Broadway.tv & McDonald 42nd Street’s Search For Broadway’s Next Star

Bianca is an ambitious singer who is eager to participate in Next Broadway Star. She has participated in open theatrical classes. Come this Fall Semester, she will be a Musical Theatre major at American Musical and Dramatic Academy.  She was actively involved in musical theatre throughout high school and was rigorously trained in opera, movement, and voice technique.

Performance credits: The Dialogues of Carmelites (Madame Lidoine/Mother Marie of St-Augustin), The Bernstein Mass Project (Choir), and Carnegie Hall High School Choir Festival (Choir).

Fun facts: She loves playing sports including softball and baseball. During her spare time she plays the guitar, reads books, and loves to make bracelets for friends and family.

 Broadway.tv & McDonald 42nd Street Store’s Search Broadway’s Next Star

Josephine Bauza, better known as Pepa, is more than eager to be a part of Next Broadway Star. Nothing gives her more happiness than performing in front of a live audience, moreover, to be a part of an ensemble to her, that sense of family, is priceless. Coming from an artistic background where her mother was a singer/dancer and a Las Vegas show girl, her Father a Flamenco Guitarist, the stage was an inevitable destination for her. Moving from Miami Fl, Josephine has taken her career to the next level by doing what all up and coming artists do - starting from scratch in New York City to make her dream of becoming a star a reality.

At a young age, Josephine has already traveled around the world. Credits include - Lead Singer of the New Flamenco Cruise ship where she entertained and visited Spain, Italy, France, Malta and Tunisia.  She plays guitar, clarinet and percussion, and works for a very established Latin artist named, Ricardo Montaner.  She has also been a part of various Latin Sketch comedy television shows locally in Miami, as well as a Morning Show Radio Host for Clear Channel Mega 94.9Fm.

Fun facts:  She is often confused for Shakira, Is a Rat in the Chinese zodiac, Dreams of hosting Saturday Night Live, and eats much more dessert than you think!

 Broadway.tv & McDonald 42nd Street’s Search For Broadway’s Next Star

David Michaels was born to sing and act. At the age of 15, he began a quest to fulfill his dream to be on Broadway. David soon became a local star in his home state of Connecticut, performing in numerous plays across the region. Two years ago, he decided to up the ante and move to the big city. David has now performed in leading roles in venues across the nation, including a national tour of Oklahoma! He is about to make his Fringe Festival debut as “Fantasy Man,” where his wardrobe will consist only of flesh-colored briefs. David has received tremendous acclaim for his musical theater performances: “Here is a talent with enough charisma to light up the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center.” (Joanne Greco Rochman, as published in The Valley Gazette.)

David Michaels has extensive experience in acting, singing, and musical theatre. David honed his craft in acting and singing at the Connecticut School of Performing Arts as well as AMDA (American Musical Dramatic Academy).  Performance credits include: Cassanova Was a Woman (FRINGE FESTIVAL), Oklahoma! (NATIONAL TOUR), The Full Monty, Grease, American Buffalo, The Zoo Story, Ancestral Voices, Kiss Me Kate, Guys & Dolls, Bat Boy, Blood Brothers, Thoroughly Modern Millie, The Forest, True Love (Voiceover).

David enjoys playing the piano and composing theme music. He prides himself on doing a spot-on Al Pacino and Christopher Walken impressions and has recently taken up voice-over work. A well-rounded athlete, David can be found walking on his hands in between auditions.

Broadway.tv & McDonald 42nd Street’s Search For Broadway’s Next Star

Ned is thrilled to be a part of Next Broadway Star.  Originally from Portland, Maine, Ned is currently entering his senior year pursuing a BFA in Musical Theatre from Ithaca College.  He is so excited to be making his NYC theatre debut as part of this competition.  Hopefully this will be the first of many great opportunities as he prepares to pursue his dream of being an actor in the entertainment industry, be it theatre, television, or film.

Ned’s credits include: A Year with Frog and Toad (Maine State), All Shook Up (Hackmatack), Macbeth, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, As You Like It (Ithaca Shakespeare Co.), Observe the Sons of Ulster…, Playboy of the Western World, The Cripple of Inishmaan (On the Verge Theatre Co.)

Not a stranger to the competition show circuit, Ned was unceremoniously voted off of America’s Got Talent by judges Sharon Osbourne, Piers Morgan, and Howie Mandel in the Los Angeles first round of this most recent season. On that show, he showcased his other passion, Staged Combat.  Ned runs a vampire slayer action comedy web series entitled “The Hunted: Expulsion” which is a spinoff of the world’s longest running web series “The Hunted” based out of LA.  Ned sends love to all of his friends, to Priya who keeps him sane in this crazy world, and to his entire family, especially his older brother Will who is off galavanting somewhere around the world; Stay Safe.

Broadway.tv & McDonald 42nd Street’s Search For Broadway’s Next Star

Whitney Winfield is thrilled to be a part of the Next Broadway Star contest! A Naples, Florida native, she has been performing onstage since the age of 8 and has never given up on her dream of being on Broadway. She has sung in countless competitions, in addition to performing in more than 40 musicals and plays. The Next Broadway Star contest will give Whitney another chance to make her goal a reality!

