"The Broadway Lecture Series:" Features Kerry Butler May 13th

Pictured Above: Kerry Butler. Photo Credit: Contributed. 

NEWSROOM POST: POMPTON LAKES, NEW JERSEY

 

Pompton Lakes, NJ – Tony-Nominated funny lady Kerry Butler and Wicked-alum Eden Espinosa will join host Robert Bannon at StageWorks in Pompton Lakes, NJ, as a part of the theater company’s Broadway Lecture Series. Each actress will share stories and answer questions about honing their craft, building their career, and the latest news on upcoming projects. Kerry Butler will join Bannon on Saturday, May 13, at 3 pm and Eden Espinosa on Saturday, June 17, at 2 pm. Don’t worry the Newsroom will remind you about the June lecture series when the time comes! This is an event you won’t want to miss.

The Broadway Lecture Series is an ongoing initiative that gives fans and aspiring performers a window into the industry and a chance to interact with theater professionals working at the highest level. The monthly series offers an affordable and accessible way for the general public to hear from their favorite stars and learn firsthand what it takes to sustain a career in the arts.

Pictured Above: Eden Espinosa. Photo Credit: Contributed. 

Debuting in 2022 to a sold-out audience at Montclair State University, the first session of The Broadway Lecture Series featured guest performer Tony-winning Myles Frost of MJ the Musical. The series has gone on to include a range of well-known Broadway talents telling stories, offering advice, taking questions, and engaging with their fans in an intimate setting. Created and moderated by multi-hyphenate artist Robert Bannon, The Broadway Lecture Series is part of Unfinished Business LLC. Bannon also curates its sister programs “The Roundtable” and “Quarantine, Cabaret, & Cocktail.” In his career, Bannon has had the pleasure of interviewing everyone from Chita Rivera and Perez Hilton to Heather Headley and Bianca Del Rio — along with many others. 

Kerry Butler is a native New Yorker who grew up in Brooklyn and began working professionally at the age of three after seeing Annie. After a four-year hiatus imposed by her mother, she was back on the boards at nine years old, at which point she never looked back. Gracing the stage in more than ten Broadway musicals, including Beauty and the Beast, Hairspray, Mean Girls, Beetlejuice, and Xanadu, for which she was nominated for the Tony award, Ms. Butler has established herself as one of Broadway’s most iconic ingenues. Her talent and versatility have made her a favorite of audiences and critics alike. She comes to the Broadway Lecture Series to share her experiences as a performer, offering insights into the creative process and behind-the-scenes stories from her impressive career.

Eden Espinosa is most recognized for her critically acclaimed portrayal of Elphaba in Wicked on Broadway and in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Other credits include originating the title character in Brooklyn the Musical, Flora in Flora the Red Menace, and Maureen in the closing company of Rent on Broadway. Eden also originated the role of Sadie Thompson in the world premiere of Rain at the Old Globe Theater. She portrayed Eva Peron in TPAC and Studio Tenn’s production of Evita. In 2017, she toured Denmark playing Emma Borden in the rock musical Lizzie. She played Mary Flynn to rave reviews in Maria Friedman’s productions of Merrily We Roll Along at the Huntington Theatre in Boston and took on the role of Daniela in the Kennedy Center’s production of In The Heights. Eden also portrayed Anita in West Side Story for the BBC PROMS at the Royal Albert Hall. Most recently, she originated the role of Tamara De Lempicka in the world premiere of Lempicka at Williamstown Theatre Festival and at La Jolla Playhouse, directed by Rachel Chavkin. Her television appearances include Law and Order, Ugly Betty, and Elementary. Voiceover credits include Cassandra in the Disney Channel’s Tangled series, Robot Chicken, MAD TV, Elena of Avalor, and Titan Maximum. Eden’s debut album, Look Around, charted in the Pop iTunes Top 50 between Adele and Katy Perry.

Robert Bannon has been dazzling audiences on the stage and screen for years. Now, the accomplished and lauded cabaret singer and Saturday Night Live actor has released the #1 Amazon A/C Album Unfinished Business, appeared on The Real Housewives of New Jersey, hosts “The Roundtable” on YouTube, and created The Broadway Lecture Series which has featured Myles Frost, Jennifer Holliday, and more. Bannon has also traveled the country performing his hit one-man show, Unfinished Business, including famed venues like New York’s Feinstein’s 54 Below and Feinstein’s At Vitellos in Los Angeles. The autobiographical performance traces Bannon’s journey from his time at the prestigious Juilliard Prep School to the moment he gave up music to become a teacher and how he eventually found his way back to the stage. He has also performed in national touring and regional productions of My Big Gay Italian Wedding, Rent, and others, such as, We Will Rock You, My Way.

The Broadway Lecture series takes place at StageWorks at Studio 237 in NJ. Visit their website at: www.stageworksnj.org  

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