BroadwayCon - 01.26.18/01.28.18

It's hard to believe that BroadwayCon has only been in existence for three years (and, yes, I've been there for all three)! It's been fun watching this convention and community grow over the years, as I've seen other repeat offenders and made some new friends.

Day One - Friday, January 26th, 2018

After the line for RuPaul's DragCon wrapped around the block last Fall, I arrived at the Javits Center a little early. It was nice to have time to get through security, grab my bag of BroadwayCon gear and browse the Museum before heading to my first panel of the Con. There was Kevin Smith Kirkwood's "Angel" costume from Kinky Boots, a "CONNOR" cast from Dear Evan Hansen and many other props/memorabilia. 

I started with "Dancing Through Life: The Transition from Dancer to Choreographer" hosted by Howard Sherman and featuring Sergio Trujillo (On Your Feet!) and JoAnn M. Hunter (Thoroughly Modern Millie). As a fan of dance and choreography, it was interesting to hear Sergio and JoAnn's journeys from dancing in shows, picking up dance later in life and moving on to choreographing shows. My only disappointment, we didn't get to see them dance together!

After learning about dance, I walked down the hall to "The Broadway Ensemble Panel" with the hosts of one of my favorite podcasts, The Ensemblist - Nikka Graff Lanzarone and Mo Brady. The panel featured some of my favorite ensemble members - Thayne Jasperson (Newsies, Hamilton, SYTYCD), Ben Tyler Cook (Tuck Everlasting, Mean Girls) and some other ensemble members that were new to me - Grasan Kingsberry, Jennifer Foote and Vasthy Mompoint. I learned what it's like to "cover" a role as a swing (and how many parts that Jennifer and Vasthy have to know in their respective shows), to add their own stories to their characters and what they've learned from being in an ensemble and sometimes in the OBC, like Thayne, a few times over.

After two panels, I took a little break to get something to eat and walk around the BroadwayCon Marketplace. I found the Dear Evan Hansen booth, where you could post a photo to social media and it would generate a sticker to be added to the DEH mosaic. The equipment told the team where to put your photo on the mosaic, so it would make up Evan's signature striped blue polo. At first, I wasn't sure what I wanted to post; then it occurred to me to find a "nostalgic photo" and I found a pic of me climbing the tree in my childhood front yard. Hard to resist that adorable photo, right? The girl working the booth even commented that it was one of the best ones that she'd seen; "I climbed higher & higher, until the entire sun shines on my face!" (See the OG post on Twitter: https://twitter.com/emoleechen/status/956948849679126529.)

With some food in my belly, it was time for "Actors and Activism with Anthony Rapp and Ilana Levine." Along with Emily Skeggs, Arian Moayed, Britton Smith and Lisa Kron, the panel addressed what they as actors have been doing to help our current political/social climate. I enjoyed hearing about each actor's passions and causes; especially after seeing Emily in Fun Home and in the mini-series When We Rise. Sometimes it can feel overwhelming with the number of causes that need attention and help, but they emphasized that you should pick a few to devote your time to and impact them the best that you can. For me, that's Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and other programs through charities like Housing Works and God's Love We Deliver.

Then I was off to hear more about one of my favorite shows, Kinky Boots at "Everybody Say Yeah: Kinky Boots after 2,000 Performances." Here, BroadwayGirlNYC - Laura Heywood, sat down with four of the "Angels" from the show - Kevin Smith Kirkwood, Joey Taranto, Charlie Sutton and Kyle Post and current Charlie Price, Jake Shears from Scissor Sisters. Although, I've seen the show 5 times, I never get tired of it. I was fascinated hearing about each of the actor's auditions for their "Angel" role, their own drag queen names/personalities, the number of shows for Kinky Boots that they have been there for (KSK wins), coming back to the show and so many other stories. I was intrigued by Jake Shears and although I wasn't running to see him as Charlie, this panel convinced me to buy a ticket to see him, Kirstin (from Pentatonix) and Wayne Brady in a few months. Mostly, I really enjoyed learning how Charlie keeps his body in amazing shape for that boxing ring outfit and how Kyle can't do the split leap, so he just twirled his gum in his audition and Jerry Mitchell loved it! 

The day had seemingly flew by and now it was time for the Opening Ceremony! For the first time, there wasn't a big production number and various Broadway stars just came onto the stage and sang. Highlights for me: Betsy Wolfe (Falsettos, Waitress, The Last Five Years) and Billy Porter (in an amazing giant furry hat)!

Immediately following the Opening Ceremony was a reunion of the cast from In The Heights, as the show made it's Broadway Debut almost 10 years ago! Everyone was excited to see the cast, especially Lin-Manuel Miranda and the panel was hosted by his father, Luis Miranda. Even though I saw In The Heights when I first moved to NYC, I was blown away by the number of crossover from ITH into Hamilton and how Lin kept his friends involved in both projects, especially Javi and Chris Jackson. (That's friendship!) I realized that I probably saw most of the OG cast when I went to the show, but at the time my Broadway obsession was only starting to gestate; so I can't remember if I saw Joshua Henry or Mandy Gonzalez. (I can say that I did go to see Corbin Bleu though...as any good High School Musical fan would have done.)

My last panel for the evening was "Show Spotlight: CHICAGO - The Landmark Institution of Razzle Dazzle," featuring Kandi Burruss (The Real Housewives of Atlanta and Xscape member), Joel Grey, Bebe Neuwrith, William Ivey Long and hosted by Paige Davis (Trading Spaces and she played Roxie on Broadway). I loved hearing about the process of recreating Bob Fosse's work, recasting Roxie/Velma, each of the actor's journeys with the show and so much more. Even with not much of a "wow" factor in production on the small stage at the Ambassador, people keep coming back again and again to this show. They always are able to do so much with very little, speaking to the quality of the show!

By 7pm, I'd hit my limit at the Javits Center and headed on my way home to rest up for Day Two.

Day Two - Saturday, January 27th, 2018

My Day Two dilemma: to attend the BroadwayCon Feud (always a favorite) or "Fan Tan Tastic: Asian American Representation"!? Both were at 10am and either one I would be late for, due to L train problems getting into Manhattan. Ultimately, I knew I would get more out of the Asian American panel and it was one of my favorite experiences from last year; so that's where I went. Slightly embarrassed to show up late (how very un-Asian of me), I was still able to find a good seat in the second row. Again, the panel was hosted by Erin Quill (The Fairy Princess Diaries) and consisted of Shoba Narayan (The Great Comet), Telly Leung (Aladdin, In Transit, GLEE), Raymond J. Lee (Groundhog Day, Honeymoon in Vegas) and Ali Ewoldt (The Phantom of the Opera). Erin did a great job in sourcing the panel as there were actors representing various races: Indian, Chinese, Korean and Hapa. I learned about some of their struggles, the whole casting/race debacle that ultimately closed The Great Comet and Ali being the first Asian "Christine" in Phantom (maybe that will make me finally see that show). Erin always brings up great points in her discussions and I couldn't tweet my favorite statements fast enough! I hope this panel continues each year at BroadwayCon! We need more Asian faces on the Great White Way!

Newly energized from the Asian-American panel, I ran off to find a restroom before the Dear Evan Hansen panel and wouldn't you know, where I ended up was right by the green room for the MainStage panelists!? (Oh, hello Taylor Trensch & Noah Galvin!) Along with Steven Levenson (who wrote the book for DEH), they spoke with Dave Quinn about the show, replacing someone as highly praised as Ben Platt and what they were each going to bring to the role of Evan. I was lucky enough to see Noah last year and I couldn't wait until Feb. when I would get to see my #1 Broadway crush, Taylor, tackle the role.

After the panel, I went hustling back to the Marketplace to redeem my lottery ticket to get a photo with Anthony Rapp (OG Mark Cohen from RENT); who was in high demand as the creator of BroadwayCon and for coming forward to share his encounter with Kevin Spacey to the press. (Meanwhile, Britney Spears tickets for Madison Square Garden were going on sale...so, as I waited in line, I tried to no avail to find some seats!) When I finally made it up there, I mentioned to Anthony that it was wonderful to meet him, since I had missed my opportunity in college when he came to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln; his response "Oh, that was a long time ago!" Thankfully, I befriended a girl in line by me, so she also took some photos...because after last year's debacle with Celia & Andrew Keenan-Bolger, I didn't want my only photo with him to be with my eyes closed!

Photo taken, I was off to find some food before going to see Theater People Live with Laura Benanti. No sooner had I grabbed a pizza and was wandering around, looking for a place to sit, did I see my friend Jered, who works for the Shubert Organization. He had an extra seat at his table, so I plopped myself down and we caught up while I inhaled my pizza. 

Feeling satisfied and thankful to not be on my feet for a bit, I headed back to the MainStage to see and hear Patrick Hinds (The host of Theater People and Broadway Backstory) chat with Ms. Laura Benanti. I got there a little early, so I caught the end of the BroadwayCon CosPlay competition; my favorite was the groundhog from Groundhog Day. Then it was time for the panel and they had such an easy rapport it was fun to just sit back and listen. They talked about her various roles, her new daughter, her relationship with her mother and the challenges of Broadway. I'm forever thankful that I got to meet her and talk to her when I worked at Madewell (and I may still have the receipt that says "Associate: Emily and Customer: Laura Benanti" on it...thanks, Nancy)!

Although I don't listen to the "Broadwaysted" podcast, I do love Sierra Boggess, so I figured it was a good enough place to head to next. The hosts, Kimberly Cooper Schmidt, Bryan Plofsky and Kevin Jaeger played all sorts of silly games with Sierra while drinking. We learned about her failed attempt to perform Phantom in France, injuring herself during a show, being a mermaid and so many other stories. Maybe this show will get added to my podcast list soon.

