The Ensemblist

For 366 performances, the spooky souls of Broadway’s Beetlejuice haunted the hollowed halls of the Winter Garden Theatre. Until its untimely demise in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, the show was playing to sold-out houses who reveled in its zany, but loving spirit. As fans of the show, we are sad to see it go but so greatly for the joy the company brought to the Broadway community. The Ensemblist loved sharing stories from its 22 ensemble members over its year on the Rialto...

The Broadway adaptation of Frozen will not reopen at the St. James Theatre when Broadway once again opens its doors post-pandemic. It effectively took its final bow March 11 running for 26 previews and 825 regular performances. Today, we share some of our favorite conversations about Frozen with original Anna standby Aisha Jackson, music supervisor Stephen Oremus, the original Queen Iduna Ann Sanders and original company member Tracee Beazer. Enjoy...

For many theatre artists, there’s the show that changed everything. A musical that - for the first time - reflected a part of the artist that they had never seen before. A show that gave that young artist a glimpse into their future - into an industry and community they would inevitably be a part of. And while that experience is by no means unique, it is often the kernel of why they’ve made the theatre their life’s work. So for The Ensemblist’s 300th episode, we are turning the tables...

Happy Tony Season! Our team at Ensemblist HQ could not be more excited to join the theatre community in celebrating the 2019-20 Broadway season and its incredible ensembles this fall. First up is Moulin Rouge! After a July 2018 premiere in Boston, Moulin Rouge! opened at Broadway’s Al Hirschfeld Theatre on July 25, 2019. Boasting a large cast of Broadway veterans & plenty of show-stopping spectacle, Moulin Rouge! was a dazzling highlight of the 2019-20 Broadway season.

The Tonys are quickly approaching, and we could not be more excited to continue our celebration of the 2019-20 Broadway season and the dazzling ensembles bringing each musical to life. Today, we’re looking back at Tina: The Tina Turner Musical! Tina opened on Broadway on November 7, 2019 after a spring 2018 world premiere on London’s West End...

In the final installment of our series highlighting musicals from the fall 2019 season and their brilliant ensembles, we’re celebrating Jagged Little Pill. After a world premiere at Cambridge, Massachusetts’ American Repertory Theatre in 2018, Jagged Little Pill opened on Broadway on December 5, 2019. Adapted from Alanis Morrisette’s hit album of the same title, this musical features a diverse ensemble of individuals helping to bring the story of the Healy family to life.

On November 13, 1997, 23 years ago today, Disney Theatrical Productions opened The Lion King at Broadway’s New Amsterdam Theatre. It was a smash hit, winning six Tony Awards, leading to numerous productions all over the world, and becoming the highest-grossing Broadway production of all time. The Lion King is currently the third longest-running Broadway show and has dazzled audiences for an impressive 9,302 performances and counting...

Once again, it’s time to dance! When The Prom opened on Broadway in November 2018, we fell in love with its catchy score, delightful comedy, and heartwarming message of love and acceptance. Oh right - and the zazz. We’ve shared many stories from members of the cast and creative team of The Prom over the past two years, and we’re looking back on some of our favorites in celebration of the film adaptation premiering on Netflix today!

Over the years, The Ensemblist has had the sublime opportunity to speak with four performers from a variety of Hamilton companies, each with their own unique memories and takeaways from the experience. Special thanks extend to performers Antuan Magic Raimone, Alexia Sky, Rebecca Covington Webber, and Kim Taylor for recalling their experiences with us.

On today’s episode, we’re celebrating the 33rd anniversary of Broadway’s longest-running show, The Phantom of the Opera. Although the Majestic Theatre remains dark because of the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve dug deep into our archives to revisit some of our favorite stories from Phantom ensemblists. First, we’ll hear from Jacob Keith Watson about performing in three Broadway shows over the course of one season...