Broadway Who's Who: Heidi Blickenstaff

I remember the day I first saw Heidi Blickenstaff. It was a rainy Saturday afternoon, and we were waiting for the matinee of this quirky new show off-Broadway, [title of show]. I knew nothing about it other than it was about creating a musical and was performed by the people who created this. Very meta. I loved it from the start - I felt a super-relatability with the piece. All four cast members were terrific, but I was instantly smitten with Heidi, a sweet combination of self-deprecation, self-awareness, and a belty sass with a heart. I knew right then that I'd scan every casting announcement for her name and would do everything I could to see her.

Broadway Who's Who:

Heidi Blickenstaff

In the years since that first time, I've come to realize that I'd seen her before, including her Broadway debut in The Full Monty, and later in the same show during its national tour. Like any Who's Who, she's a hard working and varied professional. Her performances really run that gamut - swing/understudy, ensemblist, supporting roles and lead roles. She's created roles and replaced other times. No matter what, she delivers - when you see her name on the cast list, you just know you are in for a treat.

Did you know?

• Birthdate: December 28
• College: Duke University
• National Tour Credits: 5 - including Dreamgirls, The Full Monty (twice!), Jekyll and Hyde, and Jagged Little Pill

Off-Broadway/Regional Credits: including [title of show], Now. Here. This., Freaky Friday, The Most Happy Fella, Meet John Doe, Next to Normal, The Heart

Now. Here. This. (2012)

As Heidi, in this sequel to [title of show]

The Most Happy Fella (2014)

As Cleo, in this Encores! presentation at New York City Center

The Heart (2025-2026)

As Claire, regional world premiere at La Jolla Playhouse, off-Broadway premiere at the Laura Pels 

Broadway Credits: 6 - including The Full Monty, The Little Mermaid, [title of show], The Addams Family, Something Rotten! and Jagged Little Pill

The Full Monty (2001)

As Susan Hershey (replacement)

The Little Mermaid (2008)

As Carlotta (original cast), then as Ursula (replacement)

 

[title of show] (2008)

As Heidi (original cast, Broadway transfer)

The Addams Family (2011)

As Alice Beineke (replacement)

 

Something Rotten! (2015)

As Bea (original cast)

 

Jagged Little Pill (2021)

As Mary Jane Healy (replacement)

Broadway Games: Which Came First?

Lots of things have happened on the TheatreScene over the years, haven't they? How good is your recall? Good luck! 

Broadway Games:

Which Came First?

 

DIRECTIONS: Put each group of Broadway facts in the order in which they occurred.

1.    A. Hamilton won the Tony Award for Best Musical.

       B. The first ever Broadway revival of Cats opened.

       C. The first ever Broadway revival of Spring Awakening opened.

2.    A. Jonathan Groff made his Broadway debut.

       B. Lea Michele made her Broadway debut.

       C. John Gallagher, Jr. made his Broadway debut.

3.    A. The Hudson Theatre reopened as a Broadway house with the revival of Sunday in the Park with George.

       B. The theater currently named The Lyric reopened with Ragtime.

       C. The theater currently named The Todd Haimes reopened with a revival of The Man Who Came to Dinner.

4.    A. Kevin Adams designed the lighting for The Cher Show.

       B. Kevin Adams designed the lighting for SpongeBob Square Pants.

       C. Kevin Adams designed the lighting for Head Over Heels.

5.    During the 2012-2013 season, these revivals opened in which order?:

        A. Jekyll and Hyde

        B. Pippin

        C. Annie

6.    The Best Musical Tony Award went to:

        A. Hadestown

        B. The Band's Visit

        C. A Strange Loop

7.     The Best Play Tony Award went to:

        A. Leopoldstadt

        B. The Lehman Trilogy

        C. Stereophonic

8.    The opening of the most recent Broadway revival...

        A. ... Gypsy

        B. ... The King and I

        C. ... Fiddler on the Roof

9.    Bebe Neuwirth played (on Broadway)...

        A. ... Matron Mama Morton

        B. ... Velma Kelly

        C. ... Roxie Hart

10.    A. Lin-Manuel Miranda won his first Tony Award.

         B. Sara Bareilles made her Broadway writing debut.

         C. Ingrid Michaelson made her Broadway acting debut.

Broadway Musical Logos: 2026 - 2027 Season: The Fantasticks

 Broadway Musical Logos:

2026 - 2027 Season

The Fantasticks

Next up in our logo series is The Fantasticks, a revival decades in the making. It is the longest-running musical of all-time, and yet, until this year it has never been performed on Broadway. Beloved by theater fans worldwide, this show holds an important place in many an actor's heart, having been performed in schools, community and regional theaters everywhere.

And now, an updated same-sex romance version is headed for the big time, albeit in Broadway's smallest theater. That's totally appropriate I think. Similarly, the key art for the show has been updated, but holds firmly to its humble roots.

The title font is literally integral to The Fantasticks history, having famously been created by the show's co-creator and composer Harvey Schmidt who hand painted the title of the silk curtain of the Sullivan Theatre where the show debuted. I can't even imagine using the title any other way, and when I have seen it other ways, it simply doesn't look right.

