Broadway Princess Party Sparkles at Chicago Improv


Sequins, taffeta, and jeweled tiaras filled the Chicago Improv…and that was just in the audience.  On stage Laura Osnes (Cinderella on Broadway), Susan Egan (original Belle in Beauty and the Beast) and Courtney Reed (original Jasmine in Disney’s Aladdin) were joined by Music Director/Fairy Godfairy Benjamin Rauhala to host a Broadway Princess Party.  Through two sold-out performances, these talented artists performed the most beloved ‘Princess songs’ of stage and screen, reminiscing about their favorite fairy tales and most cherished characters.


The Broadway Princess Party is the brainchild of New York-based music director Rauhala and two-time Tony nominee Osnes.  Returning home from a visit to Disneyworld, Rauhala thought, wouldn’t it be fun to have a Broadway Princess Party?  What about a show composed of songs made famous by all those princesses, a show complete with some gossip and banter about what it would it was actually like to play these characters.  “I just thought it would be fun to bring all these princesses together in one show.”

He approached Osnes (who was then playing Cinderella on Broadway) at his birthday party and asked her if she would like to do a show about Broadway princesses.  She said yes. Then a few hours later, Osnes presented Rauhala with a spreadsheet listing of all the Broadway princesses (and her friends), along with their headshots and the specific princess she wished each to play. There were 14 names on the list and all agreed to do the show.
The Broadway Princess Party is the brainchild of Tony-Nominee Laura Osnes and Music Director Benjamin Rauhala



They first staged the concept in a New York cabaret space known as Feinstein’s 54 Below.  Tickets sold out instantly.  Additional Broadway Princess Party shows at the cabaret sold out quickly as well.  “We didn’t realize how popular it would be,” said Osnes.  “Not only for the audience, but also for all the girls involved.  It was really an empowering night seeing so many strong, talented females all supporting and loving on each other and knocking songs out of the park.”  YouTube videos of the Broadway Princess Party performances quickly garnered over 100,000 views expanding the fan base beyond Manhattan.  Osnes, Rauhala, and Egan decided to take the Princesses on the road.

 
The Broadway Princess Party attracts diverse audiences, including mothers and daughters; animated film lovers; die-hard Broadway fans and more.  Where else can a little mermaid duet with a beautiful bookworm or an ice queen drink tea alongside a princess with a lost glass slipper?  Audiences are encouraged to dress up as their favorite princess to enhance the party atmosphere.  ‘Princess Swag’ is passed out to youngsters decked out in sparkles, gowns, and tiaras.  “With everything that’s happening in the world, it’s nice to have this safe, wonderful place to go where everything is positive,” explains Egan.

The Broadway Princess Party in Chicago was particularly exciting for one audience member.  The show features an online contest for one lucky audience member to join the Princesses and perform onstage.  Over 100 video pitches were submitted before the Chicago performance.  Grace Pichler of Mondovi, WI, received a telephone call a few days before the show saying she had been selected to perform in Chicago.  “We were just blown away by the poise and talent she showed on her video,” explains Rauhala.  “I have been following the Broadway Princess Party on YouTube since it first started,” Pichler said.  “I hoped I would be able to go to New York to see one of the shows.  I was so excited after I received the call.  Then a few days later, I’m in rehearsal with Laura, Susan, Courtney, and Benjamin watching me!  This is a dream come true.”
Laura Osnes, Benjamin Rauhala, Courtney Reed, and Susan Egan Share the Magic of Broadway Princesses


The Broadway Princess Party is a dazzling evening of musical magic. Underneath the music, glitter, sparkles and tiaras, this is really a show about empowering women.  Over the years, Belle, Ariel, Cinderella, Jasmine, Rapunzel and their sisters have been marketed as positive role models.  The show, at its core, features performers taking charge of their own brands.  Instead of competing with each other for the next Broadway Princess, the women all get to perform together, supporting each other while in character.  “There’s something wonderful about having all these strong women on the stage,” says Egan.  “People get the music they love and the voices they know from the original cast albums.  Plus, they get to go home with a little bit from our point of view.”

 
Osnes, Egan, Reed, and Rauhala will be packing their tiaras and sharing their Broadway Princess Party joy elsewhere throughout the country.  To learn more and find out show dates, visit www.broadwayprincessparty.com.  And may all your dreams come true.

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