Local Broadway Favorites Join New Paradigm Theatre’s Holiday Show

Connecticut, and especially lower Fairfield, is home to many Broadway performers, and this Holiday season you don’t have to go into New York to get your fill of professional entertainers singing and dancing to your favorite seasonal tunes. 

New Paradigm Theatre’s (NPT) annual holiday show, performed at Fairfield Theatre Company​ has invited local favorite’s, Jodi Stevens​ and Frank Mastrone​, to be a part of the Radio City-esque family show this year.  

Jodi Stevens, a Weston resident with Broadway credits such as Jekyll and Hyde and Urban Cowboy, will also get the chance to perform along side some of her own voice students.  As per NPT’s non profit mission​ of fostering creative problem solvers, leaders, and global citizens through theatre arts education and productions, the elbow-to-elbow mentoring will be in full swing. 

“I am proud to work locally with my Broadway co-stars and alongside young aspiring performers.  I am also grateful to be educating another generation of actors and singers, plus giving my own private students a chance to work along with Broadway veterans.  As much as this is a learning experience for our kids, they teach me every day.”

Jodi’s local young students, Scarlet Tanzer, Zaina Dove and Hannah Sofia Grant are featured in the Ms Clauz…with a Z scenes, as well as other numbers with their Broadway “co-stars”. 

“There are a number of voice and acting teachers that recommend their students to be a part of our non profit work because of the side-by-side professional experience as well as the community involvement such as serving at the soup kitchen and singing for senior homes. “ says Artistic director and Broadway veteran, Kristin Huffman​, who always looks forward to performing with some of her own voice students. 

Thirteen year old Ajibola (Keeme) Tajudeen is featured in this year’s Holiday show. He also played “Oliver” in the 2016 NPT summer production and says, “Not only do you get to see the real side of auditioning with pros, acting with pros and practicing with pros but you get to grow a more personal connection with them for the future of your career”.  

Marie Fulde, a senior at Fairfield Warde High School and president emeritus on the theatre’s non profit Youth Board of Directors​, says, “I am so excited to work with the Broadway stars because I feel like it’s many young actors’ dream to make it to Broadway, so to get to work with people who have already ‘made it’, is so valuable. 

Frank Mastrone, also a local Broadway favorite, and veteran of Phantom of the Opera, Les Mis, Jekyll and Hyde and Mamma Mia, among other Broadway shows, says  "I'm excited to be a part of this beautiful Christmas show. It is so important to have a community-minded theatre company bringing in professional entertainers at affordable prices like New Paradigm.”  Frank’s Ave Maria is certain to be one of the show’s high points.  He will also sing on stage with the Fairfield County Children’s choir​, one of NPT’s partner non profits this year. 

The family-friendly and classic holiday show features songs like Winter Wonderland, I’ve got my love to keep me warm, Someday at Christmas, Marshmallow world, Beautiful December, and many other Holiday favorites all musically directed by Kenneth Gartman.  Other local Broadway favorites Rachel MacIsaac​ and Christopher Hudson Myers​ strut their stuff and are well known to the Staples High School community.  

The show runs for two nights at Fairfield Theatre Company.  Dec 16th (Saturday) at 8pm​ and Dec 17th (Sunday) at 3pm​.  Tickets are available through FTC’s box office or through www.nptheatre.org​. 

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Submitted by Westport, CT

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