This season’s groundbreaking Broadway musical How to Dance in Ohio, inspired by Alexandra Shiva’s Peabody Award-winning documentary of the same name, has announced a special reunion concert of the show’s original Broadway cast on Monday, May 20, 2024 at Palladium Times Square. For this one night only event, the original on-stage cast of "Broadway’s most original new musical” (The Daily Beast), will perform selections from the show backed by the musical’s Broadway band. The evening will also include special appearances by production team members and fans who have contributed to the production’s legacy.
In the parts of the real-life autistic young adults featured in the HBO documentary, a cast of seven autistic actors made their Broadway debuts in How To Dance in Ohio, all of whom will appear at the special reunion concert: Desmond Luis Edwards as Remy, Amelia Fei [Yi-Hsuan Fei] as Caroline, Madison Kopec as Marideth, Liam Pearce as Drew, Imani Russell as Mel, Conor Tague as Tommy, and Ashley Wool as Jessica. They will perform alongside fellow Original Broadway Cast members Caesar Samayoa (Come from Away, Sister Act), Cristina Sastre (Legally Blonde at The Muny), Haven Burton (Shrek the Musical, Violet), Darlesia Cearcy (Shuffle Along, Once On This Island), Carlos L Encinias (Les Miserables), Nick Gaswirth (…The Great Comet of 1812), and Melina Kalomas (Young Frankenstein). Musicians participating in the concert include Patrick Fanning, Adda Kridler, Melissa Westgate, Stephanie Fritz, Alex Hamlin, Rob Jost, Matt Brown, and Derek Stoltenberg. Tickets to the concert are available now at Ticketmaster.com.
How to Dance in Ohio features book and lyrics by Rebekah Greer Melocik, music by Jacob Yandura, choreography by Mayte Natalio, music direction by Lily Ling, and direction by Sammi Cannold – all of whom made their Broadway debuts this season with the production. How to Dance in Ohio was hailed by Time Out as a “joyful and uplifting new musical” exploring the universal need to connect and the courage it takes to step out into the world. The New York Times described the musical as "Groundbreaking. Thoughtful and poetic. This feel-good show is more than a first – it’s a milestone.” In this “exuberant coming-of-age musical comedy with a superb cast,” (Wall Street Journal), a group of young autistic adults and their families prepare for their first-ever formal dance—facing challenges that break open their routines, as they experience love, stress, excitement, and independence. The musical began previews on November 15, 2023, officially opened on Sunday, December 10, and played through February 11, 2024 at the Belasco Theatre (111 W. 44th St).
Tickets to the one-night-only concert start at $43 and available here.