Theatrely31: Class of 2026

What does the theatrical landscape of tomorrow look like? The Theatrely31 is our annual compilation of visionary actors, directors, and theatre makers poised for a meteoric rise. These trailblazers and emerging stars are carving unique paths within our industry, and we eagerly anticipate the exciting destinations they will take us to next. See last year’s list here.

Leanne J. Antonio

Following her graduation from Michigan in 2019, Leanne J. Antonio has been on a roll. Making her Broadway debut back in 2021, she has touched so many productions, all of which have been stellar. From Private Jones to A Wrinkle In Time to Rent in Japan, to her star turn as Noelle in Little Miss Perfect, inspired by the viral hit by Joriah Kwame. Her performance as Noelle earlier this year at Olney Theatre Center truly cemented her powerhouse status to me. Antonio is a bonafide star who is only heading up from here. –Kobi Kassal, Editor-in-Chief

Cailen Fu 

She is a massive deal. Cailen Fu made her Broadway debut in Mean Girls, and was the first Asian American Regina George on Broadway. Her work on numerous national tours and regional theatre, coupled with her screen work in film and television has cemented Fu as a powerhouse. She’s also focussed on developing new work such as Crazy Rich Asians, 10 Things I Hate About You, Death Becomes Her, The Devil Wears Prada, and more. We can’t wait to see all that she’s been working on! –Emily Wyrwa, Digital Editor  

Noah Pacht

I’m forever going to be the biggest cheerleader of John Proctor Is the Villain and its incredible Broadway cast. I had the pleasure of seeing Noah Pacht go on as Mason, and was shocked to learn the play marked his Broadway debut; he had a magnificent presence that elevated every scene he was in. Following John Proctor, Pacht took on the iconic role of Ponyboy Curtis in The Outsiders, wowing audiences 8 shows a week. We love the energy Pacht brings to every role, and are so excited to watch him continue to shine! –Emily Wyrwa, Digital Editor   

Diego Enrico

One of the greatest joys of my position is getting the chance to see new talent make their debuts, and no one has been so exciting to watch lately than Diego Enrico. Currently starring, and making his Broadway debut, as Elder Cunningham in The Book of Mormon, Enrico has turned a role and show 15 years old and made it breathtakingly new. Watching him onstage at the Eugene O’Neill is like watching a rocket take off into stardom. Watch out for Diego—we know we will be. –Kobi Kassal, Editor-in-Chief

Awa Sal Secka

To ask where Awa Sal Secka has been hiding from us would be a disrespectful truth. As a first generation Gambian-American artist, she moved to the DC area about 20 years ago and has been a powerhouse talent down there ever since. From Sarah in Signature’s Ragtime to recently starring in Chez Joey, her talent knows no end. You might have seen her in Goddess down at the Public and while we may not have gotten her Mary in Signature’s Merrily We Roll Along, she is set to make her Broadway debut (!!) this fall in Wanted. She is a performer who is equal parts mesmerizing and talented. I’m so happy New York will get to see more of her, and I hope she stays. Otherwise I foresee many more trips down to DC in my future! –Kobi Kassal, Editor-in-Chief

Katerina McCrimmon

The first time I had the privilege of seeing Katerina McCrimmon was in 2022 as Ocean in the beloved Ride The Cyclone at the McCarter Theatre and thought wow, what a voice! While she officially made her Broadway debut in The Rose Tattoo back in 2019, McCrimmon refuses to get off the stage, and thank goodness! She toured the country as Fanny Brice in Funny Girl, was wonderful in The Counterfit Opera, starred as Eva Peron in Evita at the Muny, and just played Joanne in Bigfoot! Off-Broadway. Oozing with comedic chops and a voice that envies our most endearing Broadway divas, McCrimmon is an unimaginable once-in-a-generation talent who is just getting started. –Kobi Kassal, Editor-in-Chief

Jordi Bertrán Ramírez

Following his graduation from Yale, Jordi Bertrán Ramírez went on to star as Adam/Leo in Matthew Lopez’s epic The Inheritance at Round House Theatre down in Maryland, a role in which he went on to win Outstanding Lead Performer in a Play at the Helen Hayes Awards. He can currently be seen touring the country as Fin in the national tour of Ingrid Michelson’s The Notebook. A talented star, I look forward to seeing what’s next. –Kobi Kassal, Editor-in-Chief

