Broadway Press Day with Ruthie Fierberg

Scenic designer Rachel Hauck made her Broadway debut with “Latin History for Morons” in 2017. Since then, Hauck has designed the sets for six more Broadway shows and has earned Tony Award nominations for four of them, including this year for “Cats: The Jellicle Ball.” Here, Hauck describes how she translated her initial concept for the musical’s downtown premiere to its new Broadway home. Want to...

Actor Caissie Levy made her Broadway debut replacing as Penny Pingleton in “Hairspray.” Twenty years later, Levy has been nominated for her first Tony Award for her turn as Mother in “Ragtime.” In the below episode, Levy shares the personal resonance of this role, the ways in which it has stretched her as a performer and more. Want to be the first to hear these chats? Visit broadwaynews.com and ge...

Brian Usifer has been rising on the music side of Broadway for more than a decade — from associate music supervisor to music supervisor, from conductor to orchestrator. For the current revival of “Chess,” Usifer served as music supervisor and also wrote arrangements and new orchestrations. Now, Usifer is a 2026 Tony Award nominee for Best Orchestrations. In this episode, Usifer describes what it t...

Ali Louis Bourzgui made his Broadway debut as the titular character in the 2024 revival of “The Who’s Tommy.” This year, Bourzgui originated the role of the vampire David in the musical adaptation of “The Lost Boys.” Here, the actor explains how he crafted the character, how he has maintained the physicality of his performance and what “Lost Boys” item he wants to auction for Broadway Cares. Want...

Aya Cash originated the role of Jessie Stone in “Giant” in the West End. This season, she has reprised the role on Broadway, marking her Broadway debut. Her performance has also garnered the actor her first Tony Award nomination. In this episode, Cash discusses going head to head with scene partner John Lithgow, building her character and starring in a drama about current events. Want to be the fi...

Scenic designer David Korins made his Broadway debut 20 years ago with 2006’s “Bridge & Tunnel.” Since then, Korins has conceived the sets for 29 more shows. He’s earned Tony Award nominations for his scenic designs for “Hamilton,” “War Paint,” “Beetlejuice,” “Hear Lies Love” and now “Dog Day Afternoon.” Here, Korins describes the engineering behind “Dog Day”’s giant set, the resourcefulness i...

Best known for her seven seasons as a cast member of “Saturday Night Live,” actor Rachel Dratch is also making an impression on Broadway. Having been nominated for a Tony Award in 2022, Dratch is now a 2026 Tony nominee for her turn as the narrator in the current revival of “The Rocky Horror Show.” Here, Dratch discusses the significance of multiple “SNL” alumni playing on Broadway simultaneously...

Jim Barne and Kit Buchan have made their Broadway debuts co-writing the book and score of “Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York).” The duo are now Tony Award nominees in two categories: Best Book of a Musical and Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre. Here, Barne and Buchan share their process of writing this musical romantic comedy — including its refinement fro...

Actor Sara Chase has had quite the ride on her way to what is now her first Tony Award nomination. Chase was set to make her Broadway debut in the 2008 production of “Godspell,” which was postponed. Ten years later, she originated the role of Myrtle Wilson in “The Great Gatsby,” and now she is leading the new musical “Schmigadoon!” as Melissa. The role has landed Chase a Tony nod for Best Performa...

Before the 2025-2026 season, Kelli O’Hara had been nominated for eight Tony Awards, all for her turns in musicals. She won in 2015 for her leading role in “The King & I.” Now, O’Hara has earned her ninth nomination, which is her first for a play. O’Hara plays Julia in the Roundabout Theatre Company revival of Noël Coward’s “Fallen Angels” and is a 2026 Tony nominee for Best Performance by an A...

“Giant” is not only Mark Rosenblatt’s first Tony Award nomination, it’s the first play he’s ever written. Rosenblatt came up in theater as a director. But the idea for a play examining children’s author Roald Dahl came to him, and director Nicholas Hytner encouraged Rosenblatt to write it. Here, Rosenblatt explains why he looked to Dahl’s problematic history for inspiration, how he crafted the str...

Lear deBessonet made her Broadway debut directing the 2022 revival of “Into the Woods,” which transferred from City Center’s Encores! series. Once again, deBessonet has successfully transferred a production from Encores! to Broadway, this season with “Ragtime.” DeBessonet brought the staging from City Centers to Lincoln Center Theater, the latter where she now serves as artistic director. “Ragtime...

Daryl Roth has been producing on Broadway since 1991. She’s proven herself a force, having earned 43 Tony Award nominations. Rachel Sussman began producing on the Main Stem in 2019. The two, alongside producers Jenny Gersten and Eva Price, formed the lead-producing team of “Liberation,” which is Tony Award-nominated for Best Play. Here, the veteran and newer contemporary discuss the signs of quali...

