Virtual Theater: BKLYN THE MUSICAL (Broadway on Demand)

Post image for Virtual Theater: BKLYN THE MUSICAL (Broadway on Demand)

by Gregory Bernard on May 16, 2021

in Theater-New York,Virtual

BKLYN The Musical tells a tapestry of stories as rich and inspiring as the borough that inspired it. There is a girl named Brooklyn, searching for the father she never knew. There is a troupe of street performers, struggling to be heard as artists… and seen as human beings. And there is an epic battle between two divas, each striving to become The Queen Of  The City. Full of unforgettable songs and fizzing with the energy of the streets,  BKLYN  is a musical waiting for its moment… and that moment is now.

For three performances only this June 4 at 8pm ET, June 5 at 8pm ET, and June 6 at 5pm ET on BroadwayOnDemand.com, you can catch the new musical, directed by Meg Fofonoff, the cast includes  Diana DeGarmo  (Hair, BKLYN  national tour) as Brooklyn;  Miguel Cervantes  (Hamilton  national tour,  American Idiot) as Taylor;  Taylor Iman Jones  (Head Over Heels,  The Devil Wears Prada) as Faith;  Quentin Earl  Darrington  as  Streetsigner;  Felicia Boswell  (Memphis,  Shuffle Along…) as  Paradice; and  Thom Sesma  (Sweeney Todd  at Barrow Street Theatre),  Nick  Cearley  (“The Skivvies,”  All Shook Up) and  Lauren Molina  (“The Skivvies,”  Rock of Ages) as the City Weeds.

Over the past year, producer Art Lab has become a leader in the virtual theater space with projects including the terrific virtual revival of Amour.

With book, music, and lyrics by  Mark Schoenfeld  and  Barri  McPherson, the project’s creative team includes  Jennifer Tremblay  (costume designer),  Sean Mayes  (music director),  Meg Toohey  (music/audio producer and mixer), and  Howie Michael Smith  (director of photography).  Casting by  Alexandre  Bleau.

BIOGRAPHIES

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DIANA  DeGARMO  (Brooklyn). A singer and songwriter, from stage to screen, Diana DeGarmo has conquered it all and then some. Her powerhouse vocals shot her to fame on “American Idol” and opened doors to numerous  Broadway  shows, national and international tours, a recurring role on “The Young & The Restless,” and much more. Listen to her newest musical creation GEMINI on all digital platforms and vinyl LP from  www.dianadegarmo.com.

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MIGUEL CERVANTES  (Taylor) is best-known for his role as Alexander Hamilton in  Hamilton  on  Broadway  and at the Chicago  PrivateBank  Theater. He has acted on  Broadway  in  If/Then,  American Idiot, and  25th  Annual…Spelling Bee. Additional theater credits include  Giant,  Tails,  Henry and  Mudge, and more. On the big screen, his work includes  The Greatest,  N.B.T., and  Tramps.   He has also appeared on television shows such as “Person of Interest,” “Braindead,” “Madame Secretary,” “Royal Pains,” “The Blacklist,” and “All My Children.” Cervantes graduated from Emerson College with a BFA in Musical Theater and has additional training in singing, ballet, tap, and jazz.

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TAYLOR IMAN JONES  (Faith) is overjoyed to be a part of  BKLYN The Musical. On  Broadway, she appeared in the original casts of  Head Over Heels  and  Groundhog Day. Off-Broadway  she was seen as “Pat” in Roundabout Theatre’s production of  Scotland PA. She was also seen in  The  Who’s Tommy  at the Kennedy Center and the national tour of  American Idiot. Her regional theatres include The Old Globe in San Diego, and ACT in San Francisco. Find her on social media @taylorimanjones.

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QUENTIN EARL DARRINGTON  (Streetsigner).  Broadway: 2017 Revival of  Once  On  This Island,  Cats,  Ragtime. Off-Broadway:  The Secret Garden,  A New Brain,  Lost in the Stars.  Television: “The Blacklist” (NBC), “The Good Fight” (CBS), “The Code” (CBS), “Elementary” (CBS), and “Madam Secretary” (CBS). He holds an MFA from University of Central Florida and a BFA from University of South Florida.

