Broadway Scores Announces An All-Star Line-Up of Performers

Press release

Announcing an All-star line-up of Performers

Broadway Scores

Celebrating 20 Years of Broadway at the Palace featuring the Waterbury Symphony Orchestra
Saturday, May 17, 2025 at 7:00 PM

WATERBURY, CT – On Saturday, May 17, 2025 at 7:00 pm the Waterbury Symphony Orchestra will take the stage at the Palace Theater under the baton of five-time Emmy Award-winning producer & director Andrew Carl Wilk for an exciting night of Broadway hits, along with eight of Broadway’s brightest stars: Debbie Gravitte, Jess LeProtto, Andrea McArdle, Soara-Joye Ross, Antoine L. Smith, Allison Strong, Gene Taylor, and Donna Vivino.

Broadway Scores commemorates the Palace Theater’s 20th anniversary since its reopening in 2004, with excerpts from musical scores enjoyed over the years in the historic venue. The event will be an evening of entertainment, celebration, and musical memories. “This show is the perfect celebration of the Palace Theater’s 20-year legacy of presenting Broadway’s best in Waterbury,” explains Palace CEO Frank Tavera. “There is something special and nostalgic about these incredible performers and WSO musicians in our beautiful, historic venue sharing a live performance with a Waterbury audience.”

Doug Donato, Executive Director of the Waterbury Symphony Orchestra agrees, "When we began discussions with Andrew Wilk about collaborating with the WSO on a unique concert this season, we immediately saw it as a perfect opportunity to partner with the Palace Theater. Seeing Leif Bjaland, WSO Music Director and Conductor, hand off the baton to Andrew for this special celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Palace Theater’s reopening will be an exciting moment for our community. Both WSO and the Palace Theater have been integral to the Waterbury arts scene for decades, and it is an honor to continue our tradition of bringing people together through shared cultural experiences. If you're a Broadway fan, this is a performance you won’t want to miss!"

In addition to favorite musical numbers from shows such as The Phantom of the Opera, Ragtime, Evita, and Dreamgirls, the show will feature beloved classics including “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” (The Wizard of Oz), “Memory” (Cats), and “Tomorrow” (Annie).

Andrew Carl Wilk is the Conductor & Executive Producer of this evening’s performance. Most recently, Wilk served as executive producer of Live From Lincoln Center, where, for almost a decade, he created a variety of award-winning musical and theatrical productions for PBS. The event will be directed by Annette Jolles, and Gerard Chiusano will provide additional arrangements and orchestrations.

Guests are invited to add on a special VIP Pre-show reception option to their ticket purchase to join in the 20-year celebration. A portion of proceeds from this event will benefit the Palace Theater and WSO Education programs. This event is sponsored by Webster Bank, Ives Bank, ION Bank, and Post University.


Debbie Gravitte is one of Broadway’s “biggest personalities” and is a Tony and Grammy Award winner. A two-time Drama Desk Award nominee, she has been in eight Broadway shows and appeared in numerous PBS specials where she earned an Emmy Award nomination. Debbie has sung with over 200 orchestras, performed her nightclub act worldwide and can be heard as one of the voices in Disney’s The Little Mermaid. She can be heard on multiple recordings, including her four solo albums. She is the proud president of group5productions. Her greatest achievements are her three beautiful children.

Jess LeProtto’s Broadway credits include A Beautiful Noise, Carousel, Hello, Dolly!, Cats, On The Town, Newsies, How The Grinch Stole Christmas!, and The Boy From Oz. His film and television appearances include A-Rab in Steven Spielberg's West Side Story and he was Top 8 Finalist on So You Think You Can Dance (Season 8). Other shows include Schmigadoon! (Kennedy Center), Frankie Valli in Jersey Boys (The REV), & Barnaby Tucker in the National Tour of Hello, Dolly!, starring Betty Buckley.

Andrea McArdle first captured the hearts of theatergoers everywhere in 1977 when she originated the title role in the mega-musical Annie. As “Annie,” Andrea became the youngest performer ever to be nominated for a Tony Award as Best Lead Actress in a Musical. She also received the Theater World and Outer Critics' Circle Awards for her performance and went on to star when the show was produced on London’s West End. On Broadway, Andrea starred in the Jerry Herman musical Jerry’s Girls alongside Carol Channing and Leslie Uggams, in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Starlight Express, State Fair, Les Misérables, and as Belle in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast.

Coming full circle, Andrea was tapped by Academy Award nominated director Rob Marshall to appear as “The Star to Be” in the Disney/ABC television production of Annie starring Kathy Bates and Victor Garber. In addition, Andrea’s film and television credits include starring as Judy Garland in Rainbow, appearing in The Leading Ladies of Broadway and headlining her own PBS special Andrea McArdle on Broadway.

Soara-Joye Ross is an Award-winning Broadway, TV and Film Actress. Her performance in Tony Award winning director John Doyle’s production of Carmen Jones garnered her a Lucille Lortel for Outstanding Featured Actress, as well as a Drama Desk & AUDELCO Award nomination. She was last seen in the World Premiere of My Best Friend’s Wedding (based on the Golden Globe Award-winning film), directed by five-time Tony Award-winner, Susan Stroman. On Broadway, Ms. Ross starred in Grammy & Tony Award-winning Hadestown, as Fate 3, the accordion playing contralto, and as Persephone for select performances. She also appeared in the first revival of Les Misérables and Dance of the Vampires. Off-Broadway, she has been in Promenade at City Center, Jerry Springer the Opera at Carnegie Hall, the two-woman comedy Single Black Female, directed by Colman Domingo, Disenchanted, and Dessa Rose at Lincoln Center, where she recorded the Original Cast Albums. Film and television appearances include Garden State, Emmy Award-winning Flight Attendant, and Crashing.