While figuring out what to do between sessions, I went back to the Museum and took some photos of items from Newsies and If/Then before going to the "Show Spotlight: The Band's Visit." Thankfully, I had just seen the show a few weeks earlier, so I could understand what the challenges were bringing this piece to Broadway and what it was like for these actors to get to play their own ethnicity on the stage for once and not be worried. Again, Laura Heywood, hosted with George Abud, Jonathan Raviv, Etai Benson and Sharone Sayegh.

I was pretty sure that I would have stayed for the Broadway Game Night, but my friend's birthday party beckoned and since she just moved into a beautifully renovated house in South Park Slope, I knew I needed to leave and make my way to Brooklyn. 

Day Three - Sunday, January 28th, 2018

Thankfully, the party didn't go too late and the first panel I wanted to see was at 11am! I found a good seat in the MainStage to listen to Julie James (from Sirius XM) chat with Lynn Ahrens (half of the composing/lyricist team for Once on This Island and Anastasia; Stephen Flaherty called in), Christy Altomare (Anastasia) and Hailey Kilgore (Once on This Island). They talked about what it's like to be a young woman on Broadway in a leading role, Hailey's Broadway Debut, working with Ahrens Flaherty and even treated us to a song! Another highlight, when Alex Newell (GLEE) came out and sang "Mama Will Provide" from Once on This Island! I might have gotten a few tears in my eyes during that number...

Then I was off to see the various kids from Fun Home in "Fun Home Kids," where the kids from the workshop, Public Theater, Broadway and Touring productions where there. Laura Heywood was back to moderate and ask questions of all the kids; including Sydney Lucas, Georgi James, Gabrielle Pizzolo, Zell Steele Morrow and Oscar Williams. Having seen the show on Broadway a few times only a few years ago, it was a bit astonishing how fast these kids have grown up and what they've been working on since the show closed.

I was just about to get settled in my next panel, when I got a text from my soon-to-be-Broadway bound friend, Connor, who was about to leave the venue. Since I hadn't seen him in months and he was about to head to Seattle for the out of town tryout for Ride the Cyclone, I left the panel and opted to catch up with him.

After the quick catch up, it was time to go line up for the BroadwayCon First Look at new shows for the next season and for the Closing Ceremony! It was cool hearing about new shows like The Prom, Children of a Lesser God and Getting the Band Back Together. They even offered a special $49/orchestra ticket deal for Getting the Band Back Together, so of course, I booked a ticket for this summer. 

Then it was time to wrap up and say farewell! Denee Benton (The Great Comet, unREAL) and Stephanie J. Block were some of my favorites that came out to wrap up BroadwayCon with Ben Cameron. Overall, another successful Con; even if the venue felt a little impersonal, nothing will ever surpass the feeling of the first year, blizzard and all.

BroadwayCon - 01.27.17/01.29.17

Round Two! For the Second Annual BroadwayCon, the organizers moved the convention from the Midtown Hilton to the Jacob K. Javits Center in the West part of Manhattan. There was a lot more space at this year's convention, but having all the events spread out made it feel a little less intimate. Nevertheless, I had a great time and remembered to bring plenty of snacks, so I could run from panel to panel and not have to miss anything!

Day One - Friday, January 27th, 2017

I wasn't quite sure what to expect from the new location, as I'd only been to the Javits Center back in 2009 for the NY Gift Show. BroadwayCon had a smaller portion of the Center, as the NY Times Travel and Boat Show took up the larger areas. (I wonder what all those travel enthusiasts thought about the Broadway-themed cos play all weekend!?) 

Registration was much smoother, as there was one general line vs. many lines divided up by last name, like last year. Still, I gave myself plenty of time to arrive at the venue, armed with snacks, I found a place to sit and study the layout of the convention center.

My first panel was "Legacy Roles," with Danny Burstein, Kelli O'Hara, Judy Kuhn and Celia Keenan-Bolger. They talked about assuming roles in projects with a lots of history, how and if they studied their predecessors and a lot about working with Barlett Sherr as a director. I learned that Celia work-shopped A Light in the Piazza, only to be replaced by Kelli and then found her way into The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee though similar circumstances. I also realized that Judy was known for the singing voice of Disney's Pocahontas, surprised that I hadn't made that connection sooner. (Amusing fact: the amount of Madewell that Celia was wearing at this panel - and all weekend. Such a faithful client!)

I then found my way to "Broadway Blues: When Diversity Makes a Profit, but Not a Comeback" with Broadway Black and a special guest, Bebe Neuwirth! Moderated by the editorial director, Andrew Shade, the panel was a serious, but fun discussion about diversity on Broadway. Andrew's enthusiasm caught on early with the room and the 50 minute panel flew by! I loved hearing stories from Bebe and Sydnee Winters, who I had just seen as Angelica Schuyler in Hamilton in January. 

