The Friends of Greenwich Library are pleased to present Aimée Steele’s How I Got to Broadway, a specially curated evening featuring Broadway artists telling the intimate/ unscripted story of their journeys to Broadway through story and song.
Aimée Steele crafts a bespoke program with selected Broadway stars, allowing them to share their unique paths to the stage in a humane and intimate format. Join us on Monday, January 26 at 7:00 p.m. in the Library’s Berkley Theater. Registration is required and opens Thursday, January 8 at 10:00 a.m.
This year’s iteration will feature Isa Antonetti (Buena Vista Social Club, Evita), Jeannette Bayardelle (Girl From the North Country, The Color Purple), Marc Kudisch (Floyd Collins, Thoroughly Modern Millie). The performance is produced and directed by the renowned NYC vocal coach Aimée Steele with Robert Frost accompanying on piano.
Isa Antonetti is overjoyed and humbled to be making her Broadway Debut in Buena Vista Social Club! She is a Latinx, Indigenous, Mixed Race LGBTQIA+ actress and singer from the Greater Rochester, New York area. She is currently completing her BFA in Musical Theatre at Carnegie Mellon University. Previous credits include Evita (NYCC), Macbeth (CMU), and A Chorus Line (OFC Creations). She also stars as the lead in her film debut, Gift of Fear (On Native Ground). Making her debut in Buena Vista Social Club is especially meaningful for Isa, as it reflects her own experiences growing up performing with her father’s Latin band, Orquesta Antonetti. For Isa, music is synonymous with family, and this milestone is a tribute to everyone who has been a part of her journey.
Jeannette Bayardelle starred in the Bob Dylan musical Girl From the North Country on Broadway, where she was nominated for her portrayal of Mrs. Neilson. She also starred in the revival production of Hair on Broadway as Dionne and in The Color Purple on Broadway as Celie. Jeannette originated the role of Celie on the First National Tour of The Color Purple where she received an NAACP award for best lead actress in a musical. Her extraordinary performances on stage led her to work on Disney’s Princess and The Frog, Little Mermaid III Ariel’s Beginning (I Will Sing). Jeannette Bayardelle is the first Broadway actress to write the book, music, lyrics, and star in her own musical entitled Shida, which premiered in NYC Off-Broadway (where it won an AUDELCO Award for Best Solo Performance) and had a successful run in London (where it won an Offie award for Best Solo show). Shida was also at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, MA and the West Angeles Performing Arts Theatre in Los Angeles, CA. Jeannette has also created and stars in the new web series I Take Thee Zoe and Broadway Shorts. Other credits include Off-Broadway: The Harder They Come (Daisy), Rock of Ages 10th Anniversary cast (Justice), Girl From the North Country (Mrs. Neilson). Tours (National/International): The Color Purple (Celie), Deaf West’s Big River (Alice), Rent (Season Soloist). Regional: Gun and Powder (Tallulah)/Paper Mill Playhouse, The Untitled Unauthorized Hunter S. Thompson Musical (Jaan Wenner)/La Jolla Playhouse, Disney’s Freaky Friday (Ms. Meyers) La Jolla, Playhouse, Mama Mia (Rosie)/North Shore Music Theatre, Company (Sarah)/Barrington Stage, Sister Act (Deloris)/North Shore Music Theatre, The 12 (Mother Mary)/The Denver Center, Best of Both Worlds (Serena)/American Repertory Theater.
Robert Frost is an NYC-based music director, pianist, and educator. Broadway: Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club (Prologue Sub). Select MD credits include Half the Sky (The 5th Avenue Theatre/Theatre Latte Da); Minor Character (New Saloon/Under the Radar); (An Audio Guide for) Unsung Snails and Heroes (MTC); Miss Blanche Tells It All (NYMF); We Live In Cairo (O’Neill Theater Center); Dory Fantasmagory (NYCCT); Footloose (Arkansas Rep); Guys and Dolls and My Fair Lady (Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre). As a pianist and music director, Robert has also worked with Ogunquit Playhouse, Berkshire Theatre Group, New Georges, NYU, CAP 21/Molloy College, New Dramatists, Cape Playhouse and Lincoln Center. As an educator, Robert has worked with Brown University, Hunter College, LIU Post and Connecticut College. Robert serves on the faculty of New Studio on Broadway at NYU Tisch and the O’Neill Theater Center’s National Musical Theater Institute. For more information, visit www.rfrostmusic.com.
