Broadway Bound: Hazel Vogel ’31

I have been singing since I can remember. I have been dancing since I was two at MidAtlantic Youth Ballet and I have been in The Nutcracker three times. I did my first musical when I was five and I have done a lot of musical camps, workshops and classes at Children’s Playhouse of MD, Charm City Players and Phoenix Festival Theater.  I also have been taking piano, ukulele and guitar lessons since I was six years old. I also was in AKCC and have been taking voice lessons from Alyson Moore since I was six years old.  Last summer, I started doing workshops and camps in New York at Broadway Kids Audition, Broadway Star Project and KOTA.  I was also in the Bryn Mawr High School play Cinderella when I was in first grade directed by Alyson.  

I love acting and performing because it brings out different sides of me and helps me know myself even better than I already do.  

In the past, I have worked with Broadway Kids Auditions, Broadway Star Project, and KOTA Productions. These three organizations submitted my headshot and resume to the casting director.  They emailed me and asked me to come to New York and audition. I auditioned at Pearl Studios and I had to sing “Castle On A Cloud.” That night, we got an email that I had a callback! We went back to Pearl Studios and I sang the same song just for different people. About a week later we got an email saying I got the role of Little Cosette/Young Eponine. I will share the role with another little girl named Cora Jane Messer from Florida and we will alternate the roles each show.

My parents got the email while I was at sleepaway camp. When I got back, they said I was making a video for my grandparents to thank them for the letters they sent to me at sleepaway camp, but it was really just so my mom could get my reaction on video. When I found out I was speechless literally. I didn't know what to say I was so shocked I had no idea I would get the role.    

The U.S. tour is scheduled for two years, but because I am a child they can only contract me for six months. In those six months, I will go to 18 cities. I will have eight shows per week (we perform Tuesday through Sunday and then travel to the next city on Monday).  I am committed to all of the shows from October until early April. 

On tour, they have an organization called On Location Education. I will have a tutor who will work with Bryn Mawr so I can keep up with my 4th grade schoolwork and then come back to Bryn Mawr in the spring. There will be five kids on the tour (3 girls and 2 boys) and they are all in 3rd, 4th and 5th grade.  

I am most looking forward to coming to Baltimore so I can see all my friends and perform at the Hippodrome. Also, the tour is going to St. Louis and my grandparents and extended family live there.

Bryn Mawr has taught me to be responsible, independent and respectful. On the tour, I will need to be very independent and responsible for my schedule and juggling my school work, rehearsals and shows. Also, I will be meeting a lot of new people and traveling to lots of new cities so I will always remember to be respectful.

My ultimate goal is to be on Broadway and my dream role is Matilda in Matilda on Broadway (If Matilda ever comes back to Broadway!).