Larkin Reilly

As a certified Just in Time and The Rocky Horror Show superfan, I’ve had the pleasure of seeing a lot of Larkin Reilly this past year. She’s one of those dancers you just can’t take your eyes off. Reilly made her Broadway debut in 2023’s Bad Cinderella, and has dazzled us all with her skill and electric stage presence since. We are so excited to keep watching her shine as she takes Broadway and beyond by storm! –Emily Wyrwa, Digital Editor

Reanne Acasio

For triple-threat rising star Reanne Acasio,  the last four years have been a wild ride. Already a fixture in the California theater scene, Acasio hit the road in 2022 after booking the Hamilton Anjelica Tour. Over the next six months, Acasio “swung in” as all three Schuyler sisters while crisscrossing the country. Next up was Here Lies Love on Broadway, a dream come true for this Filipino-American actress. And after that show closed, Hamilton came calling again—this time the Broadway production, where Acasio joined the ensemble for a year and a half. 

Yet somehow, the wild journey wasn’t over yet. Acasio soon found herself jumping back into Here Lies Love—only this time, she was leading a new Los Angeles company as Imelda Marcos for a reconceived production at Mark Taper Forum. Acasio received critical acclaim for her turn as Imelda, a role she declared “the honor of a lifetime.” No time to rest, though—Acasio is now back in Hamilton on Broadway. The grind never stops. –Joey Sims, Senior Critic

Jack Roden

I came across Jack Roden as I assume many of us have, him belting (very well!!) across TikTok and thought, wow what a voice. He joined the Parade national tour as Frankie Epps and toured the country all while growing his social media to an impressive 180k followers across platforms. He proceeded to break the internet when it was announced that he was going to step in as Jack Kelly in Newsies at the Muny earlier this summer and social media went crazy for it. I have no doubt in my mind he will continue to grow as an artist and we will be watching to see what comes next. –Kobi Kassal, Editor-in-Chief

Ashlyn Maddox

The saying booked and blessed seems to have been created for one Ashlyn Maddox. I first saw her at McCarter’s Ride The Cyclone, and since then she has been non-stop. From Parade both at City Center and on Broadway to A Christmas Carol at PAC last holiday season, from Bull Durham at Paper Mill to Bye Bye Birdie at the Kennedy Center to Hairspray at the Muny. She is not only fantastic in every role she assumes, but an utter joy to watch on stage. Lately the land of Film and Television has been calling her name with The Four Seasons on Netflix, but I think she will have a very long and prosperous career here on the New York stage. And wherever she ends up next, I can’t wait to see it. –Kobi Kassal, Editor-in-Chief

Madison Thompson 

Madison Thompson has starred on some of the most popular television shows from Ozark to Euphoria, but has always been a theatre kid at heart. Nominated for a Shuler Award back in 2018, Thompson went on to star in the short-lived but beloved Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies (bring it back!!). This past summer she took on the delicious villain Amber Von Tussle in Hairspray at The Muny and now serves as a producer for Theatrely31 alum Jacob Ryan Smith's Like Father at The Alliance this fall. Thompson has her hands in many great pots and we can’t wait to see what she cooks up next. –Kobi Kassal, Editor-in-Chief

Bryson Battle

When I spoke to Bryson Battle for Theatrely’s 2025 Fall Preview, they were fresh out of school in Boston (I wasn’t far behind!), and carried themself with such a presence. When I saw them in their Broadway debut in Cats: The Jellicle Ball, that presence was absolutely apparent. His voice wowed me in “Gus: The Theatre Cat,” and his command of the Tony Award winning choreography asserted him on that incredible stage. A performance like that a year out of school — I’m impressed. We know this is the start of a long and exciting career for Battle! –Emily Wyrwa, Digital Editor 