Then I was off to see Celia again, in "So You're Nominated for Your Broadway Debut" with Lauren Worsham and hosted by Michael Gioia from PLAYBILL. Celia, of course, received her first Tony nomination for her debut in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and Lauren hers for A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder. They both talked about their paths to the Broadway stage and the blur that was their first Tony Awards season; along with the challenges of still performing in their show 8 times a week, while on the awards circuit.

After that panel, I decided it was time to take a break for lunch and wander around the BroadwayCon Museum & Marketplace. I grabbed a delicious Pat LaFrieda burger and fries in the Javits Center food court and then went to explore the vendors and museum. There were a few historic pieces from last year's museum; Fredi Walker's jacket from RENT, but a lot of costume pieces from Michael Ceveris' career on the stage; Hedwig, Fun Home, etc. I also enjoyed the set design pieces for Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 and prop pies from Waitress.

Then I went to get in line for my first even at the MainStage for "The BroadwayCon 2017 Opening Ceremony." Featuring Sam Tanabe from Allegiance, the show was about a young man moving to NYC to pursue his Broadway dreams and how they could save the arts. There were lots of great cameos, but I particularly enjoyed Carolee Carmello as one of his mom's and it didn't hurt that she regrammed my photo of the ceremony on her Instagram page! 

Having recently seen The Great Comet, I was interested in sticking around by the MainStage for "Chandeliers and Caviar: Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812." Julie James from Sirius XM talked with the cast about their various roles and how the two leads, Josh Groban and Denee Benton, got involved with the show. But the highlight for me was when Brittain Ashord talked about their cast warmup song, "Eat a Bag of Dick's," which totally means the burger joint in Seattle, right!?

The panel up was "Twenty Years on Pride Rock" with Whoopi Goldberg and Julie Taymor; however just before it was scheduled to start, I saw a Tweet that Whoopi was unable to attend, due to illness. The panel was an interesting discussion with Julie and one of the OG management/production members of the show; they reminisced about casting, how Rafiki became female and what the process was of making all the animal puppets and focusing on their movement. 

Feeling pretty full and excited after Day 1, I stayed for only part of the BroadwayCon Cabaret, before heading home for the night. At least I got to see and hear Anthony Rapp sing "Happiness" from You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown, before I called it a night!

Day Two - Saturday, January 28th, 20167

The second day, I didn't arrive quite so early to the venue, since I already had my pass and all, but I wanted to make sure I got a good seat for the BroadwayCon Feud, one of the highlights from last year's convention. The line was pretty long, but I made some friends with a few girls who had traveled in from Philadelphia and we were able to find some decent seats towards the front, left side of the Main Stage.

Jenn Collela was back to host again, but I knew it wouldn't be quite the same without Susan Blackwell on the stage too! BroadwayCon Feud was full of stars and some fans, who competed yesterday in a little quiz to qualify for the game. Jenn talked about how she kissed everyone on the mouth last year, so started out the introductions by doing the same this year. Some the categories were definitely tough and even I found myself struggling to name 5 female directors of shows on Broadway! 

I moved a little farther up towards the MainStage for "Everybody Say Yeah: Three Years at Kinky Boots" and befriended an older man who had a mild obsession with Kinky Boots and Broadway, in general. We became Instagram friends and he told me about the TDF Honors Concert for Kinky Boots coming up in March. I enjoyed hearing Killian Donnelly talk about his journey from the West End to the Broadway stage, Taylor Louderman's first few weeks as Lauren and Todrick Hall talking about how his experience as Lola has changed his perspective on performance. What really struck a chord with me was how he mentioned that he would not do "Twerkin' in the Rain" after this experience, since it seemed to be one of the most fun parts of his set at Elsie Fest last Fall. It'll be interesting to see what he does after his stint in Kinky Boots!

I finally left the MainStage to see a panel about casting long running roles, called "Casting Roxie, Raul, and Rafiki." Three casting directors talked about their challenges and exciting times casting various roles. I identified the most with Benton Whitley, who was the youngest in the group and talked about his challenges casting the role of Velma Kelly in Chicago. He discussed how they do a little bit of "stunt casting," by placing celebrities into the role of Roxie and Billy Flynn, but that there are only 4 or so actresses who can perform Velma's part. (I would definitely keep this in mind when I went to see Mel B in Chicago, a few weeks late.)

Staying in the same programming room, I moved to the front row for "Someone in a Tree: Asian-American Representation on Broadway" and saw Erin Quill come in with Amy Hill. Immediately, my heart started beating faster; "Grandma from All-American Girl is here!" I kept thinking. I remember watching her on TV as a teenager and identifying with her, since she was so much like my Dad and Popo. The panel also consisted of B.D. Wong (another All-American Girl alumni and one of my childhood crushes), Kelvin Moon Loh (from Here Lies Love and American Idiot), and Manu Narayan (Bombay Dreams). Noticeably absent was Ruthie Ann Miles, as Erin said "someone named Jake Gyllenhaal" was holding her hostage, meaning she was in rehearsals for Sunday in the Park with George and couldn't make it for the panel. The discussion was vibrant and lively; as they talked about taking roles outside of their own Asian ethnicity (i.e. playing a Chinese person, when they are Korean), the challenges of even finding roles and how this was impacted by the recent Presidential election. After the panel, I got the chance to speak with Manu and shake his hand. He said he appreciated how engaged I was in their panel and that the community still has quite a way to go with Asian representation on the stage.

