Clint Ramos, Kara Young, Rebecca Frecknall and Ingrid Michaelson Among Variety’s 10 Broadway Stars to Watch for 2023

Brent Lang Executive Editor Every year, Broadway brings an exciting group of emerging talents to the spotlight. This new season of theatrical talent and innovators are certain to wow audiences everywhere. Last year’s 10 Broadway Stars to Watch honored Jessica Stone of “Kimberly Akimbo” and Tony winner J.

Harrison Ghee from “Some Like It Hot.” And in 2020, although Broadway was closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Variety honored Tony winner Michael R. Jackson, the writer and composer of the musical “A Strange Loop,” director Schele Williams and stage manager and producer Cody Renard Richard. This year, Broadway has so much to look forward to, including “The Notebook” musical from musician Ingrid Michaelson (who previously performed in “Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812″).

The show’s earliest days in Chicago led to a fervor of anticipation, and now it will finally get a Broadway debut next year. Also on this list is Julie Benko, whose vocal stylings on the stage at “Funny Girl” lit up social media; Nichelle Lewis, another TikTok sensation who will star in the much hyped “The Wiz” production; and renowned costume designer and producer Clint Ramos. The new 10 to Watch will be honored at the annual Business of Broadway Breakfast.

There, Variety will celebrate the fall season of Broadway with exclusive conversations with the cast of the upcoming “Merrily We Roll Along” musical and “Gutenberg! The Musical!” Daniel Radcliffe, Jonathan Groff and Lindsay Mendez will discuss the new successful revival of this Sondheim classic, and Josh Gad and Andrew Rannells will have a mini “Mormon” reunion while elaborating on bringing “Gutenberg!” to the stage. Here are the 10 Broadway Stars to Watch honorees for the 2023-24 season. Understudies and standbys don’t get a lot of recognition in the theater — unless you’re Julie Benko.

Last season she became the most famous understudy on Broadway as the actor who played the title character in “Funny Girl” when stars Beanie Feldstein and Lea Michele were absent. Now she gets recognized on the street. And this fall, she’s got her first shot at originating a role in a new Broadway musical.