Isa Antonetti

Isa Antonetti blew us all away, and made her Broadway debut in Buena Vista Social Club before graduating from Carnegie Mellon University with her BFA in Musical Theatre! Her performance as Young Omara is incredibly moving, and to know she wowed us all even before graduation is nothing short of extraordinary. It’s also serendipitous; she grew up performing with her father’s Latin band, Orquesta Antonetti, making this Broadway debut in Buena Vista Social Club a perfect full circle moment. We can’t wait to follow along her many successes! –Emily Wyrwa, Digital Editor

Senzel Ahmady

Senzel Ahmady is best known for originating the role of Daisy in both the national tour and the original Seoul production of The Great Gatsby. She also dazzled audiences as Jasmine in the national tour of Aladdin. She brings a fresh, joyful energy to the stage, and we are so excited to see her continue dazzling audiences. We know she has a long and exciting career ahead! –Emily Wyrwa, Digital Editor

Naomi Serrano

When Naomi Serrano got the call about joining Evita at Boston’s American Repertory Theater in February 2023, the young actress hadn’t yet graduated from high school. Serrano took the leap, jumping into Sammi Cannold’s bold new take on the Andrew Lloyd Weber/Tim Rice classic in both the role of Juan Perón’s mistress and an ensemble track. (In between rehearsals, Serrano completed her education online.) That was only the beginning. Serrano recently wowed audiences with her powerful presence and soaring voice in the new hit musical Giulia: The Poison Queen of Palermo, an off-Broadway hit this summer. Performing alongside country music legend Jennifer Nettles, the show’s creator and lead, Serrano more than held her own. It was a commanding New York debut for the promising newcomer, and an exciting sign of much more to come. –Joey Sims, Senior Critic

Ishmael Gonzalez

“Absolutely wonderful.” “Dynamic.” “Alternately raucous and melancholy.” This spring, Ishmael Gonzalez earned high praise for their star-making turn in off-Broadway cult hit Spread. A powerhouse talent, Gonzalez had been building up a name for themselves since joining the national tour of & Juliet back in 2024, graduating from the ensemble to the role of May and wowing audiences across the country with their rendition of “I’m Not A Girl, Not Yet A Woman.” A quick stint in the hit musical’s Broadway staging came next, followed quickly by that acclaimed run in Spread. Most exciting, though, is what’s ahead: Gonzalez is set for the role of Sonny in New York City Center’s upcoming gala presentation of In the Heights. If you didn’t know Gonzalez’s name yet, get ready—soon, they’ll be everywhere. –Joey Sims, Senior Critic

Eliana Theologides Rodriguez

Indian Princesses by Eliana Theologides Rodriguez took our breath away. The play, which was seen at the Atlantic Theatre in 2026 and La Jolla Playhouse in 2025, earned her a 2024 Terrence McNally Fellowship and a 2023/2024 Playwrights Realm Writing Fellowship. If that is not a testament to truly impressive and exciting new writing, we aren’t sure what is. Theologides Rodriguez’ work brilliantly balances important topics with humor and heart. We can’t wait to see what she mounts next here in NYC. –Emily Wyrwa, Digital Editor 

Kayta Thomas

As Lida in Eliya Smith’s Dad Don’t Read This, which had a stellar off-Broadway run this past summer, Kayta Thomas exploded across the stage in a high-energy performance that captured the raw tenderness of adolescent girlhood. Thomas’s talents as a theatremaker range from acting, choreography, experimental performance, and puppetry. As a puppeteer for The Herds, an international group of artists committed to climate action, known particularly for their life-size puppet animals, Thomas is dedicated to using art as a way of making change and calling us all to action. Only one year out of college, Thomas is at the beginning of what is sure to be an auspicious career. –Andrew Martini, Staff Writer

Jake Brasch & Nadja Leonhard-Hooper (American Sing-Song)