I took a short break and walked around the center before getting in line for "Even If You're Little, You Can Do a Lot: Broadway Kids 2017." Several kids from Matilda, The Lion King and Annie participated in the panel, but i think a lot of the crowd was there to see Jake and Sydney Lucas. The kids talked about the challenges of their roles and funny stories, but I really enjoyed the second part of the panel, when the kid swings came up on stage. Girls from The Lion King and Matilda talked about all the roles they covered and how they tried (or didn't try) to keep all the various tracks separated in their memories.

My last panel of the day was with the creators of In Transit and, Justin Guarini (the only cast member who appeared) in "Getting There: In Transit." The team talked about the development process and the difficulties of bringing an a Capella musical to the Broadway stage. The cast is constantly singing during the show, so even things like costume changes require someone else from the cast to take over the beats for a few measures! The show is performed without an intermission, so they must stay fully engaged for the whole performance. Although Justin doesn't mention his American Idol experience in his bio, one of the creators did make a small jab at him, saying "I voted for you!"

Day Three - Sunday, January 29th, 2017

When I found out that my friend, Connor, got a role in the National Tour of The Little Mermaid, I knew I had to go and see him in the show! It seemed like a great time to travel to Columbus, OH and visit my friend, Jonelle, who had moved back there last year. What I didn't realize was that it was immediately following BroadwayCon weekend. So, yes, I brought along my suitcase to the convention center and knew I would have to depart early to make it to LGA on time for my 7pm flight.

Even with the little travel challenge, I still got to the Javit Center early to get a good seat for "Tyler Mount's Broadway Besties" panel! I got to meet Tyler last year and since then have been occasionally watching his Snapchat or Vlog to learn more about my favorite Broadway stars. The highlight for this morning was seeing Andrew Chappelle from Hamilton, as he played a game with Tyler and came out to sing "Let's Hear It For the Boy." Other guests included Keala Settle, Ariana DeBose and Christopher Jackson. Each actor got to play a game with Tyler and do a performance, if they wanted. It was certainly a fun way to start off the morning.

I was able to move up a few rows in the MainStage before "Waving Through a Window: The Dear Evan Hansen Panel" started. Julie James was back to host with the entire cast of Dear Evan Hansen. Julie asked some great questions to the cast, but mostly everyone wanted to know how Ben Platt is that emotionally present in the show 8 times a week! Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, fresh off their La La Land success, even talked about how they knew Ben was right for the role and what a dream it's been to have the funding to create this story that they've had since college.

After Dear Evan Hansen, I thought it would be a good idea to stay in the MainStage, since the Hamilton panel was up in an hour or so. Even though I hadn't seen A Bronx Tale, I thought it would be a good time to eat my lunch and listen to the story of the show in "This is A Bronx Tale." Chazz Palminteri, the creator, was a little late, but the cast talked about their process in bringing this show to the stage. Ariana talked about her transition from ensemble in Hamilton to a leading role in A Bronx Tale and what it's like to be one of the only women in the show. When the panel was over, I went on a quick restroom break and almost ran smack dab into Anthony Rapp! Oops. Then that was followed by passing Mandy Gonzalez and Lexi Lawson, when I was headed back to my seat.

For the "Hamilton: The Next Administration" panel, it was great to see these actors, since I had just seen the show on January 10th. Although, Brandon Victor Dixon was out when I saw the show, I enjoyed his story about how he heard Shuffle Along was closing and that he would be succeeding Leslie Odom Jr. as Aaron Burr. It was also great to hear Taran Killam talk about his journey from SNL to his Broadway debut as King George III. And of course, there was the kid with the It Factor, ever since Grease LIve, Jordan FIsher, who was a highlight of the show for me, with his new energy and choices as Phillip Hamilton. The ladies weren't as talkative, but everyone seemed to be excited to be at BroadwayCon and enjoying the moment.

After the Hamilton panel, I headed back to the Marketplace, for the only Photobooth Session I won: Andrew & Celia Keenan-Bolger. It seemed like everyone in line was there for Andrew, as I was next to a girl in a Tuck Everlasting t-shirt and Newsies hat, but he was almost an after thought to me, I was there for Celia. NOw, it may seem silly, since she was one of my regulars at Madewell, but it was nice to see her out of my usual job. As I walked up, her eyes got bright and she did a little dance and hugged me! We chatted for a bit, the photographer snapped a photo and that was it. (On a side note, I'm glad that I asked the Tuck/Newsies girl to take some photos for me, since she caught a little of Celia's dance and because in the official BroadwayCon photo, my eyes were closed!)

