Broadway's Rising Stars Review

MARK SAVITT REVIEWS BROADWAY'S RISING STARS 2016

Broadway World June 30, 2016

BROADWAY'S RISING STARS 2016 Created, Written, and Hosted by Scott Siegel Directed by Scott Coulter Choreographed by Vibecke Dahle Music Direction by John Fischer Assistant Director: Rick Hinkson Production Assistants: Joe Burke and Keith Thompson John Fischer, piano Jerry DeVore, bass Zack Eldridge, drums

Rising Stars: Caleb Adams, John Battagliese, Ross Brown, Jeanne Bruen, Emma Camp, Pedro Coppeti, Ashton Corey, Rachel Dickson, Law Dunford, Alex Getlin, Joshua Israel, Hayley Lampart, Megan Lione, Annjulie Martinez, Mary Claire Miskell, Ben Naftaly, Joseph O'Malley, Clara Regula, Sarah Treanor, Chelsea Wheatley Alumni: Kristin Dausch, Jon Hacker, Christopher Hlinka, Rebecca LaChance, Q Lim, CoCo Smith

Broadway's Rising Stars is the annual showcase for the top talent coming out of the nation's top performing arts programs and sometimes from farther afield.

This is a great service that Scott Siegel provides for the young performers and the enthralled audience privileged to see them. All these people are talented, but in rather different ways. This year, 21st century shows were showcased. Among the ones who impressed me most was Alex Getlin who sang "She Used to Be Mine" from "Waitress" with amazing intensity.

Jeanine Bruen also proved her dramatic chops and vocal skill with "Burn" from "Hamilton".

Rachel Dickson proved a powerful belter and potential pop star with her delivery of the ultra romantic "It All Fades Away" from The "Bridges of Madison County".

Wonderful comic moments came with Pedro Coppeti (from Brazil) doing the Latin lover send up "Adolfo" from "The Drowsy Chaperone" and Josh Israel transforming into a tap-dancing snail for "I'm Coming Out of My Shell" from "A Year With Frog and Toad".

Law Terrell Dunford gave Gospel intensity and American Idol stylization to "I'm Here" from "The Color Purple".

Caleb Adams demonstrated his ability with an Irish accent and character portrayal with "The Streets of Dublin" from "A Man of No Importance".

Emma Camp proved she could work with old fashioned material and cabaret clarity with her silver-voiced "Will You" from "Grey Gardens".

This year the show ended with an unexpected unique theatrical experience when the bomb squad noticed a suspicious package outside the theater and kept us in the auditorium. Scott Siegel and director Scott Coulter transformed the threat into a celebration by giving us an added mini-concert. Scott sang the Hebrew prayer over wine and Coulter honored parents and teachers by singing "You've Changed Me For Good" from "Wicked".

Rising Stars alumni Jon Hacker demonstrated his Jersey Boys persona and Rebecca LaChance gave us Carol Kane's "Natural Woman." We left the theater feeling safe and loving theater more than ever. HAPPY HAPPY FACE CLOSED JULY 11TH

UPCOMING: BROADWAY UNPLUGGED MONDAY JULY 25TH AT 8PM TOWN HALL 123 West 43rd St. 6th Ave and Broadway