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The nationally ranked program is evolving and innovating under new leadership with added performance opportunities and strengthened industry ties.
BW Music Theatre's fall 2024 performance of "Jesus Christ Superstar"
An exciting future for ÎÚÑ»ÊÓƵ's acclaimed music theatre program (BWMT) is coming into sharper focus with the announcement of an expanded 2025-26 production season, new professional theatre partnerships, more frequent masterclasses and much more.
Starting in August, the program will be led by new music theatre director Jenn Hemphill, new music theatre music director Richard Biever and longtime dance director Greg Daniels, along with a plethora of talented voice, acting and dance faculty in the BW Conservatory of Performing Arts (COPA).
The new artistic leadership team already has big plans.
The much-anticipated fall mainstage musical will be "9 to 5" with guest music supervisor Susan Draus (music director of Broadway's "Good Vibrations" and numerous national tours).
New this year, an added fall performance opportunity with a staged reading of the musical "Assassins."
The winter musical will be "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" in collaboration with new BW partner . "We are proud to team up with BWMT and thrilled to collaborate with the program's music theatre talent on this production," said Trinidad Snider, Near West Theatre artistic director.
BW's annual spring partnership with will feature a fully produced premiere of "Star Machine," written by brothers and BW students Gideon '25 and Hank '26 Temple. A New York guest director with experience helming new theatre works will lead the run, along with Broadway music director Wendy Bobbitt Cavett ("Come from Away," "Mamma Mia" and "Scarlet Pimpernel") as music supervisor.
Both longtime and new professional partners in Cleveland's thriving theater scene will be part of the BWMT experience moving forward. BW's strong partnership with Playhouse Square will mark its 19th year in 2026!
New BWMT partner Near West Theatre offers a beautiful, 10-year-old theatre venue and represents one of the most diverse theatre organizations in the region, including the artists on stage and behind the scenes, as well as the audiences in the seats.
Under a new expanded partnership, (CPH) will increase opportunities for BWMT students to audition for all CPH productions. The first round of CPH auditions for the 2025-26 season took place last week.
CPH artistic director Michael Barakiva commented, "I am deeply impressed by the work of the BW students, both in 'Fiddler' rehearsals and at auditions last week. I look forward to inviting many of them back for callbacks with our mainstage directors for our '25-'26 season."
Artistic directors at other area theaters also confirm they are eager to cast BWMT students in their productions.
One of the hallmarks of a BW music theatre education is a robust masterclass series, which will also expand in the coming year to include returning and new Broadway industry professionals for added networking aimed at opening more doors to success.
The growing lineup of world-class agents, talent managers and artists already confirmed to come to campus for the coming year includes Broadway actor John Hemphill, who is currently appearing in "Redwood" with Idina Menzel and BWMT alumna Veronica Otim '20. After multiple visits to BW for masterclasses in the coming academic year, he will join the BWMT acting faculty in fall 2026.
Matthew Frederick Harris '18 ("MJ," "Girl from the North Country"), incoming BW music theatre director Jenn Hemphill and Marcus Martin '20 ("Aladdin") at a BWMT alumni reception in New York City.
To develop plans for the next season and beyond, BW Conservatory leaders sought extensive feedback from students, alumni and industry partners and will implement additional changes as a result, including a newly augmented acting curriculum.
"We'll roll out acting training that is more sequenced and add an 'Acting Bootcamp' course, which will be open to all current BWMT students this fall, with a continuation in the spring," explained Jenn Hemphill. "These changes will give our students an immediate opportunity to increase foundational acting skills that will give them an important edge in casting."
Other changes based on dialogue with current students:
Attendees at BW's annual Senior Showcase and alumni reception in New York City this month included, left to right, Debbie Neale, BW President-designate Lee Fisher, David Pepin, and Keri René Fuller '15.
While the program leadership vows to innovate and evolve along with the industry, students are eager to keep some elements the same.
For one, the wildly successful BWMT Senior Showcase will again wrap up the 2025-26 year at New World Stages in New York City, and BW has booked the venue for the next 10 years. Hemphill, Biever, BW President-designate Lee Fisher and his wife, Peggy Zone Fisher, all attended this year's showcase.
"Having witnessed first-hand the power and magnitude of the BW music theatre alumni family in New York City at this year's showcase, I understand the profound advantage BW students have upon entering the industry post-graduation," noted President-designate Fisher. "Peggy and I are eager to support this force of BW talent and leadership in the entertainment industry."