After the photobooth session, it was back to the MainStage for part of the "BroadwayCon First Look." I knew that I wouldn't be able to stay for all the performances, but was hoping that I would be able to see most of the new shows for the Spring. First up, Corey Cott and Laura Osnes, singing a song from Bandstand. Followed by Jenn Collela singing her number from Come From Away, which only made me more curious about this little show and how it could be the one to watch come this Tony Awards season. Up next was the cast of Significant Other, with Gideon Glick performing one of his monologues from the show and some of my other Broadway favs, Lindsey Mendez and Rebecca Naomi Jones. Then Eva Noblezada from Miss Saigon performed and before I knew it, it was time for me to leave for the airport. 

And that's a wrap on BroadwayCon 2017! I can't wait to see what 2018 will bring!

BroadwayCon - 01.22.16/01.24.16

Although it may not count as travel, I had a out of my normal routine staycation in the city for the first ever BroadwayCon! Unfortunately, Winter Storm Jonas and about 28" of snow changed my plans slightly and I missed out on most of the Saturday evening activities. Regardless, I got my money's worth and here's a little recap of my experience at the convention.

Day One - Friday, January 22nd, 2016

The first ever convention for fans of Broadway!? Of course, I had to be there. So, I used my weekend off for January and spent it in Midtown at the Hilton, surrounded by other Broadway fans. In the midst of Winter Storm Jonas, I wasn't sure how many people would really turn out, but as soon as I arrived to the registration desk, I knew; a LOT! Several thousand fans showed up to the hotel over the weekend, dressed up as their favorite characters or wearing their favorite show's swag. (For day one, I chose to wear my Hamilton/Jefferson/Madison/Washington/Burr t-shirt.) The registration booths were organized by the first letter of your last name, but in reality, you could go to any booth and get in. I got my bag, Playbill and lanyard and was off to the fan meetups.

My first stop was to the "Party of One" meetup fors BroadwayCon attendees who came by themselves. I figured I might meet a friend or two that I could enjoy the convention with, but quickly realized it might be better for me to go about things on my own. Some of the attendees shared their social media information and we even made a few videos and SnapChats for theatre companies across the Nation. 

Then it was on to more meetups. In my first dilemna of the weekend, I had to choose between a Newsies meetup, RENT meetup, Hamilton meetup and a SMASH meetup. After some careful deliberation, I decied to attend the SMASH meetup, where I sat next to a Heather Chandler from Australia and argued with others about Bombshell  vs. Hit List (I'm #TeamHitList). We had a sing-a-long of "Let Me Be Your Star" and dubbed ourselves #SMASHtrash. I shared a story about walking by the SMASH set on a date.

I had a little bit of time to kill before the Spring Awakening panel, so I strolled through the Marketplace, got my photo taken on my own version of a Playbill and grabbed something to eat. The Spring Awakening panel, entitled "Deaf West, East," brought in the cast from the Broadway production and interpreters for the deaf actors to participate in the conversation. I loved getting a chance to hear Andy Mientus, Austin P. McKenzie, Katie Boeck, Krysta Rodriguez, Daniel Durant and Sandy Mae Frank talk about this updated version of the Tony Award winner. I also loved watching the cast talk about accessibility for deaf and other handicapped patrons to the theatre. Even Sandy Mae had to make an extra effort to be heard in the panel, as her interpreter had to interject to be heard and seen. 

After "Deaf West, East," I had to decide between a King & I panel or "Changing My Major To Joan" with Roberta Colindrez from Fun Home, Ariana DeBose from HAMILTON, Pippin, So You Think You Can Dance and Maggie Keenan-Bolger. I opted for the Joan panel and kind of regretted my decision. What I thought was going to be a fun panel talking about their roles in shows and the LGBT community, turned into a type-casting and angry panel. I wanted to slink out, but after I sat in the second row, it was kind of hard to. The ladies brought up topics about being type cast, especially once they came out, and their own personal struggles. The panel ran long and I was scrambling to get to the Opening Number performance.

By the time I got to the MainStage lobby, a HUGE line had already formed. I thought being a "party of one" might be on my side. Nope. The line was a mess and wrapped around the lobby several times. The staff was telling everyone that VIP's were being let in first, then they would let in the General Passes (who were guaranteed seats) before those with Day Passes. Ugh. I was finally able to get in, but couldn't find a seat anywhere. I opted to stand by the back wall, so at least I could have a decent view. On my way to the back, I found Tyler Mount from Playbill and took a selfie with him. Then it was finally time for the Opening Number, which parodied many shows and featured lots of great actors & actresses. I thoroughly enjoyed the shout out to Schmackary's, since I grew up with their owner, Zachary Schmahl. Then, Anthony Rapp (who helped create BroadwayCon) appeared on the big screens with a surprise hello from Idina Menzel and the crowd erupted and I almost lost it! So much love and joy in one room!