As a dyed-in-the-wool musical theatre lover, American Sing-Song (A.S.S.) fills me with genuine hope for the art form. Jake Brasch and Nadja Leonhard-Hooper are the deranged duo behind the filthy and big-hearted Hole!, a musical about, well, butt plugs that has played Joe’s Pub, Edinburgh Fringe, the Soho Theatre in London, and will play at Playwrights Horizons this winter. Jake and Nadja are impish and unhinged, but they are also both virtuosic performers, unafraid to shock and titillate with irreverence and raunch, while guaranteed to make you smile. What’s more, this team of off-the-wall artists are also fantastic playwrights in their own right. Nadja’s Derangements at Clubbed Thumb’s Summerworks was sharp, absurd, and hilarious. Earlier this year, Jake’s play The Reservoir, a co-production between Atlantic Theater Company & Ensemble Studio Theatre, brought a deft touch to a story about addiction that refused to dip into the maudlin, remaining triumphant in the face of tragedy. –Andrew Martini, Staff Writer 

Else Went

A two-time nominee for the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, Went’s explorations of gender, adolescence, and connection in the modern world are often staggering to behold. I’m thinking of 2025’s Initiative at the Public Theater, a 5-hour epic about high schoolers experiencing growing pains in a podunk town, plus Dungeons & Dragons. It sounds like a hard sell, but the warm and inviting world Went created left audiences and critics alike spellbound. Vulture included it on its Best Theatre of 2025 list. I’m looking forward to Degenerates at Playwrights Horizons this fall, a play about a dangerous internet subculture that’s sure to be as complex and nuanced as Went’s earlier work. –Andrew Martini, Staff Writer

Jesse Jae Hoon

Last summer, Jesse Jae Hoon’s spectacular Titans opened Clubbed Thumb’s Summerworks, a mini-festival of one-act plays that’s becoming the must-see event to find actually bold, actually exciting new work in NYC. Titans tackled the harrowing realities of the immigrant experience and the difficulties of organizing and building community amid the rising tide of fascism while still being delightfully screwball and funny. It’s a highwire act that only a playwright deeply invested in craft can pull off. In 2022, as a Creatives Rebuild New York Resident Artist, Jesse wrote 3 Lehrstücke (“learning plays”), inspired by Bertolt Brecht, that involved time interviewing organizers, observing the work of the Flushing Food Collaborative in Queens, and visiting the Bertolt Brecht Archives in Berlin. Jesse is not just interested in making art, but investigating how art can serve the collective good and investigate power and those who wield it. His work is that rare combination of crucial to our theatrical ecosystem while also entertaining as hell. –Andrew Martini, Staff Writer

Oliver Richman 

I first came across Oliver Richman on my Instagram page — day 400-something of his writing a song every day for 1,000 days challenge (which will culminate with a Day 1,000 concert at Joe’s Pub on Sept. 26!). He brings a light and levity to my feed that is so appreciated. His tunes range in subject from Punxsutawney Phil to AI and immortality; his creativity shines with every post. We know he will continue wow-ing us on and off social media, and can’t wait to keep listening. –Emily Wyrwa, Digital Editor 

Lily Ling

Simply put, Lily Ling is a trailblazer. She was the first female music director for Hamilton, served as the Associate Music Supervisor of Alicia Key’s Hell’s Kitchen, and has dazzled Broadway audiences with her impeccable accompaniment to Maybe Happy Ending, How to Dance in Ohio, and Moulin Rouge! Meanwhile, she’s on her way to her EdD CT in Music and Music Education at Teachers College at Columbia University. We know she is going to continue to be an incredible advocate for education and outreach, while amazing us all with her talents on stage. –Emily Wyrwa, Digital Editor  

Connor Wang 

It’s a good day whenever we see Connor Wang’s name in our program. From his work as lead sound designer on the 2026 revival of Proof and Broadway’s How to Dance in Ohio, to his work as assistant sound designer on Hamilton, Hadestown, The Cher Show and Tina, we are continually impressed by his skill. We can’t wait to follow his continued success. –Emily Wyrwa, Digital Editor

The Fricks 

Founded by Courtney Campbell, Ethan Halpern, and Emma Magnus, The Fricks have made a name for themselves over the past few years with wildly entertaining and experimental theatrical experiences. From being the first production at East Village Basement, taking audiences into the experimental lab of the “happiest place on earth,” to an art cult in the basement of a Brooklyn gallery, to the filthy wedding of Mozart every other Friday at The Slipper Room downtown, The Fricks have consistently found new ways to delight, bewilder, and surprise. Not to mention their annual Mischief Night Conundrum, now in its eighth year. Their particular brand of amusement and bewilderment is a breath of fresh air, and if The Fricks’ name is on it, you can be sure you’re in for a treat. —Kobi Kassal, Editor-in-Chief

