NewsOne Year After Closing on Broadway, We Remember Violet With These Amazing Backstage Pics From Emerson SteeleRoundabout's production of Violet closed on Broadway one year ago today. Emerson Steele made her main stem debut playing the childhood version of the title character in Roundabout's production of Violet. The then 14-year-old actress, who boasts a powerful voice and bears a striking resemblance to Sutton Foster, took us behind the scenes!
By
Matthew Blank
August 10, 2015
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PHOTO EXCLUSIVE: "Water in the Well!" A Two-Show Day at Broadway's Violet With "Young Violet," Emerson Steele
Directed by Leigh Silverman and featuring music by Jeanine Tesori and book and lyrics by Brian Crawley, Violet is based on Doris Betts' short story "The Ugliest Pilgrim."
The production starred two-time Tony winner Foster, who has starred on Broadway in Anything Goes, Shrek the Musical, Young Frankenstein, Little Women, The Drowsy Chaperone and Thoroughly Modern Millie. Her TV work has included "Bunheads," "Psych" and "Flight of the Conchords." (Click here to read Playbill.com's interview with Foster about the Encores! Off-Center production of Violet.)
The cast also included Alexander Gemignani (Les Misérables, Sweeney Todd) as Father, Levi Kreis as Preacher, Annie Golden ("Orange Is The New Black," Assassins) as Hotel Singer/Old Lady and Emerson Steele (A Christmas Carol, Annie) as Young Violet.
The Broadway premiere is based on the 2013 New York City Center Encores! Off-Center production, which starred Foster and was directed by Silverman. Violet premiered Off-Broadway at Playwrights Horizons in 1997; it won the Obie Award, Drama Critics’ Circle Award for Best Musical and the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Musical.
"Violet tells the story of a young woman’s quest for beauty amidst the image-obsessed landscape of the 1960s," according to the Roundabout. "Facially disfigured in a childhood accident, Violet (Foster) dreams of a miraculous transformation through the power of faith. Convinced that a televangelist in Oklahoma can heal her, she hops a Greyhound bus and starts the journey of a lifetime. Along the way, Violet forms unlikely friendships with her fellow riders, who teach her about beauty, love, courage and what it means to be an outsider."
The Fred Ebb Award recognizes excellence in musical theatre songwriting, by a songwriter or songwriting team that has not yet achieved significant commercial success.