Broadway World: CCM alumnus presents 'A Moment of Clarity' for a good cause

Musical Theatre alum Blaine Krauss' streamed concert benefits the Healing and Discovery Foundation

University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music alumnus Blaine Alden Krauss (BFA Musical Theatre, '14) presents a live-streamed musical event at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 10. "A Moment of Clarity" is an evening of reflection, awareness and healing, through stories and musical selections ranging from Stevie Wonder to Patti Labelle to Stephen Sondheim. 

Contributions raised by the concert will benefit the Healing and Discovery Foundation, a non-profit education organization whose mission is to "empower those they serve to triumph over adversity by providing social/emotional knowledge and feeling management tools that will sustain them throughout their lives." Ticket and performance details are available on the event website.

Actors in "Hamilton" costumes back stage

CCM Musical Theatre alumni Stephanie Jae Park, Blaine Alden Krauss, Aaron J. Albano and Samantha Pollino behind-the-scenes of "Hamilton" in Toronto.

Broadway World interviewed Krauss about the "A Moment of Clarity" event, which will be his first performance since the production of Hamilton that he was in closed due to the pandemic. Read the full interview.

"I wanted to make sure the selections would aid me in creating a space that offered very real reflection on what we've been going through," Krauss told Broadway World about the upcoming performance. "Curating a setlist that processes the civil unrest, the instability of our jobs/economy — especially as artists — and the emotional and mental toll it's taken on all of us was the goal."

"But that's just the half of it, because there is joy to be had and healing to celebrate," he adds. "So we will hear the music of Stevie Wonder, Sondheim, PJ Morton, etc. to guide us through."

Cincinnati audiences may remember Krauss as Jean Valjean in CCM's award-winning production of Les Misérables in 2014. CCM's production received five awards from the League of Cincinnati Theatres, including Best Musical and Lead Actor in a Musical, which was awarded to Krauss. The League of Cincinnati Theatres also gave Krauss a Rising Star Award in 2014 and he was featured in CityBeat as one of Cincinnati's most-loved performers.

Krauss made his Broadway debut in the critically acclaimed Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 and appeared in Tony Award-winning musical Kinky Boots. He was also seen on Broadway in The Cher Show and The Radio City New York Spectacular under the direction of Mia Michaels and on tour with Disney's The Lion King, playing Simba across the U.S. and Canada. