Tour de Fierce (2011)

Hollie Howard (Broadway Doll/Co-Conceived Show/Producer/Creator)

Hollie is achieving her dream with this project!  Broadway triple threat Hollie Howard has appeared in the original casts of Hairspray, Mamma Mia! and Annie Get Your Gun, with Reba McEntire. She has also appeared on the Tony Awards, Rosie O’Donnell, David Letterman, Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Jerry Lewis Telethon, The Today Show and Conan O’Brien. Hollie can be heard on the original Broadway cast recordings of Hairspray and Fame. She made guest appearances on Guiding Light and One Life To Live and played the lead in the films, First Breath, A Missed Engagement, and The Interview (Long Island Film Festival Nominee), as well as worked on the film Across the Universe.

Hollie enjoyed growing up in Jefferson City, Missouri, learning to dance at age 2, competing as a cheerleader in high school, singing in the choir, competing in pageants including winning a preliminary to Miss America, enjoying float trips on the weekends and spending time waterskiing at the Lake of the Ozarks. She graduated from Missouri State University (BFA in Theatre Performance), where she was nominated for an Irene Ryan Award for best actor in a play, and joined the Delta Zeta sorority.  After college,  Hollie joined the Walt Disney World family in Orlando, Florida as a Pleasure Island Explosion Dancer. While in Florida, she was one of two people selected to go on the European Tour of Fame, the Musical where she toured Switzerland, Germany, Austria and France.  Hollie later became an original cast member on the First National Tour of Fame, the Musical.  Since leaving the lead role of Penny Pingleton in Hairspray on Broadway, Hollie has been very active as an educator, as well as in the NYC and Regional Theatre scene. Hollie is the founder of The Audition; a class which focuses on how to give successful auditions; she is on staff with Making it On Broadway, Broadway Classroom, Onstage NY and Open Jar Institute. She is also the Creator of The Broadway Dolls, the Official Girl Group of Broadway. She’s been involved in such projects as Four Seasons at Lincoln Center (with Rosie O’Donnell), How To Save The World and Find True Love in 90 Minutes (Off Broadway), Maggie in the National Tour of A Chorus Line, Millie in Thoroughly Modern Millie at Maine State Music Theatre and Carousel Dinner Theatre, Grease at North Carolina Theatre and Stages St. Louis (Sandy), Bernice Bobs Her Mullet (NY Musical Festival), Emily Arden in State Fair (where she was nominated for a Kevin Kline award for Best Actress in a Musical, Stages St Louis), HOLLIEWOOD: her one woman show and Plane Crazy where the New York Times recognized her standout performance as a combination of “...Lucy Ricardo with the uncorked sexuality of Goldie Hawn.”  Hollie thanks her parents- Steve and Debbie for their amazing support and teaching her to be a dreamer and her amazing Broadway Dolls team and cast.  tandout performance as a co

 

Joey Murray (Director/ Co-Conceived Show)

 

 

Joey Murray is delighted and honored to work with this tremendous company of artists.  Mr. Murray’s involvement with The Broadway Dolls began in March 2010, where he helmed and directed the first full-length production for The Broadway Dolls, in Hollie Howard’s hometown of St. Louis!  As the company’s Artistic Director, he works with the creative team to develop material and directs all official productions for The Broadway Dolls. 

New York directing credits include the premiere production of THE GALLERY (a series of rock-infused art installations), produced by New York Theatre Barn, for which he also served as book writer.  He was asked by NYTB to develop another original rock musical, for which he and writing partners Rob Baumgartner and Heidi Helig created THE HOLE.  After a sold out engagement produced by New York Theatre Barn, THE HOLE transferred to Theatre at St. Clements for a limited Off-Broadway engagement.  Other credits include the premiere of LOVE LETTER at the Zipper Theatre, HOLLIEWOOD, starring Broadway favorite Hollie Howard at the Miller Center, ARI GOLD: TRANSPORT TOUR at The Public Theatre, NAMELESS with Core Theatre Company (winner of Core24 playwriting festival), RED HOT CINDERS (Holiday Panto) aboard world famous Queen Elizabeth 2, and GREASE at Catholic University. 

As an actor, Joey is currently in the company of the Off-Broadway hit play, MY BIG GAY ITALIAN WEDDING.  He appeared in the touring companies of A CHORUS LINE (PAUL) and CINDERELLA (u/s PRINCE), and was Emcee aboard Queen Elizabeth 2 in the premiere production of THE HIT PARADE.  Film credits include THE LAST GIRL ON EARTH (JAMIE), directed by Oscar Nominee Oren Jacoby, and the upcoming feature ELLIOT LOVES.  

Joey is a graduate of The Catholic University of America, in Washington D.C.  He has studied directing and playwriting at New York University and The Barrow Group.  

