Broadway Leading Ladies | Argyle Theatre

Sponsored by the David Schiffer family.

Performance Date: Saturday, April 22, @ 8pm

The Argyle Theatre is pleased to announce the return of the "Back to Broadway" event Series! Which will showcase Broadway Stars, on The Argyle stage. Created exclusively for The Argyle by New York Casting Director and Producer Stephen DeAngelis, the cast will recreate their most memorable musical moments and career highlights as well as demonstrate their versatility, share backstage behind-the-scenes anecdotes and participate in an enlightening and entertaining question-and–answer session with the audience. Join The Argyle Theatre for what is certain to be memorable and historic night full of Broadway showstoppers for audience members of all ages!Join us for what is certain to be memorable and historic night full of Broadway showstoppers for audience members of all ages!

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There’s an old adage that states “Behind every great man, there’s a great woman”. On Broadway, it might be more appropriate to say “Behind every great musical, there’s a great leading lady”. Roles like Elphaba (Wicked), Christine Daae (The Phantom of the Opera), Fantine and Eponine (Les Miserables), Angelica Schuyler and Eliza Hamilton (Hamilton), Nala (The Lion King), Kim (Miss Saigon), Miss Adelaide (Guys and Dolls), Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly (Chicago), Fanny Brice (Funny Girl), Maria (The Sound of Music), Sally Bowles (Cabaret), Nellie Forbush (South Pacific), Donna Sheridan (Mamma Mia!) and countless others have left an indelible impression on the Broadway stage. Produced and hosted by New York Casting Director Stephen DeAngelis, five of Broadway’s finest female vocalists celebrate the roles and musical selections from Classic and Contemporary Broadway that underscore the leading lady’s influence on ‘The Great Bright Way”. Scheduled performers are: Darlesia Cearcy (Erzulie in Once on This Island; The Book of Mormon; The Color Purple; Ragtime; Shuffle Along, or, the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed; The Goodbye Girl), Drama Desk Award recipient Lisa Howard (Rona Lisa Peretti in The 25th Annual Putman County Spelling Bee; Tammy in Escape to Margaritaville; Jenny Steinberg in It Shoulda Been You; South Pacific; 9 to 5; Priscilla Queen of the Desert), Brennyn Lark(Catherine Parr in the Broadway production of Six The Musical; Eponine in the Broadway revival of Les Miserables; Deena Jones in the London West End revival of Dreamgirls), Elizabeth Teeter (Lydia Deetz in Beetlejuice The Musical; Jane Banks in Mary Poppins) and Alysha Umphress (Hildy in On the Town; On a Clear Day You Can See Forever; Bring It On! The Musical; Priscilla Queen of the Desert; American Idiot). Musical Director/Accompanist will be Rachel Dean. The concert will include musical selections from Six The Musical; Les Miserables; Funny Girl; The Sound of Music; Beetlejuice; Once on This Island; Grease; The Lion King; The Light in the Piazza; On The Town; Next to Normal; Smokey Joe’s Café and more!!! Join us for what is certain to be a “must see’ event for musical theatre lovers of all ages.

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DARLESIA CEARCY

DARLESIA CEARCY is a Broadway veteran with 6 Broadway shows including dynamic roles such as Sarah in Ragtime, for which she received a Helen Hayes Nomination; Nettie in The Color Purple; Lottie Gee in Shuffle Along, or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed; and most recently as Erzulie, The Goddess of Love in Tony Award-winning revival of Once on This Island. Other Broadway credits include The Goodbye Girl and the nine-time Tony Award-winning production of The Book of Mormon. She has sung with the Boston Pops Symphony Orchestra for “Pop Goes the Fourth” on ABC and has sung for the President and Democratic National Convention of 1998. She’s sung on MTV’s Most Wanted, VH1, Top of the Pops in London, and was nominated for a Viva Award for her single release “Everlasting...” which she co-wrote which later underscored an episode of “Baywatch”. Television: “Law and Order: SVU” (Viola), “Rescue Me” (Mrs. Berg), “Mercy” (Adrienne Mercer), “House of Cards” (Congresswoman Simone Murphy) and Nurse Jackie (Stephanie’s Mom).

LISA HOWARD

LISA HOWARD most recently returned to New York after playing Madame Morrible in the National Tour of Wicked. She appeared on Broadway as Jenny in It Shoulda Been You (2015 Drama Desk Award nominee and is remembered for her show-stopping performance from that show at the Tony Awards (Outstanding Actress in a Musical; 2015 Drama League Awards nominee: Distinguished performance). Other Broadway credits include Tammy in Jimmy Buffet's Escape to Margaritaville; Diva 1 in Priscilla Queen of the Desert; Missy Hart in 9 to 5 The Musical; Head Nurse in thr Lincoln Center revival of South Pacific and as Rona Lisa Peretti in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee for which she received a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Ensemble Performance. This Spring, she will star on Broadway as Tammy in the new Jimmy Buffet musical Escape to Margaritaville She toured the US in the national company of Les Miserables, where she played many performances as Madame Thernardier, and has played leading roles regionally at Pittsburgh CLO, St. Louis MUNY, Olney Theatre Center, Human Race Theater and Kansas City Starlight. Lisa made her feature film debut as Siobahn in “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2” and has also been seen om television in “Ugly Betty”. Her debut solo CD, “Songs of Innocence” is available on iTunes. Lisa is a graduate of the Cincinatti Conservatory of Music.

