various types of dance. BAA offers four Summer Intensive Sessions and one Winter Workshop for students ages 10-21, BAA Junior for students ages 8-10, the Adult Professional Program, and a College Audition Workshop for high school Juniors and Seniors who will be auditioning for Musical Theatre and Acting degree programs.

For more information or to register for Programs, visit www.broadwayartistsalliance.org.