 

 

Jordan Fife Hunt (Choreographer)

Jordan Fife Hunt is thrilled to be choreographing for The Broadway Dolls! National Tour: A Chorus Line. Regional: Zanna, Don't!, Floyd Collins, Parade, Dessa Rose, Big River. Jordan has a BFA in Musical Theatre from The Boston Conservatory. He trained with the Houston Metropolitan Dance Company and The Broadway Theatre Project. www.jordanfifehunt.com

David Kreppel (Musical Director)

Broadway and / or touring credits include The Lion King, A Chorus Line, Rock of Ages, Sister Act, Mamma Mia, Saturday Night Fever, Tarzan and Showboat. He has orchestrated the musicals The Gospel According to Fishman, Dracula and Don’ t Make Me Pull This Show Over and has contributed arrangements to Paul Gordon’s Emma and the new musical Ace, among others. Regional credits include work at The Old Globe, Signature Theatre, Cincinnati Playhouse (Acclaim Award), St. Louis Rep (Klein Nomination), Theatreworks, CA, and The Marriott Lincolnshire Theatre (Jeff Nomination). As composer he has written the scores for 1st & Ten (with Sean Grennan), A Host of Sparrows and The Velveteen Rabbit. He has also appeared onstage in dozens of productions including Joseph... Dreamcoat (starring Donny Osmond). David is a graduate of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music

Barbara Helms (Musical Coordinator)

Barbara has performed all over the world with the Broadway Dolls and is now thrilled to be assistant directing. New York performing credits include Sessions at Playwrights Horizons and The Watercoolers. Regionally, she has been seen in The Full Monty, Singin in the Rain, Kiss of the Spider Woman, HonkeyTonk Angels, Will Rogers Follies, Pump Boys and Dinettes, Little Shop of Horrors and Forum.

Nancy Wernick (Production Stage Manager)

Sam Morris (Press Rep)

Tracee Beazer (Broadway Doll)

Indian parents, Tracee moved to the big city straight out of high school.  Since then, she has become a very respected singer/dancer/actress on Broadway and around the country. 

Tracee has appeared in the Broadway productions of Hairspray (2002 Tony Award winner), The Wedding Singer (2006 Tony Nominee), Memphis (2010 Tony Award winner) and Good Vibrations (…nothing). Tracee also played Lorraine in the First  Broadway National Tour of All Shook Up. Reviewers called her a "powerhouse" who "belts Presley songs with solid strong pipes that almost vibrates the ceiling off the theater".  Beazer has also had the privilege of working at the prestigious Public Theater in Radiant Baby (dir. George C Wolf) and Shakespeare in the Park's Two Gentlemen of Verona. 

Some of her favorite Regional shows include Dreamgirls (starring Jenifer Holiday), Anything Goes (starring Sandy Dunkin), Hello Dolly (starring Jennifer Lewis), and Sophisticated Ladies where she received her favorite review to date when she was called  "a one-woman source of global warming" 

Her small screen credits include:  Law and Order SVU, David Letterman, The View, The Tony Awards, Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and many morning shows. 

Her film credits include Spinning Into Butter and CAMP where she is most known as "The Turkey Lurkey Girl" 

Robyn Hurder (Broadway Doll)

Robyn Hurder is ALWAYS living and loving life to it's fullest in this Beautiful Big Apple! Being one of the original Broadway Dolls has been the most exhilarating and uplifting projects for Robyn.  It allows her to express and stretch every single side of her talents AND personality. She is often heard quoting the group as "a musical theatre gal's dream come true!"  But long before the "Dolls" and before she hit the White Way, Robyn grew up in Windham, Maine.  There, she strictly trained in tap, jazz, ballet, and pointe at The Maine State School of the Performing Arts. She later joined the Maine State Ballet Company and quickly became one of their most exciting and dynamic soloists. As a teen she spent the summers either at Maine State Music Theatre, Broadway Theatre Project or The Manhattan Theatre Project, getting her much needed fix of musical theatre.  She began rising up in her community, being seen in roles such as "Mary Magdalene" in Jesus Christ Superstar, "Dainty June" in Gypsy, "Linda" in Blood Brothers, and "Jean McClaren" in Brigadoon. At 19, she tried her luck in NYC and hopped on a bus for her first try at auditioning. After 5 days there she was offered 4 jobs. And she was off!  She toured Europe working as a singer/dancer on Celebrity Cruise Lines, under the direction of Tony Award Winner, Wayne Cilento.  Immediately after, she was cast in the National Tour of Starlight Express as "Wrench" understudying (and performing) every female role in the show.  She ended up closing the successful production as the leading role of "Pearl".  From there, she moved back to New York City and within th three weeks landed her first Broadway Show, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, playing the role of "Violet"!  Her momentum didn't stop there!  Robyn went on to understudy the "Lady of the Lake" in the 1st National Broadway Tour of Spamalot. Right after, she moved into the Broadway Company of The Wedding Singer as "Donatella" as well as starring in the role of "Holly" numerous times.  Next, she had the unbelievable opportunity to play the role of Mona in her most beloved show Chicago AND understudy the legendary Bebe Newirth as "Roxy".  She was then cast as fun and flirtatious "Marty" in Kathleen Marshall's production of Grease.  With all of these Broadway productions, she has had the honor of performing on television in the final episode of NBC's "Grease! You're The One That I Want", The Tony Awards, The Jerry Lewis Telethon, The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Good Morning America, The Today Show, and can be heard on the Original Broadway Cast Recording of Grease.  Robyn was most recently seen across North America and Japan in the 1st National Tour of A Chorus Line, performing the very demanding and iconic role of "Cassie".  Along with all these amazing moments in her career, she has also had the privilege of developing new broadway-bound workshops in NYC, alongside stars such as Harry Connick Jr., Wayne Brady, and Tyne Daly.  Her favorite roles to date? "Wife" to husband Clyde and "Mother" to their two boxers Sophie and Mariella. Live your life at it fullest. Laugh at all the things that don’t matter. Love with all that you have and more.

