Broadway’s DivaFest Brings Broadway Back To Life

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”.

Produced and hosted by New York Casting Director Stephen DeAngelis exclusively for Tilles Center, five of Broadway’s finest female vocalists celebrated the roles and musical selections that underscore the leading lady’s influence on “The Great Bright Way.”

Musical director Eugene Gwozdz started the evening off with the Overture to Gypsy one of the best overtures ever written.

Darlesia Cearcy (Once on This Island; Ragtime; The Book of Mormon; The Color Purple; Shuffle Along, or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed; The Goodbye Girl) sang “I Don’t Know How To Love Him” from Jesus Christ Superstar.

Julie Reiber (Come From Away; Newsies The Musical; Wicked; On a Clear Day You Can See Forever; Priscilla Queen of the Desert; All Shook Up; Brooklyn The Musical), from Wicked, “The Wizard and I”.

Bianca Marroquin (Chicago; In the Heights; The Pajama Game) and Tony Award nominee and Drama Desk Award nominee recreated “Roxie” from Chicago.

Darlesia came back with “The Human Heart” from Once On This Island.

Drama Desk recipient Lisa Howard (The 25th Anniversary Putnam County Spelling Bee; Escape From Margaritaville; It Shoulda Been You; Priscilla Queen of the Desert; 9 to 5; South Pacific) “Dreamed A Dream” from Les Miz.

Rona Figueroa (Les Miserables; Miss Saigon; Nine; Lennon) was given “I’d Give My Life For You” Miss Saigon

and the night continued with selections from Come From Away; The Sound of Music; West Side Story; The Lion King; The King and I; Legally Blonde; Next to Normal; Smokey Joe’s Café; All Shook Up; Million Dollar Quartet and more!