New York City Shines with Theatre Alumni

I first met Wesley Barnes ‘15 as an eager freshman in 2011. He dreamed of Broadway and was determined to make that dream a reality. Unfortunately, that year’s musical, The Fantasticks, didn’t have a role for his high tenor, and he was cast as the Mute. For a singer, this is not the résumé highlight one hopes for! As his faculty mentor, I encouraged him to make the most of it saying, “It’s a chance to develop your acting skills.” Wesley decided to take every opportunity Concordia’s theatre and music departments offered him, whether glamorous or not, to work toward his dream.

Wesley honed his acting, singing, and dancing skills throughout his time at Concordia. He also represented Concordia at KCACTF regional conferences, becoming a finalist in the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship competition. This earned him networking opportunities with the Open Jar Institute, a summer intensive program in New York that includes classes with Broadway choreographers.

After graduation, Wesley and a few other Concordia theatre students made the leap and moved to New York. It has been a joy to keep in touch with them and follow their journey. In many ways, they experienced the cliché beginning of scraping at “survival jobs” to make money to fund auditioning. For Wesley, that meant working at a restaurant, but he soon got work in the theatre industry as a house manager and usher at an off-Broadway theater.

The real work began: auditioning... sometimes five times a day. Wesley recently reflected: “We audition so much as performers. To get a ‘no’ is frustrating, especially for something that on paper you seem perfect for.

New York auditions can be for shows nationwide, and Wesley soon began booking regional work and tours all over the country, enabling him to quit his “day job” and devote everything to performing.

In 2018, I got a phone call. “I’ve booked a Broadway national tour!” It was the Jesus Christ Superstar 50th Anniversary National Tour, produced by Andrew Lloyd Webber himself. This was a big deal. We have theatre and film alumni who have done screen and voice-over acting, but this was the first time any of our alumni had reached this level live on stage. After that, he joined the Broadway national tour of Mean Girls, which came through the Segerstrom Center for the Arts here in Orange County.

When I talked to him after the show, he expressed how grateful he was: “I attribute my success to God and the people God has placed in my life. My life has been a walk of faith. I believed I could reach my dreams because people around me have supported me to make things happen for me and make me believe I am capable. I believe if God gives you the vision he will see you to it.”

Then, it happened. July of 2024. I got a text message from Wesley. “When was the last time you were in New York? There’s a show you’re going to want to see.” He had just been offered his Broadway debut in the show A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical.

I tell all my students, “If you get to Broadway, I’m flying out to see you! And I’m sitting in the front row!” It ended up being the second row, but it was worth the trip! Theatre professor Tony Vezner also got a chance to go a few weeks later. We had to mark the occasion.

The day after I saw the show, I had brunch with a group of Concordia alumni who are all working in NYC — two of whom were among the original group. It was fantastic to catch up with them. I asked Wesley how he had finally gotten his big break.

“I’d call it divine timing and divine intervention.” He had auditioned for every iteration of this show and was always told “not this time” or “no.” He mused, “In hindsight, it could have been so easy to say ‘I’m not auditioning for this show.’ But I kept showing up. It took a humbling of myself and a lot of belief that it’s not always about your talent.”

And what are some of the other alumni doing?

Alexandra Dominguez ’15 was one of the original group who moved to NYC together. She organizes, runs, and implements programs for a group that provides theatre training and opportunities for kids.

Lauren Winnenberg ’14, also one of the original group members, is acting, writing, and directing in the off- Broadway cirConcordia University Irvinet.

Morgan Bready came a year or two after the first group. She is the administrative coordinator, hall operations at Carnegie Hall! She started out there as a stage manager and has worked her way up to managing all the venues. She gave us a tour while we were there.

Kyleigh Hoye ’18 booked a national commercial for ancestry. com. She’s currently working in accounting and is working to get back into auditioning.

Carissa Dahlia ’21 works as a scenic carpenter at theaters all over New York City. She promotes awareness and advocates for accessibility for theatre artists.

My trip to NYC was the trip of a lifetime. I got to see a student go from our Concordia University Studio Theatre to Broadway. I’m blessed to have been one of those people God placed in these students’ lives, and He placed in my life. That is what makes Concordia special.