Union County Review

A group of eight Kean University theatre students recently had the unique opportunity to perform alongside Broadway stars in a concert at Kean’s Enlow Recital Hall. The students, unofficially known as Kean’s “Broadway Babies,” joined the original stars of Hairspray for a special performance.

Brandon Luckenbaugh, a graduating theatre performance student, expressed his excitement about the experience, saying, “I was excited to sing with these people I idolize, but it was nerve-racking.” He added, “It was a whole new lesson in going out there and doing it. I’m so proud of all of us.”

Christian MontLouis, a sophomore theatre performance student, shared his joy at being chosen for a solo part, stating, “It was fun. I love the song, and I know the Seaweed parts. I was thinking if I could sing the solo, that would be really great. And then they chose me. Yay!”

Kerry Butler, one of the Broadway stars, praised the Kean students, saying, “We want to bring them to every concert. It took our concert up to the next level. They did amazing, and we loved, loved having them there.” Marissa Jaret Winokur also commended the students, calling their energy and youth a real treat, adding, “Honestly, it was my favorite concert so far.”

Professor Holly Logue highlighted the students' dedication, mentioning, “They had four hours to rehearse together and memorize the five pieces of music in four-part harmony. They really stepped up.”

Reflecting on the experience, graduating theatre and music performance student Riv Dabul shared, “It was really reassuring watching them. They're human, and we're human, so maybe we can do what these humans are doing. And they were really encouraging, which made us better.”

Steve Cochran, manager of Kean Stage, emphasized the significance of such collaborations for the students, stating, “What an amazing opportunity for our students. The chance to collaborate onstage with these distinguished performers is unparalleled. Events like these guide and prepare the students for their future careers.”

Junior theatre performance student Jade Ayala, who had previously sung with Broadway star Alex Newell, expressed the value of performing alongside such renowned artists, saying, “For someone who’s aspiring to perform on Broadway, it’s so valuable. We have the opportunity to see what it's like behind the scenes and speak with these Broadway stars. It's such an amazing opportunity to perform with them.”