BRENNYN LARK

BRENNYN LARK is an NYC based actress and performer who most recently starred as Catherine Parr in the Broadway production of Six The Musical. Other credits include Eponine in the most recent Broadway revival of Les Miserables, Deena Jones in the West End revival of Dreamgirls and the World Premiere of Stephen Schwartz’s The Prince of Egypt, as Tzipporah. Other theatrical credits include Mary Magdelene in Jesus Christ Superstar, Asaka in Once on This Island and the title role in Aida. She recently appeared on Season 3 of "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel"! She has a passion for extending her insight, and abilities to that of transforming the next generation of young artists and performers. Her services not only involve refining a performer's acting, singing, and audition technique, but uncovering and unlocking their potential, stepping into their power and essentially their authenticity!

ELIZABETH TEETER

ELIZABETH TEETER most recently starred as Lydia Deetz in the Broadway production of Beetlejuice the Musical. Other Broadway: Betty: in The Crucible, (w/Saoirse Ronan); Young Elizabeth in The Audience (w/Helen Mirren); and Jane Banks in Mary Poppins. Off-Broadway: Lily in The Secret Life of Bees (Audelco nomination). Recent Regional: Liesl in The Sound of Music (The MUNY); Laura in The Glass Menagerie (TWSTL; St. Louis Theater Circle Award for role). Other regional including The MUNY, The Rep STL, Tennessee Williams Festival, Variety Theater, and more. TV/Film:’ Leaving’ (SAG short); guest star on “The Last O.G.” (TBS).

ALYSHA UMPHRESS

ALYSHA UMPHRESS most recently starred in the Off-Broadway revival of Smokey Joe’s Café. She also starred as Hildy in the Broadway revival of On the Town. Other Broadway: American Idiot (OBC); On a Clear Day You Can See Forever; Priscilla Queen of the Desert; Bring It On!. Off-Broadway: Make Me a Song: The Music of William Finn. Regional: Dallas Theatre Center: Hood (Meg) Paper Mill Playhouse: Pump Boys and Dinettes (Rhetta Cupp), Signature Theatre: Beaches (Cee Cee Bloom) Helen Hayes nomination-Best Leading Actress in a Musical. TV: “The Climb” (Misty), “Law & Order: SVU”, “Nurse Jackie”, “Royal Pains”. Recordings: Solo album- “I’ve Been Played : Alysha Umphress Swings Jeff Blumenkrantz” (available on iTunes and Amazon), “Alysha Umphress Live at the Laurie Beechman”. “American Idiot”, “Bring It On!”, “Wonderful Town” (Ruth) London Symphony Orchestra with Sir Simon Rattle, “On the Town” (Hildy), San Francisco Symphony with Michael Tilson Thomas. “American Idiot”, “Bring It On!”, “Fugitive Songs”. Graduate of the Boston Conservatory.

RACHEL DEAN

(Musical Director/Accompanist) is a New York City-based composer, pianist, and music director. She is a rehearsal pianist for the Broadway companies of Hamilton and Moulin Rouge! The Musical as well as a staff pianist at NYU Steinhardt. Most recently, she was music director and arranger for a virtual benefit for the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts’ Billy Rose Theatre Division featuring artists such as Stephanie J. Block, Annaleigh Ashford, and Alex Brightman. An ASCAP award recipient, Rachel’s work has been performed in New York (including Lincoln Center), Miami, Tokyo, Ohio, Arizona, Michigan, and New Jersey. Musicals in development include The Anxiety Project (with David Brush), Medusa (with Wes Braver), and The Ballad of Janis Matthews and the Dodo Scouts (with Giancarlo Rodaz). Rachel is a member of ASCAP, Local 802 AFM, and the Dramatists’ Guild.

STEPHEN DeANGELIS

(Producer/Host) has produced over 300 different Broadway concerts at venues in New York and across the United States featuring a multitude of Broadway stars including many Tony Award and Drama Desk Award winners and nominees, stars from hit television series and films whose roots are on stage and Broadway's fastest rising young performers. Throughout his career, he has worked with over 100,000 performers across all entertainment mediums. He is also the Producing Artistic Director and Host of At This Performance... , the critically acclaimed concert series that has showcased the talents of over 1100 Broadway Standbys, Understudies and Alternates since October 2003. His work as a Producer of the ongoing series was acknowledged in BroadwayWorld's List of "Best Club, Cabaret and Concert". He has cast over 3600 network television and radio commercials for Manhattan's leading advertising agencies and has contributed to many historic and award-winning spots and campaigns including many which have been recognized with Platinum, Gold and Silver Lions at Cannes. Stephen also cast the six-time Emmy Award nominated Playhouse Disney series “Johnny and the Sprites” which was seen on the Disney Channel. His work has been seen in New York and regionally in over 300 theatrical productions for companies as well as numerous festival showcases, developmental workshops and readings. Stephen is a proud member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society and has staged musicals in major theatres across the country in Boston, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Dallas and St. Louis and throughout New York and New England. Stephen is the Producing Artistic Director of the new Pocono Center for the Arts which is scheduled to open in early 2024. He has worked with Actors, Singers, Dancers, Directors, Choreographers, Composers, Lyricists and Playwrights who have been recognized with the following distinctions across all mediums: 263 Tony Award wins, 863 Tony Award nominations, 262 Drama Desk Award wins, 976 Drama Desk Award, nominations, 32 Drama League Award wins, 208 Drama League Award nominations, 197 Primetime Emmy Award wins, 843 Primetime Emmy Award nominations, 129 Daytime Emmy Award wins, 487 Daytime Emmy Award nominations, 53 Academy Award wins, 159 Academy Award nominations, 23 Olivier Award wins, 77 Olivier Award nominations, 145 Grammy Award wins, 454 Grammy Award nominations, 109 Golden Globe Award wins, 366 Golden Globe Award nominations, 5 Pulitzer Prize wins, 8 Pulitzer Prize Award nominations and 8 Kennedy Center Honors recipients.

Sponsored by the David Schiffer family.

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