The Folly Theater welcomes television and Broadway star Alex Newell in their Kansas City debut for the organization’s first Folly Pride Concert on July 19 at 8pm.
ABOUT ALEX NEWELL
Alex Newell made history with their recent Tony Award win for the hit musical Shucked, which received glowing reviews and praise with Newell’s performance of the song “Independently Owned” being called a “showstopper”. Their performances have also earned them the Drama Desk Award and the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Featured Performer in a Broadway Musical. Prior to this, Newell starred as the God ‘Asaka’ (female role) in the Broadway revival of Once On This Island. The show garnered Newell a GRAMMY nomination for Best Musical Theater Album and was nominated for nine Tony Awards in 2018, winning Best Revival of a Musical. The Tony Awards telecast featured a live performance of Newell’s song from the show.
Newell has been named in 2023’s Variety New Power of New York List, and they are also featured in the 2023 TIME 100 Next list, an annual recognition of 100 individuals who are shaping the future of their fields and defining the next generation of leadership. In December 2023, Alex Newell was named TIME’s 2023 Breakthrough of the Year.
Newell’s television credits include a series regular on the NBC show Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, where they played the non-binary character Monique. Most recent guest credits include Fox’s Our Kind Of People, Empire, and the NBC pilot Imaginary Friend. Most notably, Newell rose to national attention from The Glee Project which led to their series regular role on Glee portraying the transgender character Unique.
Newell is signed to Big Beat Records, an Atlantic Records subsidiary. Their song “Kill the Lights” was featured throughout the HBO series VINYL. Newell is also a spokesperson for GLAAD and was nominated for a Critics’ Choice Award in 2020 for their work on Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist.
SENDING A MESSAGE TO KANSAS CITY’S LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY
The United States Census Bureau reported that 35% of non-LGBT survey respondents ages 18-29 reported symptoms of anxiety. That number was a whopping 61% in LGBT respondents for the same age group. All age demographics up to the 65+ range saw increased anxiety symptoms in the LGBTQ+ community. A recent study by the Trevor Project stated 40% of young LGBTQ+ people have considered suicide, and the number increased to over half for trans and non-binary youth.
Representation matters. In the 2021-2022 television season, GLAAD reported record highs for LGBTQ+ characters on primetime scripted series. However, of 775 series regular characters scheduled to appear on scripted broadcast primetime programming, only 17 characters identified as non-binary. At the Folly Theater, we believe every individual, regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, religion, or socioeconomic background, should feel welcomed, respected, and valued.
ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE
The Folly Theater will present Alex Newell in concert at 8pm on July 19, 2024. Tickets range from $51-$131; student discounts are available, making tickets $36-$66 for this performance. Tickets are available at FollyTheater.org.
ABOUT THE FOLLY THEATER
Since its grand opening in 1900 as the “largest and most comfortable” vaudeville house in the Great West, the Folly Theater has remained at the forefront of Kansas City’s performing arts scene. Designed by Kansas City architect Louis Curtiss, the magnificent hall garnered widespread acclaim for its exceptional acoustics, stylish design, and an atmosphere that exuded intimacy.
Today, the Folly Theater is committed to making the arts accessible and inclusive through a wide-ranging program of events. The theater is home to Kansas City’s longest-running Jazz Series, which traces its roots back to 1982, in addition to offering an Americana Series and an educational Kids’ Series. In July 2023 the theater was named Outstanding Historic Theatre by the League of Historic American Theatres. At the Folly, there is something to captivate every audience member.
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