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Our Talented Tour Guides 2015
When I started Broadway Up Close five years ago I made a promise that I would only hire a staff of guides who first and foremost were working members of the current professional theatre business in NYC and around the world. It's certainly an easy thing to say we have "working Broadway actors" like other companies claim but it's another thing to back it up! Not only am I excited for all of our tour-goers to learn about the history and magic of Broadway but I'm also excited for them to get to know our talented guides as well - each of them is uniquely talented in their own right and I'm thankful for the opportunity to show them all off to you! Our guides are involved in a slew of new projects both on Broadway and around the world this year. I couldn't be happier to celebrate their recent and upcoming achievements, so without further ado here's what some of them are up to.
Let us know if you've seen any of them in these shows or are looking forward to any in particular.
See you on the sidewalks!
Tim Dolan
JOE SPIELDENNER begins rehearsals next week for the Broadway production of Les Miserables at the Imperial Theater. Joe performed in the production's national tour and will be making his Broadway debut!
BRET SHUFORD is currently in tech rehearsals with the new Broadway musical Amazing Grace which is set to begin previews at the Nederlander Theater next week. Bret performed as a swing and u/s to the lead role when the musical had it's out-of-town tryout in Chicago last season.
KATIE JOHANNIGMAN recently finished a run in the Marriott Lincolnshire production of Anything Goes in Chicago. This summer she will be choreographing Spring Awakening at a program she helped to start in CT called Broadway Method Academy. Then she's off to Kansas to perform in Mary Poppins at Kansas City Starlight!
MICHAEL LAMASA will be the assistant director of the first national tour of the recent Broadway musical Bullets Over Broadway. He will be assisting Jeff Whiting in recreating this big tap-dancing extravaganza for the US tour.
TIM DOLAN recently took part in the 10th Anniversary concert of the hit musical Altar Boyz at 54 Below. He joined original cast members Andy Karl, Tyler Maynard, Ryan Duncan and David Josefsberg alongside a handful of the Boyz who appeared in the musical's NYC run.
JOHN SCACCHETTI is currently in rehearsals for The Drowsy Chaperone at Cape Playhouse in Massachusetts. He will have "cold feets" nightly tap-dancing up a storm as George.
HANNAH KIEM just recently joined our staff and is already off on her first theatrical adventure after donning her BUC green shirt. She will be part of the cast of Beauty And The Beast which is part of the Muny's 97th season in St. Louis this summer!
THERESA FLANAGAN is currently in rehearsals as the production stage manager of Three Days To See Off-Broadway with the critically acclaimed Transport Group. In the Fall she will be at the helm of First Daughter Suite downtown at The Public Theater!
BEN HOLTZMAN begins rehearsals next week for the international tour of Beauty And The Beast! He will be tackling the role of Gaston's hilarious sidekick Lefou!