After the Opening Number, I tried to stake out a closer seat for the Hamilton  panel, which would be taking place in the same room. (Insert your own "Room Where It Happens" joke, if you'd like!) Blake Ross, the editor of Playbill, was moderating the panel with Lin-Manuel Miranda, Renee Elise Goldsberry, Phillippa Soo, Christopher Jackson, Leslie Odom Jr., Daveed Diggs, Jonathan Groff and Okieriette Onaodowan. Some of the actors talked about how they got involved with the show, their casting stories and favorite pieces, but the hands-down best part was when the person typing on the teleprompter was talking about Daveed's rapping career and left out one of the "p"'s in rapping. Oops. Then Lin was asked to freestyle a rap, which he closed out by saying "and when you're typing on the teleprompter don't drop a 'p'!" Brilliant.

Then I was ready to swoon over Matt Doyle at "I Was a Teenage Diva," but I guess he was unable to attend. However, I had  great time watching old footage of Rob McClure, Ryann Redmond, Taylor Louderman and Lesli Margherita peforming and then having them sing for us! 

The first day of BroadwayCon closed out with a reunion of the original cast of RENT, minus a few members. Idina sent over a message and everyone reminisced about Jonathon Larsen and his brilliant work. When the cast started talking about missing members of the original production, Jesse L. Martin's name came up. Immediately, Daphne Rubin-Vega got out her phone and FaceTime'd with Jesse. She showed the phone to the crowd who made him super emotional and then she passed the phone around to the other cast members and in a priceless moment, Jesse shrieked "Wilson!" when he spotted Wilson on the stage. How I desperately wanted them to sing "Seasons of Love," but then I knew I would not have been abel to control the tears. Not so bad for Day One.

Day Two - Saturday, January 23rd, 2016

Day two started out with an L Train delay and I almost missed the BroadwayCon Feud! The snow was coming down quickly and it was pretty slippery. I managed to wipe out on 6th Avenue, but I was able to save my $6 soy chai from Starbucks! (Little did I know that this fall into the snow smudged all my eyeliner and I wouldn't know it was all over my face until a few hours later...Oops.)

The BroadwayCon Feud featured two teams: one with Lesli Margherita, Rob McClure, Susan Blackwell and two fans and another with Jonathan Groff, Ryann Redmond, two fans and another Broadway celeb, that I didn't know. The game show was hosted by Jen Colela (If/Then) and she made light of being a lesbian and even finding Jonathan Groff attractive. Susan kept pestering Jen about when "all the making out" was going to happen, which they immediately shared a kiss on stage. Jen would then go on to kiss Jonathan saying "I'm not stupid," and then Jonathan kissed the fan on the opposite team (fueling jealousy in so many other fans in the audience). I can't remembe any of the questions or who won, but I had a great time witnessing the Feud!

I then went onto a live version of Side by Side with Susan Blackwell,  as she inteviewed Ann Harada and Ryann Redmond. Susan chatted with the ladies in her hilarious and uncensored interview style; asking them audition questions, favorite song to sing, theme songs, etc. All in all, a great time and what a wonderful opportunity to be sitting less than 10 feet away from Susan, the original Christmas Eve from Avenue Q and Bridget from Bring It On!

After that, I stayed in the same room for "I Can Do That!: Broadway Siblings" that featured three families who all are involved in the Broadway community. Hosted by Michael Gioia from Playbill, he asked the sibilings about what it was like growing up, their competitive nature, how they got involved in the business and what it's like to work together. The panel featured a few families that I didn't know, including the Alers sisters, Karmine and Yassmin, who are in On Your Feet! together and had previously both been in companies of RENT, but not at the same time. The highlight of the panel for me was seeing the Keenan-Boglers; Celia (The Glass Menagerie, Peter and the Starcatcher, Spelling Bee), Andrew (Tuck Everlasting, Newsies) and Maggie (Honest Accomplice Theater). It was fun watching everyone interact with each other and share stories about growing up; particularly the Keenan-Bolger's being in The Secret Garden together and Celia getting cast as Martha instead of Mary!

My next stop was a panel about Production Assistants who are now on the Broadway stage or working behind the scenes as Directors or Stage Managers. It was another opportunity to see Ann Harada, who started as a PA at the Vineyard Theatre and then made the jump to being on the stage. I also had the opportunity to see Lonny Price and Ted Chapin, the President of the Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization. Everyone on the panel had great insight of what it takes to make it in the business, if your desires are not to be on the stage and infront of an audience.

The last stop for me on Saturday was the Funny Girls panel with Susan Blackwell, Ann Harada and Lesli Margherita. The MTA was shutting down train service around 4pm, so I skipped the Costume Designer panel for a few laughs. The room was packed, but a lot of the topics had been covered in Susan's panel from earlier in the day, so I left to take the train home. Although, I had to forego the Keenan-Bolger Survival Guide, Disney & Modern Musicals sing-a-longs and the Broadway Team Quiz, I didn't want to shell out any money to book at room at the Hilton and figured it would be worth going home and getting home safely.