Whitney is entering her Senior year at Pace University, where she will complete her degree with a B.F.A. in Musical Theater. Prior to coming to NYC for school, Whitney attended Interlochen Arts Academy, a boarding high school where she studied theater with world-renowned instructors and guest artists.

Favorite credits include: Regional: No, No Nanette (Nanette), Chicago (June/Ens.), Rent (Maureen), My Fair Lady (First Maid/Ens.), Thoroughly Modern Millie (Millie), The Who’s Tommy (Ens.); Educational: The Who’s Tommy (Mrs. Walker), Beauty and the Beast (Belle), City of Angels (Alaura Kingsley), All Shook Up (Miss Sandra), The Illusion (Melibea), A Year With Frog and Toad (Lady Bird 1).

Outside of school and auditioning, Whitney loves baking delicious desserts, watching juicy television like True Blood, “Netflix”-ing informative documentaries, and frolicking around the city with her friends and boyfriend, James! She can be found serving amazing mini cupcakes at one of the four Baked By Melissa locations in the city! Stop by and say, “Hello!”

Broadway.tv & McDonald 42nd Street’s Search For Broadway’s Next Star

Lyle Colby Mackston is so excited to be a part of The Next Broadway Star.  He just finished swinging Off-Broadway this summer and is currently a senior pursuing a BFA in Musical Theater at Pace University.

Previous Theater credits include: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Papermill Playhouse) Phil (ACADEMY at the NYMF) Peter (DARLING), Bruce (The Smoking Gun), Spiderman: Turn Off The Dark (Pre-Broadway Reading).

Recent Film Credits include: Michael & Michael Have Issues, The Naked Brothers Band, The Guiding Light, The Picture of Dorian Gray & numerous commercials.

Thank you to Family, FBI & TEG & Sheri Sanders for inspiration!

Broadway.tv & McDonald 42nd Street’s Search For Broadway’s Next Star

Marie is already living her dream in NYC! Each and every day is a chance for Marie to give back to the world, and one way she can do this is to share her love for music and the performing arts with those around her. While looking ahead to future career goals is extremely important, Marie is grateful for today’s opportunities and is absolutely thrilled that Broadway’s Next Star can offer aspiring artists to share their talent with the world.

Marie is a second year graduate candidate at NYU in Vocal Performance in Opera Studies and Advanced Certificate in Vocal Pedagogy. She received her BA at Providence College in Vocal Performance.  She is voice teacher and yoga instructor at NYU. Her performance credits include Dido and Aeneas (Belinda), Company (Sarah), Amahl the Nightvisitors (Amahl), Damn Yankees (Gloria), Guys and Dolls (Adelaide) Brahms Liebeslieder Waltzes, Die Fledermaus, and Funny Girl.

Marie would like to thank her five wonderful siblings for all of their patience and tolerance for putting up with her singing. She is especially grateful and blessed with loving and subortive parents who have made her education possible. Love to my family who continues to show up at every show…your endless support brings me so much happiness.

 ”Broadway Stands Up For Freedom” To Take Place on July 25

Tony nominee Gavin Creel and Tony winner John Tartaglia will be joining a star-studded group of performers at Broadway’s annual fundraiser for the New York Civil Liberties Union. The benefit show will feature performances by Creel (Hair) and Tartaglia (Avenue Q), as well as Tony winners Nikki M. James (The Book of Mormon), Beth Leavel (Baby It’s You), and a long list of Broadway favorites. Tony Kushner, winner of the Tony Award and the Pulitzer Prize, will be the honorary chairman for the evening, which Seth Rudetsky will host the show. Proceeds from the benefit evening will go toward the NYCLU’s youth programs, particularly its work with LGBT teenagers and its Teen Activist Project.

Cast To Perform Hit Song “A Freak Like Me” For The Very First Time

David Letterman’s late-night talk show will be swarmed with Spider-Man cast and creative team members tonight. Bono and The Edge, the show’s composers, will be the evening’s interview guests, and live performances from the musical will be featured. Patrick Page will perform in his role of the villaneous Green Goblin, and the ensemble cast will debut a new song, “A Freak Like Me.” Bono and the Edge, 22-time Grammy award winners, wrote the music for the show about Spider-Man, the Marvel comic hero.

Photo: J. McCarthy, Wire

Hit Musical Electrifies The Great White Way

Hair has returned to Broadway in triumph, and the cast and audience jubilantly celebrated the “summer of love” at the opening on July 13. Winner of a 2009 Tony Award for Best Musical Revival, Hair has been on a yearlong national tour, as well as on London’s East End. The Public Theater production integrates cast members from all three iterations of the show, and welcomes audience participation in the final dance number. Hair’s freewheeling spirit can be observed at the St. James Theater until September. Watch the opening night coverage on www.broadway.tv.

Photo: John Lamparski, Wire