Gina Gionfriddo has been a Pulitzer Prize finalist since 2009, but she’s only bowed on Broadway this year. Her 2008 play, “Becky Shaw,” initially bowed Off-Broadway with Second Stage — earning that Pulitzer recognition — and is now on Broadway for the first time. Per the  classics rule , “Becky Shaw” was deemed eligible for Tony Award in the category of Best Revival of a Play, and, on May 5, was n...

Omari Wiles and Arturo Lyons are the duo who have brought authentic ballroom to “Cats: The Jellicle Ball.” The choreographers may be new to Broadway, but they are legends of ballroom. Wiles is known in that scene as Omari NiNa Oricci, founder of the House of Nina Oricci, established in 2019; he is also creative director of Les Ballet Afrik dance company. Wiles has worked with global talent such as...

Lighting designer Kevin Adams made his Broadway debut in 1998 with a play called “Getting and Spending.” That show, sadly, did not last long, but Adams’ career has. The designer has brought craft and showmanship to the lighting of 30 Main Stem productions, including this season’s revival of “Chess.” His thrilling design and its roots in the musical’s dramaturgy have earned him a 2026 Tony Award no...

Actor Christiani Pitts made her Broadway debut in the 2016 musical version of “A Bronx Tale,” beginning as an ensemble member and later replacing in a lead role. She originated the part of Ann Darrow in the Main Stem musical adaptation of “King Kong.” This season, Pitts originated the character of Robin in “Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York),” an entirely original musical, and has earned...

Christopher Gattelli was first recruited to “Schmigadoon!” in its incarnation as a television series. Creator Cinco Paul asked Gattelli to choreograph for the Apple TV+ show. Now, Gattelli is the director-choreographer of the stage version of the musical. Gattelli was most recently nominated for his direction and choreography of “Death Becomes Her.” Here, the artist defines the role of a director-...

Actor Daniel Radcliffe has said that if he is going to say yes to a project — a show that is going to take him away from his toddler and to a theater every night — it had to be truly worth doing. Radcliffe found that in “Every Brilliant Thing.” The actor is now nominated for his leading performance in the play. Nobile is nominated for Best Revival of a Play as part of the “Every Brilliant Thing” p...

Costume designer Brenda Abbandandolo and lighting designer Isabella Byrd needed to work hand in hand on “Dog Day Afternoon.” Through lighting and wardrobe — in conjunction with their fellow designers, director Rupert Goold and the company — they needed to evoke the 1970s for the Stephen Adly Guirgis play. In this episode, Abbandandolo and Byrd spoke to Broadway News about their collaboration and t...

Just a few weeks ago, “Liberation” won the 2026 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The play’s director, Whitney White, has reached a level all her own, as well. Previously, she was nominated for her Broadway directorial debut, “Jaja’s African Hair Braiding.” Now, the director has earned her second Tony nomination for helming “Liberation,” which won the Drama League Award for Outstanding Play and is nominat...

The band the Rescues — made up of Kyler England, AG and Gabriel Mann — has been best known as the soundtrack to hit television series such as “Grey’s Anatomy.” Until now. The Rescues are now Tony Award nominees, having earned nods for best score and best orchestrations (the latter alongside Ethan Popp) for their contributions to Broadway’s “The Lost Boys.” Here the Rescues discuss why they chose a...

Playwright Samuel D. Hunter has been an acclaimed scribe of the Off-Broadway scene for many years. In 2025, Hunter finally made his Broadway debut with  “Little Bear Ridge Road,”  a play about the relationship between an aunt and her estranged nephew who hole up together during the COVID-19 pandemic. Like many of his other works, “Little Bear Ridge Road” is a quiet drama. In the below episode, Hun...

Scenic designer Scott Pask made his Broadway debut as the associate scenic designer of the 1998 revival of “Cabaret.” Since then, he has been the lead scenic designer on 70 Broadway productions (counting the “Coast of Utopia” as three separate mountings, 67 if it’s one). Pask’s latest creation is the set of the new musical “Schmigadoon!,” for which he has earned a Tony Award nomination for Best Sc...

Kicking off the 2026 edition of “5 minutes with a Tony nominee” is actor Nicholas Christopher, who stars in the 2025 revival of “Chess” as Anatoly. In this episode, Christopher discusses the origins of the  note he holds for what seems like forever , the firsthand research he did for the role and more. Want to be the first to hear these chats? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Visit broadwaynews.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and...