Marc Kudisch recently performed as Lee Collins in Floyd Collins, his 16th Broadway show. Kudisch is a three-time Tony Award nominee: Trevor Graydon in Thoroughly Modern Millie, Baron Bomburst in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Franklin Hart in 9 to 5. Drama Desk Award winner for The Wayside Motor Inn at Signature Theatre. Opera: Adoration, Trade and Anatomy Theatre-Prototype Festival (world premieres), A Little Night Music, Pirates of Penzance-NYC Opera, A Little Night Music, Anatomy Theatre, Trade, Wonderful Town-LA Opera, The New Prince-The Dutch National Opera (world premiere). TV/Film: Dr. Gus in Billions (Showtime), Ty Rathbone in The Tick (Amazon), Billy Kastner in Late Night (Amazon), Roger Wade in Mindhunter (Netflix), and Conrad Birdie in Bye Bye Birdie (ABC/Hallmark TV).
As a creator, Marc and Dick Scanlan are currently co-writing and developing the new play Mark Twain Shouldn’t Say Such Things, recently presented at Theatre Aspen’s Solo Flights Festival, and has written and created American Baritone for ArtsEmerson, the Asolo Rep, and The Royal George Theatre of Chicago. Marc is also directing/developing the new musical Invisible with composer David Orris and book/lyrics by David Hollingsworth, recently presented at 54 Below.
Aimée Steele is proud to bring How I Got to Broadway to the Berkley Theater for the fourth consecutive year. In addition to producing and directing, Aimée has been the Vocal Coach for the Broadway revival of West Side Story and the Production Vocal Coach of Broadway’s, Girl from the North Country. Currently she is the Production Vocal Consultant of the five-time Tony Award winning Broadway show Buena Vista Social Club. In addition to her private voice studio, Aimée is on faculty at The National Music Theater Institute at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center. She is a board member of the award-winning Transport Group Theatre Company. Past positions include Voice Professor at Pace University and Adjunct Voice Professor at NYU/Tisch, The New Studio on Broadway. Aimée’s students are featured on Broadway, Off-Broadway, national tours, and regionally as well as in the recording industry, film, and television. For more information, visit www.aimeesteele.com.
This program is presented by the Friends of Greenwich Library and made possible by generous contributions from our community. It is free of charge and open to all. This program will not be livestreamed or recorded. Doors will open 30 minutes before the performance. Registration is required.
Mark your calendar for these upcoming Friends Performing Arts Series events in the Berkley Theater:
- Saturday, February 7: Musicians from Marlboro
- Tuesday, March 10: Poet’s Voice with Marie Howe
- Sunday, April 12: Musicians from Marlboro
- Thursday, May 14: I Love You So Much I Could Die, Written and Performed by Mona Pirnot, Directed by Lucas Hnath
- Thursday, June 4: Start Marking Sense, A Talking Heads Tribute
For any questions, please contact Travis Milliman, Performing Arts Librarian, at [email protected].
The Friends of the Greenwich Library’s mission is to welcome and reflect the Greenwich community through volunteer engagement to develop and support exceptional programs and services that promote the joy of lifelong learning and discovery. Our Values are: advance the Greenwich Library’s mission through a robust and diverse volunteer organization; complement, create, and augment existing and new library offerings; contribute to the cultural enrichment of life in Greenwich; promote a greater sense of community through shared cultural experiences; acknowledge the library staff through continuing education, recognition, and celebration; and to reflect on the needs of the Greenwich community through ongoing interaction and feedback. More information on the Friends and various volunteer opportunities are available online.