Jared Harbour

There are few Substacks I actively await their arrival in my inbox. By few, I mean one, and it belongs to Jared Harbour. Harbour, a JD/MFA candidate at Columbia University, breaks down the theatre industry and the business of Broadway deeply. He analyzes the systems at play that make our industry what it is. His in-depth knowledge of the industry’s legal and financial structure is not only fascinating to learn from, but an incredible asset for producers and aspiring theatre-makers. You can read Harbour’s work here (and I really recommend you do). He also doubles as a dancer, a producer, and a soon-to-be legal professional; we think there’s nothing he can’t do! –Emily Wyrwa, Digital Editor 

Ani Taj

There’s a lot to love about the current revival of The Rocky Horror Show at Studio 54 — and the choreography is certainly at the forefront. Ani Taj’s work is classic yet thrilling, and utterly joyful to watch. It even earned her a Tony Nomination this year!  Taj’s work has also been seen in Dead Outlaw last season, and serves as the co-creator of Untitled DanceShowPartyThing with Sam Pinkleton. Any chance I get to see Taj’s choreography, I will always take. The fact that her process is rooted in joy absolutely shines through; I can never stop myself from smiling and dancing along in my seat. –Emily Wyrwa, Digital Editor

William Carlos Angulo

It is my worst-kept secret that my day trip to Ogunquit, Maine every summer is my favorite day of my year. This year, that is thanks in part to the incredible work of William Carlos Angulo. His choreography of the Ogunquit Playhouse production of Hello, Dolly! starring Beth Leavel left me utterly dazzled. A few years ago, his choreography of The Muny’s production of Legally Blonde took the world by storm when it took over all our feeds (it’s been hashtagged more than 17 million times across TikTok and Instagram). In addition to his incredible choreography work, he has directed new plays and musical readings presented at LCT3, the Steppenwolf LookOut Series, the JAW New Play Festival, Ars Nova ANT Fest, and Joe's Pub at The Public Theater. Angulo has a fan in me forever, and I can’t wait to see him continue making waves in the theatre world. –Emily Wyrwa, Digital Editor

Jared Mezzocchi

Jared Mezzocchi is the definition of a multi-hyphenate; his work spans directing, design, writing, performing, and digital work. His work has helped define what multimedia theater can be. He is perhaps best known for the digital production of Russian Troll Farm, a Critic’s Pick and one of the first digitally-native successes of the pandemic era, which won him his second Obie Award in 2023. He will soon continue a project he’s written and will perform in at TheaterWorks Hartford plus a Hudson Valley Shakespeare’s Tent Pole Commission called The Hudson Valley Hootenanny. In addition to all his creative work, Mezzocchi built the University of Maryland’s MFA in projection and multimedia design track, and served as the Artistic Director of Andy’s Summer Playhouse for 10 seasons (stepping away in 2024). Mezzocchi’s work is nothing short of groundbreaking for the industry, and we can’t wait to continue see him making waves. –Emily Wyrwa, Digital Editor  

Caitlin Sullivan

Caitlin Sullivan is hardly new on the scene—theatergoers in Seattle have known about her sharp and humorous directorial hand since 2008, when Sullivan’s acclaimed ensemble The Satori Group first laid down roots in Washington state. Thankfully, over the last few years, New York has also gotten hip to Sullivan’s immense skill as a theatermaker. She collaborated with David Cromer on Jordan Harrison’s daring new play The Antiquities, delighted audiences at Clubbed Thumb with new works by Crystal Finn & reid tang, and moved us to tears with musical duo The Bengsons’ Keep Going Songs at LCT3. Sullivan’s latest hit, Libby Carr’s tragicomic new play Calf Scramble, demonstrated her unique skill at theatricalizing strange and off-kilter worlds like a dusty East Texas barn filled with wild animals. What will she conjure next? –Joey Sims, Senior Critic