If you use TikTok, you’ve almost certainly noticed Broadway dancers having a big moment on the app. Sharing behind-the-scenes footage, revealing #tourlife secrets, orchestrating backstage bashes, and indulging in favorite shows: musical theater performers are creating content that capitalizes on their unique talents, and gaining huge followings in the process. Many of these social media stars are band members, rockers, and backup performers whose roles are crucial to the success of any show, but they typically don’t spend much time in the spotlight.
What code did these dancers crack to achieve viral fame? Is being successful on TikTok really the key to getting cast on a hit show these days? Is there any harm in having your videos viewed by hundreds of thousands (or even millions) of people? Five #BroadwayTok stars break it down.
Grand Theater Energy
Every dancer has heard some version of the same advice: perform for those sitting in the last row, all the way out to the balcony. Paula Leggett Chase (@antiqueshowgirl) believes that in the very different environment of TikTok, charisma and enthusiasm are what draw people to Broadway performers. “You can see energy emanating from their pores,” she said. “They’re storytellers, and I think that speaks to people.” JJ Niemann, one of #BroadwayTok’s biggest stars with 1 million followers, agrees: “We know how to sell it to an audience ,”He said.
In 2023, Nyman happened to be a member of the original Broadway cast. back to the Future Tied with another TikTok talent, Amber Ardolino. Like many other Broadway performers, Nyman and Adolino share funny glimpses behind the scenes of their shows, such as backstage shenanigans and jokes about the harsh realities of the eight-show-a-week lifestyle. “I often get comments like, ‘Oh, so being on Broadway is like theater camp for adults?'” Adolino said. “For me, showing people that live theater is chaotic and fun and messy – I love that people can see that.”
Musical theater performers have also created their own TikTok-specific trends to appeal to niche but passionate audiences among current and aspiring performers. Series like “The roles I auditioned for vs. the roles I got” or “The Soprano’s Lines vs. the Alto’s Lines” make TikTok a paradise for theater fans.
#BroadwayTok performers give audiences a chance to learn about parts of the business they don’t usually know much about. Take Gerianne Pérez, for example, currently touring nationally as Catherine of Aragon six. She adds travel-specific content for her followers, such as mini vlogs about travel days and recaps of travel stops in different cities. Nyman is a member of the band back to the Future and covers of the two leads, giving his followers an idea of what it’s like to play that kind of pivotal yet underappreciated role on the show.
Fun or career?
So is TikTok a stepping stone to a career or is it just for fun? That depends. Nyman said he and Adorino sometimes received more attention at the stage door than the show’s leads, and Adorino noted that TikTok gave her the opportunity to meet and collaborate with other artists she admired. “But I still had to go to the same auditions as everyone else,” she laughs. “Broadway is hard enough. If I didn’t enjoy doing it, I wouldn’t add it to my plate.
For veteran dancer Brian Ust, known as @theatredancebrian, TikTok did present at least one unexpected opportunity to audition for a hit TV series. “TikTok, Instagram and YouTube have become my stage,” he said. Chase is a Broadway veteran whose credits include chorus line, Goodbye birdieand Tusisaid her presence on TikTok didn’t win her opportunities, but it made young performers “more open” to her. “People my age are kind of ignored,” the 62-year-old said. “But now, when I walk into a place with a young cast, they know me.”
While Nyman admits TikTok hasn’t really changed his stage career, it has become a business for him. It’s a gift for the feast or famine life of a performer. “TikTok has really been as fruitful financially for me as my acting career and my Broadway career,” he said. “It’s nice to have another creative outlet and passion.”
build community
TikTok does have a dark side: nasty comments, which aren’t unique to TikTok, but come from Gerianne Pérez six, saying he might be “extremely mean”. For example, dancer Brian Ust suffered a series of negative comments after a celebrity retweeted one of his videos. “That was one of the worst experiences I’ve ever had,” he said.
Perez likes to remember that trolls often react to the antics of thespians, which is why they’re so good at what they do. “We’ve always been a little weird. It’s because we’re special,” she said. Despite Uster’s negative experiences, he still refers to his followers as “family.” He said he has had more good experiences than bad on the platform.
Other #BroadwayTok performers echoed the sentiment. Some fans of performer Paula Leggett Chase have told her that her videos have inspired them to return to dance class, or try dancing for the first time. Amber Adorino back to the FutureAdding, she met people at the stage door who said they came to the show because they learned about it from her TikTok.
“They feel like they know us, like they’re watching their friends on stage,” she said. “It’s such a strong and special connection.”