The streets of Midtown were eerily empty, as all traffic ceased around 2:30pm. I made it home in one piece, but couldn't help the feeling of FOMO as I watched some of the other panels throug various social media channels from my home. However, many Broadway stars were not able to make it to the Convention, since the snow kept them in Jersey or outside of the city with no way to make it in. My biggest regret, "wasting" my Audrey II t-shirt for Saturday, since I was only there for 5 hours; but she will live to see another day.

Day Three - Sunday, January 24th, 2016

For the third and final day of BroadwayCon, I put on my Neil Patrick Harris as Hedwig t-shir and went on my way back to Midtown. Post snowstorm, the MTA was having a little trouble getting the trains up and running again. I waited almost 50 minutes for the L and made sure that I was on the first train with room. Luckily, I made it to the Hilton before the 11am panels, but missing the 10am panel on social media and marketing. With some time to kill, I wandered into the BroadwayCon Museum, where I ran into Kevin & Jackson from "The Ensemblist" podcast. (One of my favorite podcasts to listen to when I travel! Started by Nikka Graff Lazarone and Mo Brady, each session features ensemble members of shows and covers a variety of topics.) After introducing myself, we perused the collection in the Museum, which featured some of Daphne Rubin-Vega's original Mimi outfits from RENT, a mock up of the Hamilton set design, outfits from School of Rock and Bob Fosse's Directors Chair!

My first stop was "Insiders, Outsiders and Masked Avengers: Your Role in the Broadway Community" which was a panel about how social media has changed the way we interact with our favorite Broadway celebrities. The panel featured Aaron J. Albano (Newsies, Here Lies Love, The King & I), Andrew Briedis (Annoying Actor Friend on Twitter), Laura Heywood (@BroadwayGirlNYC), Patrick Hinds (Theatre People Podcast), Nikka Graff Lazarone (The Ensemblist Podcast) and Erin Quill (Avenue Q). I grabbed a seat by Jackson & Kevin and we listened to the panel discuss their own experiences about interacting with the Broadway community. Aaron talked about the Newsies #fansies phenomenon and how the various cast members responded to their new found fame and recognition. Andrew talked about his anonymous profile on Twitter until the last few months and how he differentiates his own account from Annoying Actor Friend. Nikka touched on working with various performers and how The Ensemblist contributes as an outlet for "outsiders" to understand what goes on behind the scenes. Before the panel, I did not know much about the other panelists but immediately felt a connection to Erin Quill's experience as an Asian-American woman in theatre (her casting stories reminded me of what dating in NYC feels like for me), Patrick had lots to saw about his own fan experience with theater and Laura talked about her "side job" of running Broadway Girl and how it's allowed her to have a hobby outside of her normal, working life.

As anyone who knows me understands, I have a slight obsession with So You Think You Can Dance, so I knew I HAD to go to the "A Dancer Dances" panel next, even if it meant skipping the Something Rotten! panel. I loved hearing Jess LeProtto (Newsies, On the Town, SYTYCD 8), Paloma Garcia Lee (On the Town, Nice Work If You Can Get It) and Stephen Hanna (An American in Paris) talk about their experiences on the stage. Jess talked about his experience a bit on SYTYCD and how it prepped him for his turn in Newsies and I loved hearing Paloma talk about how she covered several tracks as the Dance Captain/Swing in On the Town. I was just a little disappointed that Ariana DeBose (Hamilton, Bring It On, SYTYCD 6) never made it to the panel.

Then it was onto an audio commentary panel with Joshua Safran showrunner on SMASH, as he went through the first episode of the second season. The room was packed and Joshua shared lots of fun stories and information about working on the show, since Jeremy Jordan couldn't make it to BroadwayCon due to the weather. While Joshua was showing clips, Ben Rauhala walked right by me and I kept wanting to say hello, but never got a chance! One day, I will make it to one of his shows at 54 Below!

On a musical high, it was off to a panel with the creative team of Waitress: The Musical. Sara Bareilles, Jessie Nelson and Diane Paulus The ladies talked about what it was like bringing the show from the ART to Broadway, where it will open this March. It was a wonderful opportunity to talk to the all-female team for the show and what some of their challenges and experiences had been. Moderated by Blake Ross from Playbill, they walked about Sara's release of the album of songs from the musical, which has only created more buzz for the show and added lots of videos to YouTube with young girls and boys singing those songs. Then at the end of the panel, Sara surprised us all and sat down at the piano to play "She Used to Be Mine," which didn't leave a dry eye in the house!

I had originally planned on going to the Jeremy Jordan and Joshua Safran autograph session, but since Jeremy couldn't make it and I didn't want to stay around for another hour and a half, I left before the Closing number. All in all, I had a great time at BroadwayCon and I can't wait to come back next year!