The Logos: Left: 2026 Right: 1960

As far as the central image of this modern logo goes, the moon also appeared in the original art. It is, of course, integral to the plot, as the first act takes place in moonlight. The stars hint at a heavenly feel, mystical, ethereal... the romantic eternity of the sky and universe. Two birds, identical in size and shape, come together at the edge of the moonlit crescent and the darkness of the rest of the orb. Their opposite and complimentary colors suggest a yin-yang relationship. Their beaks coming together in a kiss perhaps. 

The simplicity mirrors the show, the details pay tribute to this seminal classic of musical theater. In short, this logo is perfect for this little jewel of a show.

Grade: A+

At This Theatre: The Eugene O'Neill

Over the years, I've been fortunate to have seen a variety of shows at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre. With a play, new and revival musicals over the past 40 years of seeing shows there, "variety" is the best way to describe it. Fortunately for the venue, it's had a giant hit show there for the last 15 years; unfortunately, that means it has been that long since I've returned after seeing an early post-opening performance.

At This Theatre:

The Eugene O'Neill

This historic theater began life almost 101 years ago as the Forrest Theatre, and in 1945 was renamed the Coronet. Then, in 1959, it was renamed for playwright Eugene O'Neill. Over the years, dozens of shows have come and gone, starting with a musical called Mayflowers. In 1934, after years of short runs, the play Tobacco Road opened and stayed put until 1941; to this day, it is still one of Broadway's longest running shows. The 40s saw several original productions of Arthur Miller plays, including the very first Best Play Tony winner, All My Sons. As the Eugene O'Neill, the theater opened with a short-lived William Inge play, A Loss of Roses. Today, we'd have said the venue was cursed in the next several years of flop after flop. 

Then in the early 60s, luck seemed to change with back to back decent runs of Herb Gardner's A Thousand Clowns, and the now-classic musical, She Loves Me. Then the theater could have been renamed the Neil Simon, when it played host to a string of his plays, including the debut of The Odd Couple, Last of the Red Hot Lovers, The Good Doctor, California Suite and Chapter Two, among others. In 1983, the Eugene O'Neill was host to one of Broadway's most storied flops, the one-night failure, Moose Murders. The mid-80s brought another change of fortunes, with the long-running Best Musical, Big River, which is where I came in!

NUMBER OF SHOWS WE'VE SEEN THERE: 7

Big River, M. Butterfly, Grease! (1994), The Full Monty, Sweeney Todd (2005), Spring Awakening, The Book of Mormon

5 FAVORITE SHOWS WE'VE SEEN THERE:

Big River: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1985)

Though the show opened in 1985, I didn't get to it until just over 40 years ago in 1986. What luck! A newcomer to the Broadway scene named Marin Mazzie made her debut as Mary Jane Wilkes. She was, of course, amazing. The whole show was pretty amazing, actually. One of my favorite stories of all time was made even more exciting and beautiful with the score by Roger Miller, and Des McAnuff's directorial debut (both Tony Award winners for their efforts). It remains, all these years later, one of my fondest Broadway memories.

M. Butterfly (1988)

Still one of the most stunning pieces of theater I've ever seen, this play of high drama, romance, espionage and sexual intrigue, was a sensation that earned every accolade it received. When I saw it, B.D. Wong was still mesmerizing as Song Liling, and John Rubenstein was a marvel as the duped Rene Gallimard. I remember sitting there, mouth agape throughout the play, dazzled not only by the brilliance of playwright David Henry Hwang, the music of Puccini, and the smart direction of John Dexter. The gorgeous scenic and costume designs of Eiko Ishioka and Andy Phillips' artful lighting design brought the whole thing together. Wong, Hwang and Dexter were all awarded 1988 Tony Awards for this thrilling piece of art.

The Full Monty (2001)

This was the show that made me fall in love with the musical talents of David Yazbek, who made his Broadway debut with this fun and affirming show with a book by the great Terrence McNally. This is also the show that brought the likes of Patrick Wilson, Jason Danieley and Romain Fruge to my attention, and gave me the chance to see such legends as Annie Golden, Kathleen Freeman and Andre de Shields in action. It was also the show that began my admiration of that barefoot conducting wonder that is Kimberly Grigsby. This show was my favorite of that season by a mile, even if The Producers took all of its thunder. I can't wait for the upcoming revival.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2005)

Needless to say, this Sondheim masterpiece is an all-time favorite of mine, and this unique John Doyle staging made it a must-see. Add in the great Michael Cerveris and Patti LuPone as Sweeney and Mrs. Lovett and I couldn't get tickets fast enough. I don't think I'll ever forget the high comedy of Ms. LuPone prancing around playing the tuba, and the terrifying understatement of her pouring out buckets of blood as the body count rose. A complete departure from previous more lavish stagings, this minimalist approach somehow added to the thrills.

Spring Awakening (2007)

I first saw this modern masterpiece in its off-Broadway incarnation, and was both thrilled and dubious about it moving to Broadway. I loved it from the first seconds all the way through its tragic conclusion. Part of its charm, I thought, was the intimate, rustic venue at the Atlantic Theatre. Still, I had to see it again, and was happily surprised to see the nearly exact replica of the set on the O'Neill stage. My concerns vanished immediately when the show started and the young cast bounded on stage to begin. Literal books have been written about this show and its company, so I don't think I can add much. Suffice it to say, I saw this production several times over its Broadway run and several times in later years. I still love it so very much.