BROADWAY WELL-REPRESENTED
IN A NIGHT OF MUSIC AND COMARADERIE
From the first gleaming brass notes of Bernstein’s Candide Overture, music director Jon Kalbfleisch deftly led the Wolf Trap Orchestra through the piece’s shifting tempos and moods, setting the stage for an effervescent evening of mostly classic musical theater numbers written by Broadway’s best, including Styne, Berlin, Sondheim, and Finn. Directed by Matthew Gardiner, what followed was 90 minutes of sheer joy—part star-powered concert, part community celebration—unfolding beneath a summer twilight sky lit by flickering fireflies.
Signature Theatre’s “Cavalcade of Stars”: Nova Y. Payton, Christian Douglas, Felicia Curry, Kevin S. McAllister, Awa Sal Secka, Tobias A. Young, Tracy Lynn Olivera
Prior to the headliners Lindsay Mendez and Jessie Mueller, Signature Theatre’s “Cavalcade of Stars” launched the evening with an energetic “A Lot of Livin’ to Do,” instantly collapsing the distance between the Filene Center’s wide stage and its lawn full of picnic blankets. It’s a cavalcade that lives up to its name.
Awa Sal Secka
Each star returned later to command their own spotlight: Awa Sal Secka shone with optimism and flair in “I’m the Greatest Star” from Funny Girl—her boundless energy and comic timing proving she’s more than earned headliner status. Tracy Lynn Olivera, an expert in the side-eye, strutted through Mack and Mabel’s “Wherever He Ain’t,” masterfully handling the song’s wordplay and tossing off skyscraper-high notes with vintage sass. Tobias A. Young, backed by a bevy of sassy singers, turned Grease‘s “Beauty School Dropout” into an audience favorite, leaning into the camp with joyful abandon.
Felecia Curry
Felicia Curry gave one of the night’s most moving performances with “Easy as Life” from Aida, embodying pain and strength in equal measure. Nova Y. Payton, resplendent in a stunning pink gown under green Elphaba-style lighting, brought down the house with “Defying Gravity”—a vocal tour de force that soared in every sense. Kevin McAllister offered a tender, introspective “I’d Rather Be Sailing” from A New Brain, gently weighing the solitude of the sea against life’s other pleasures; when Christian Douglas joined with warm harmonies, adding the joy of returning to a loved one–and a reminder of the beauty and originality of composer William Finn, who passed last April.
Tobias A. Young
In between, an orchestral interlude from Merrily We Roll Along gave the ensemble a moment to stretch—and gave drummer Joseph Connell a chance to absolutely shine.
Tracy Lynn Olivera
Broadway stars Lindsay Mendez and Jessie Mueller were the heart of the night, radiating warmth, wit, and sisterly chemistry. Their playful duet “Anything You Can Do” from Annie Get Your Gun was full of elbow jabs and inside-joke mischief. Mendez later shared that she and Mueller first met doing a revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel, leading into two songs from the show—with a warning that we’d be treated to an “authentic Maine accent.”
Lindsay Mendez and Jessie Mueller
Their “You’re a Queer One, Julie Jordan/Mister Snow” was a delightfully character-rich back-and-forth, and Mueller’s “If I Loved You” floated atop a haze of theatrical fog. Just as she sang “off you would go in the mist of day,” the ambient smoke drifted into the open night, blurring the boundary between art and atmosphere. Later, in “Someone to Watch Over Me,” Mueller’s velvet-toned longing was punctuated by lightning bugs tracing the melody in flickering counterpoint.
Lindsay Mendez
Mendez found aching depth in Sondheim’s “Moments in the Woods”, sharing that it was a dream come true to finally play the Baker’s Wife. Her vocals were both grounded and soaring, a masterclass in emotional storytelling. She followed with a commanding “Back to Before” from Ragtime, full of resolve and grace.
The pair reunited for touching selections from Waitress: Their emotional trust and connection in “You Matter to Me” made the performances feel intimate and personal—no small feat in a venue as expansive as Wolf Trap, followed by the much anticipated “She Used to Be Mine” from Jessie Mueller.
The Ensemble
The full company raised the roof with Cole Porter’s “Blow, Gabriel, Blow,” as Kalbfleisch’s baton practically danced across the pit. And finally, “I Feel the Earth Move” closed the night with every voice on stage trading riffs, harmonies, and pure joy. More than a curtain call, it felt like a collective promise—that live theatre still has the power to move, shake, and connect us.
Broadway in the Park remains a highlight of the summer season: a celebration of musical theatre’s magic and the communities that sustain it. Signature’s local luminaries stood tall beside Broadway’s finest, the orchestra shimmered with precision and energy, and nature itself seemed perfectly choreographed. If you didn’t leave with a grin—or at least a few goosebumps—you might want to check your show tune settings.
photos courtesy of Wolf Trap/Lock & Co.
Signature and Wolf Trap’s Fifth Annual Broadway in the Park
June 28, 2025
Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts
1551 Trap Road in Vienna, Virginia
for more info, visit Signature Theatre
for future events, call 877.WOLFTRAP or visit Wolf Trap and Wolf Trap’s calendar
