Broadway Buddy
Vanguard Theater Company’s Broadway Buddy Mentorship Cabaret will air on Thursday, August 13, 2020 at 8PM ET on BroadwayHD, the premiere streaming service for theater fans, as a benefit for The Actors Fund. The show will feature an introduction by award-winning composer, actor and playwright Lin-Manuel Miranda.
As part of the company’s mission to create a safe space for artists on pre-professional tracks who need mentoring and support, Vanguard created the Broadway Buddy Mentorship Program. The program is designed to pair up-and-coming young artists, hailing from all across Essex County, NJ, with established Broadway professionals. The Cabaret performance is the closing act to a rigorous, three-month-long mentorship experience.
The concert will feature student mentees performing virtual duets with acting mentors hailing from Broadway shows such as Frozen, Hamilton, Hadestown, Dear Evan Hansen, Ain’t Too Proud, Waitress, The Lion King, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Aladdin and more. Performers include Ciara Renée, Robert Creighton, Rachel Zatcoff, Tamar Greene, Kimberly Marable, Jewelle Blackman, and Jelani Remy with special guest appearances by Betty Buckley, Yvette Gonzalez-Nacer, Loren Lott, Michael James Leslie and Gabrielle Ruiz.
“Diversity, Reciprocity, Education, Activism & Mentorship are not just words in the Vanguard Theater Company mission statement - they represent the values instilled in our mentees, delivered by our mentors, staff and Board of Directors, and shared across the stage with our audiences,” said Janeece Freeman Clark, Artistic Director of Vanguard Theater Company. “This next generation of theater has the power to break the divide and be the change we want to see in the world.”
Bonnie Comley and Stewart F. Lane, co-founders of BroadwayHD, said, "BroadwayHD makes live theater more accessible, especially to young people, which is why we whole-heartedly support the Broadway Buddy Mentorship Program and are proud to be their streaming partner. We are sure that our subscribers will enjoy the amazing performances in this special benefit.”
Additionally, the late Broadway actor, Nick Cordero, who was a mentor in Vanguard’s 2019 Broadway Buddy program, will be remembered during the premiere event by his former mentee, Joe Nalieth. In his tribute, Joe will reflect on his time with Nick and what the loss has meant to the theater community.
To learn more about the Broadway Buddy program and to view a teaser trailer of the August 13 production, please visit vanguardtheatercompany.org/broadwaybuddy.