Broadway Rags-to-Riches Stories

[ace33]

Posted: 4/28/11 at 3:49pm

I'm just the average fan, but i know becoming a Broadway actor can take years of hard work (BFA's, Training, Classes, headshots, etc etc)... but do any stars have rags-to-riches success stories? Being discovered in a cafe? Stagehand turned swing?

[HistoryBoy2]

Posted: 4/28/11 at 3:51pm

Rags to riches? STEPHEN SCHWARTZ!


(I'm here all week.)

[ace33]

Posted: 4/28/11 at 3:57pm

Schwartz? i don't get it. He was from NYC, Julliard and BFA from CMU.

[JOak]

Posted: 4/28/11 at 4:02pm

It's a reference, Stephen Schwartz wrote Rags (flop) before becoming multi-millionaire (Wicked).

[Tag]

Posted: 4/28/11 at 4:16pm

Why would a stagehand become a swing??!?

[dramamama611]

Posted: 4/28/11 at 4:19pm

Because the show must go on!

[shrekster224]

Posted: 4/28/11 at 4:40pm

You mentioned cafes, and I know Alysha Umphress worked at Ellen's Stardust Diner before getting cast in American Idiot, but is it true that she was spotted there? Or did she audition? I heard she was spotted, but doubt it. But it's not like she came from no training or anything, she went to BoCo.

[KirbyCat]

Posted: 4/28/11 at 4:44pm

Terri White was homeless at one point. So glad she's made it back to the stage and is living well.
Such a touching story...
If this isn't rags to riches, I don't know what is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7BdSyFONWQ
Updated On: 4/28/11 at 04:44 PM

[WOSQ]

Posted: 4/28/11 at 4:45pm

Barbra:
Graduated high school at 16-17
Broadway debut at 19
Funny Girl at 21.