Antoine L. Smith is an Emmy Award-winning artist. He is currently starring as Berry Gordy in the Tony Award-winning Broadway smash hit MJ the Musical. Antoine has been seen on Broadway in the Tony and Grammy-winning production of The Color Purple (Revival) playing opposite E.G.O.T. winner Jennifer Hudson and three-time Oscar nominee, Tony, Emmy and Grammy Award- winner Cynthia Erivo. Other Broadway productions include Memphis, Cinderella, Miss Saigon, and Carousel. He is also an accomplished voice over actor, voicing King Dad on the Nickelodeon animated series Nella The Princess Knight, and numerous national television and radio commercials.

Allison Strong is a Colombian-American singer, songwriter, and actor. Strong is best known for her starring role opposite Adam Sandler and Chris Rock in the Netflix Comedy The Week Of, for voicing Mrs. Salinas in the hit Netflix Animated Musical Leo, recurring in the Emmy-winning series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and appearing in Broadway's Bye Bye Birdie and Mamma Mia! An accomplished solo artist, Strong is a 2023 NJ State Council on the Arts Music Composition Fellow. Her music and story were featured in Diego Luna's documentary series Back Home. Strong's sophomore album, Bronte, was released in June 2023. Since then, she has had the honor of opening for Country Icon LeAnn Rimes and Grammy & Latin Grammy Winning Pop Duo Jesse & Joy. Allison is currently in production on her third record.

Gene Taylor is a multi-instrumentalist and singer songwriter. After his episodes on NBC’s The Voice, Gene is looking forward to touring in the fall with The Rock Orchestra as well as performing as a fly-on act for numerous cruise lines. As a gigging musician in New York, you can find him at one of many venues that hold residencies like Banc Cafe, Cafe Wha? and Haswell Green.

Donna Vivino made her Broadway debut at eight years old, originating the role of Young Cosette in Les Misérables. Since then, she has built her career playing iconic leading ladies, including Elphaba in Wicked, Grizabella in CATS, Diana in Next to Normal, and Mary in Merrily We Roll Along. A veteran of the stage, Donna’s extensive additional Broadway and National Tour credits include Hairspray, Saturday Night Fever, and Fame Becomes Me opposite Martin Short. She was nominated for a 2024 Grammy Award as a lead vocalist on the album “Sondheim Unplugged.” On film and television, Donna can be seen in The Sopranos, Law & Order, the recent feature film Ezra with Robert Deniro and Bobby Cannavale, and the current season of FBI: Most Wanted on CBS. She is a proud single mom to her son Hendrix and founder of the performing arts education company Broadway Unlimited.

Andrew Carl Wilk is a five-time Emmy Award-winning executive producer and director of network television. Mr. Wilk is also an accomplished stage director, writer, and symphony orchestra conductor. This concert marks his debut with the Waterbury Symphony Orchestra.

Mr. Wilk was named the Executive Producer of Live From Lincoln Center in 2012. He executive produced 45 acclaimed television programs, including the New York Philharmonic PBS Specials featuring soloists Itzhak Perlman, Yo-Yo Ma, Lang Lang, Joshua Bell, Renee Fleming, and many others. Other television specials include Sinatra: Voice for a Century (starring Seth MacFarlane, Christina Aguilera, and Sting), Audra McDonald in Concert, Rogers & Hammerstein’s Carousel (starring Kelli O’Hara & Nathan Gunn), Falsettos, Act One, and The Nance (starring Nathan Lane). Most notably, he was the Executive Producer of Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, starring Emma Thompson and Bryn Terfel with the New York Philharmonic, which won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Class Program.

Mr. Wilk produced and directed the New York Philharmonic’s PBS production of Show Boat and has also produced and/or directed solo performance television specials for Josh Groban, Kristin Chenoweth, Billy Porter, Sutton Foster, Leslie Odom, Jr., Stephanie J. Block, Andrew Rannells, Annaleigh Ashford with Jake Gyllenhaal, Megan Hilty, and Cynthia Erivo.

Mr. Wilk has also maintained a second career in music. A frequent Musical Director & Conductor at the Paper Mill Playhouse, he has also conducted hundreds of regional musicals and concert performances, served as Music Director & Conductor of the Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, Guest Conductor of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra with special guest artist Art Garfunkel.
About Waterbury Symphony OrchestraCreating music since 1938, the Waterbury Symphony Orchestra’s core belief is that music, music education, and shared cultural experiences are essential for humanity.

Led by Leif Bjaland, now in his 30th year with the Symphony, WSO draws over one hundred talented professional musicians from across New England.

As orchestra in residence of the Fine Arts Center at CT State Community College - Naugatuck Valley the Waterbury Symphony wishes to acknowledge the partnership of CTSCC/NV and the enduring legacy of the generosity and vision of Ruth Ann Leever.