 

Tracy Jai Edwards (Broadway Doll)

 

Tracy Jai Edwards was born and raised in Houston Texas where her love for performing began!  She went to Sam Houston State University where she studied Musical Theater with an emphasis in Dance!  All it took was two years till she realized she is going to the big apple to knock on Broadway’s door!  Her journey thus far has landed her in roles on the big Broadway in “Hairspray” as Amber Von Tussle and Serena in “Legally Blonde”!  Other credits include:  “Great American Trailer Park Musical”, “Best Little Whorehouse in Texas” starring Ann-Margret, “Grease”, “Guys and Dolls”, “Chorus Line”, “Assassins”, “Nunsense”… there is more she is forgetting I am sure!  Tracy Jai has also appeared in television shows such as: “Curb your Enthusiasm”, “White Collar”, “Law & Order: SVU”, “Big Lake”& “Mercy”!  Many thanks to my amazing fiancée, Adam, for helping me see and become the best me I can be!  Thank you so much Hollie and Joey for giving me such the huge honor of being a Doll!  xoxo

 

Gabrielle Ruiz (Broadway Doll)

 

“Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” 2 Corinthians 9:15. Gabrielle is blessed and beyond ecstatic to be a Broadway Doll! She was last seen on Broadway in the Tony Award Winning Best Musical of 2008, In The Heights. She understudied the principle roles of Vanessa, Nina and Carla as well as performing nightly as Ensemble. Her latest performance was as Edythe Herbert in My One and Only along with Tony Yazbeck at the prestigious regional theatre, the Goodspeed Opera House. She was also applauded all over the country with rave reviews as Diana Morales in the 1st National Tour of A Chorus Line. Regional favorites include A Christmas Carol at North Shore Music Theatre, Gabriella Montez in High School Musical, Dream Laurey understudy in Oklahoma! (starring Kelli O’Hara & Will Chase) and Olga Mara/Kathy Seldon understudy in Singing in the Rain at Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma. At Music Theatre of Wichita, favorite roles include Diana in A Chorus Line, Consuela in West Side Story, and Frenchy in Sweet Charity. She has been Dance Captain for numerous productions as well. Gabrielle’s television debut was as a recurring role for ABC’s One Life to Live and can be seen as a Singing Electrician on Sesame Street. Gabrielle hails from Edinburg, Texas (known as the Rio Grande Valley) where she grew up developing dance as her primary passion. She learned her training at Melba’s School of Dance and Gymnastics under Melba Huber and Anne Bowling. Gabrielle then received a scholarship to attend Oklahoma City University’s Ann Lacy School of Dance and Arts Management where she received a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Dance Performance with top honors in 2007 under the direction of her mentor, Jo Rowan. While in school, Gabrielle participated in American Spirit Dance Company, OCU Rhythms, numerous musicals (performing and backstage), work-study and served as Vice President of Chapter Operations & Chaplain for the Delta-Delta Chapter of Alpha Phi. Along with performing, Gabrielle thrives on volunteering and educating others on the art of performance. She has been a guest artist for Diva Dance Company of New York, Revolucion Latina, The Hangar Theatre and Oklahoma City University along with teaching in Long Island and Staten Island as well. She was a judge and guest teacher several times for N.Y.L.A. dance competitions under the direction of Skip Costa. She strives on educating dancers around the nation on how to be a professional performer. Visit www.gabrielleruiz.net and follow Gabrielle on Twitter: ImGabrielleRuiz! 

 

 

 

Chelsea Morgan Stock (Broadway Doll)

Chelsea Morgan Stock- originally a Cali girl from the Bay Area. (Go SF Giants!) Chelsea moved across country to the east coast to study at The Boston Conservatory, where she earned her BFA. Straight out of college she made her Broadway debut in The Little Mermaid on Broadway, originating the role of Andrina. Later Chelsea moved on to become the first replacement for Ariel. She was incredibly lucky to be living the dream of many, playing a disney princess and singing some of the most memorable and touching music. Other Broadway: Baby Its You. Regionally Chelsea has played Winnie Tate in Annie Get Your Gun (Goodspeed Opera House,) Ariel in Footloose (Cape Playhouse, North Shore Music Theatre.) She is so ecstatic to be working with all these talented ladies! Thanks to Jordan and Hollie for reaching out ! And of course always thanks to her friends and family for all the continued support. Especially Mom, Dad and Whit who continue to remind Chelsea, "Life is a journey not an event." 

Steven Baker (Associate Producer/Production Assistant )