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FELICIA BOSWELL  (Paradice). Emmy winner and Grammy nominee (NBC’s  Jesus Christ Superstar LIVE), two-time Helen Hayes Award winner (Outstanding Lead Actress), Jeff Award (Best Supporting nom).  Broadway:  Shuffle Along  (Josephine Baker);  Motown The Musical  (Diana Ross);  Memphis  (Felicia Farrell). National Tour:  Memphis  (Felicia);  Dreamgirls  (Deena). Off-Broadway:  Emojiland  (Police Officer). Regional:  The Color Purple  (Celie);  Jelly’s Last Jam  (Anita);  Piano Lesson  (Berniece);  Man of La Mancha  (Aldonza);  Rent  (Mimi);  Too Heavy  For  Your Pocket  (Evelyn);  Jesus Christ Superstar  (Mary Magdalene);  AIDA  (Aida);  Little Rock  (Minniejean);  Raisin In the Sun  (Ruth). TV: “Power” (Melissa); “The Good Fight” (Lace); “Macy’s Day” (Diana Ross); “Motown.” IG: @FeliciaBoswell. Twitter: @Felicia_Boswell. “Mama Knows Best” available all digital platforms.  www.FeliciaBoswell.com

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THOM SESMA  (Boss / Policeman) has numerous  Broadway, Off-Broadway,  TV  and film appearances to his credit. His most recent live theatre performance was in Michael Friedman and Daniel Goldstein’s  Unknown Soldier  which had just opened on March  9, 2020 at Playwrights Horizons. Three days later live theatre was suspended in the fight against COVID-19. Since then,  he’s  accumulated many remote livestream digital credits in plays, musicals, concerts and works in development as well as teaching a popular course in “Acting on Zoom.” For more details and credits please visit  thomsesma.com  and on Instagram @thsesma.

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NICK CEARLEY  (City Weed 2) is the co-creator and one half of the critically acclaimed Undie-Rock duo The Skivvies (www.theskivviesnyc.com).  Broadway  1st National Tour:  All Shook Up. Off-Broadway:  Pageant  (Original Cast Album Jay  Records/ Drama Desk Nominee Best Revival),  Sex Tips…, Puck in  A Midsummer Night’s Dream,  Cupid &  Pscyhe. Also,  Cearley  has done eight (!) regional premieres of Jonathan  Tolins’  Buyer & Cellar  across the country,  Little Shop of Horrors  (Portland Center Stage, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park),  The Rocky Horror Show  (Bucks County Playhouse) and co-conceived the world premiere of the actor-musician revival of  You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown  and appeared as Linus opposite his Skivvies co-star Lauren Molina as Lucy. Nick was also featured on the Out100 as one of the most intriguing and compelling LGBTQ+ actors of the year. Instagram/ Twitter @clearlycearley.  www.nickcearley.com

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LAUREN MOLINA  (City Week 3).  Broadway: Johanna in  Sweeney Todd, Regina in  Rock of Ages. Off-Broadway: Bella Rose in  Desperate Measures  (Lucille  Lortel  Award, Outer Critics Circle nominations), Her in  Marry Me A Little, Megan in  Nobody Loves You  (Second Stage). Co-creator of the acclaimed comedy-pop band The Skivvies. Regional: Co-conceiver, Lucy in  You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown  (Cincinnati Playhouse),  Cunegunde  in  Candide  (Helen Hayes Award – Huntington, Goodman, Shakespeare Theatre), Audrey in  Little Shop of Horrors  (Cleveland Playhouse), Squeaky  Fromme  in  Assassins  (Yale Rep), Countess in  A Little Night Music  (Huntington), Janet in  The Rocky Horror Show  (Bucks County Playhouse), Eileen in  Wonderful Town  (Goodman).

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MEG FOFONOFF  (Director + Executive Producer, Art Lab) founded and served as Artistic Producer of Fiddlehead Theatre Company (FTC), a professional, award-winning entity that produced plays and musicals in Boston and beyond, from 1993–2016. Fofonoff has moved on to a new chapter establishing Art Lab LLC, a producer of commercial theater on  Broadway  as well as innovative art/theater/science events in New York, Massachusetts and beyond. Art Lab has been a producer on the Tony Award-winning  The  Cher Show;  Head Over Heels;  Come From Away  (London);  It Happened in Key West  (London); and the  Broadway-bound  Marie  (directed and choreographed by Susan Stroman with music and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty). Art Lab’s newest project is the development of  shAme, directed by Kathleen Marshall, a musical based on Nathaniel Hawthorne’s  The Scarlet Letter, where Fofonoff serves as lead producer. In the new virtual arena for theater, Art Lab produces virtual musicals such as  Disenchanted  (December 2020) and two theatre based online series, “The Show Must Go  On  Show” and “Art Lab Presents.” Art Lab is a member of the  Broadway  League, The Drama League, and The National Alliance of Musical Theatre. Fofonoff is a member of The League of Professional Theatre Women; an Advisory Committee Member of The American Theatre Wing; and on The Board of Trustees of The College Light Opera Company and The Marine Biological Laboratories.

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