Ali Ewoldt (Phantom of the Opera) has had a dizzying array of projects on camera lately including a short film, The Cactus; Christopher Rice’s 2020 Tappy Christmas Special, a musical celebration inspired by the televised holiday specials of the 1960’s; and a new musical, Christine Toy Johnson and Jason Ma’s Broken Ground.
From December 11- January 2, Ali Ewoldt can be seen as Rose Smith in Irish Repertory Theatre’s virtual production of Meet Me in St. Louis: A Holiday Special in Song and on Screen, adapted and directed by original Broadway cast member (and Irish Rep artistic director) Charlotte Moore.
Meet Me in St. Louis features a book by Hugh Wheeler, songs by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane, and is based on “The Kensington Stories” by Sally Benson and the MGM motion picture Meet Me in St. Louis. Check out the teaser below.
The cast also features Shereen Ahmed as Esther Smith, William Bellamy as Lon Smith, Rufus Collins as Alonzo Smith, Kerry Conte as Lucille Ballard, Melissa Errico as Anna Smith, Kathy Fitzgerald as Katie, Ian Holcomb as Warren Sheffield, Austyn Johnson as Agnes, Jay Aubrey Jones as Grandpa, Kylie Kuioka as Tootie, Ashley Robinson as Postman and Trolley Man, and Max von Essen as John Truitt.
In this heartwarming holiday musical, based on the beloved 1944 film of the same name, the Smith family grapples with life changes and new love in a bustling St. Louis on the brink of the 1904 World’s Fair. This special digital adaptation is an abridged version of the 1989 Broadway musical, based on the 1944 film of the same name starring Judy Garland, and will include favorite tunes, including “The Trolley Song,” “The Boy Next Door” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.”
Pricing is “pay what you can,” including a free option, allowing everyone to participate in this event, with a suggested ticket price of $25. Click here to purchase tickets and check out the full schedule.
BROADWAY BARKADA Music Video -“You Will Be Found”
Ali joined her Broadway Barkada pals, including Joshua Dela Cruz (“Blue’s Clues & You!)”, Marc delaCruz (Hamilton), Adam Hyndman (Hadestown), Karla Garcia (Hamilton), and Kay Trinidad (Hadestown), in a music video featuring a new arrangement of Benj Pasek & Justin Paul’s anthemic “You Will Be Found”, arranged by Steven Cuevas (Kinky Boots, Once On This Island) and mixed by Jonathan Cuevas. The project was created to honor essential workers and first responders during the COVID-19 pandemic. In conjunction, Broadway Barkada created a GoFundMe page to help raise funds for one of their favorite small businesses, Jeepney, a Filipino restaurant in the Lower East Side of Manhattan, run and owned by Nicole Ponseca.
The video, edited by Don Gutierrez, features Filipino singers and dancers from the stage and screen, including Aaron Albano, Belinda Allyn, Angelica Aspiras-Liristis, Hannah Balagot, Emily Bautista, Anthea Neri Best, Bebe Browning, Christine Bunuan, Billy Bustamante, Melody Butiu, Cynthia Casasola, Liz Casasola, Emy Coligado, Steven Cuevas, Audri Dalio, Nico DeJesus, Joshua Dela Cruz, Marc delaCruz, Jim Diego, Ali Ewoldt, Karla Garcia, Catherine Gloria, Adam Hyndman, Brian Jose, Julian Leong, Glen Llanes, Jo Macaldo, Jaygee Macapugay, Jonelle Margallo, Danielle Mendoza, Justine “Icy” Moral, Lora Nicolas, Robert Pendilla, Romney Piamonte, Arielle Rabano, Gerard Salvador, Sibyl Santiago, Jason Sermonia, Lianah Sta. Ana, Arthur Tang, Kay Trinidad and Allen Lucky Weaver.
The cast is supported by an all-Filipino, five-member band with Steven Cuevas on Piano and Viola, Peter Leigh-Nilsen on Violin 1 & Violin 2, Jonathan Cuevas on Cello & Electric Guitar, Brandon Ilaw on Acoustic Guitar & Drums and Laura Dadap on Bass.
The Cactus
Just in time for the holidays, Ali Ewoldt stars inThe Cactus alongside Emily Borromeo (School of Rock, Broadway Bounty Hunter), an original comedy short that she co-wrote with Jessica Wu (Miss Saigon, A Chorus Line).The Cactus shows us just how much ‘fun’ it is to be with family for the holidays.
Helmed and lensed by Garth Kravits, the production team also includes 1st AD Eric Elizaga, 2nd AD Jessica Wu, Set PAs Yuko Kudo and Déa Julien, Hair/Makeup by Sammi Price. The Cactus was edited by Garth Kravits and Jessica Wu. The Cactus is produced by Jessica Wu, Ali Ewoldt, Garth Kravits of Cut&Dry Films, and Lia Chang of Bev’s Girl Films.
The Cactus is dedicated to the loving memory of Ali’s cousin, Edgar Alberto Anolin. Check out the link below for more behind the scenes photos.
Multimedia: Ali Ewoldt and Emily Borromeo Star in Comedy Short, THE CACTUS
Christopher Rice’s 2020 Tappy Christmas Special
In keeping with the Christmas theme, Ali joined Jessica Vosk (Wicked), Jelani Remy (Ain’t Too Proud), Aisha Jackson (Frozen), Nick Rashad Burroughs (Tina), and more in Christopher Rice’s 2020 Tappy Christmas Special, a tap dancing-filled, musical celebration, inspired by the televised holiday specials of the 1960’s.
In November, New York Theatre Barn presented Ali and Jonny Lee Jr. in excerpts of Broken Ground, featuring Book and Lyrics by Christine Toy Johnson (Come From Away) and Music and Lyrics by Jason Ma (Gold Mountain, Miss Saigon). Originally commissioned by Village Theatre (Robb Hunt, Executive Producer, Jerry Dixon, Artistic Director, Brandon Ivie, Associate Artistic Director).
Christine Toy Johnson and Jason Ma’s Broken Ground
Check out the presentation below starting at 14:02.
Taking place in 1912 on the cusp of a new era for China, Broken Ground tells the story of 18-year old Xue Lán, as she sets out on the path created for her by tradition and her family to marry a young soldier. Still grieving the recent loss of her mother and twin brother and yearning to make peace with the new life before her, she seeks guidance from both Guan Yin, the goddess of compassion, and the spirit of her mother. Transported to another space and time of an ancient myth via an embroidered story in NüShu, the centuries-old writing system created by and only for women, Xue Lán connects to her mother’s wishes for her and discovers that she can indeed find happiness by both speaking her truth and honoring her destiny. For more information, visit New York Theatre Barn’s website: www.nytheatrebarn.org.
Ali’s last collaboration with the musical team of Christine Toy Johnson and Jason Ma was the new musical, Barcelona, in 2014.
Lia Chang is an actor, a multi-media content producer and co-founder of Bev’s Girl Films, making films that foster inclusion and diversity on both sides of the camera. Bev’s Girl Films’ debut short film, Hide and Seek was a top ten film in the Asian American Film Lab’s 2015 72 Hour Shootout Filmmaking Competition, and she received a Best Actress nomination. BGF collaborates with and produces multi-media content for artists, actors, designers, theatrical productions, composers, musicians and corporations. Lia has appeared in the films Wolf, New Jack City, A Kiss Before Dying, King of New York, Big Trouble in Little China, The Last Dragon, Taxman. She stars in and served as Executive Producer for the short independent films Hide and Seek, Balancing Act, Rom-Com Gone Wrong, Belongingness and When the World was Young. She is also the Executive Producer for The Cactus, The Language Lesson, The Writer and Cream and 2 Shugahs.
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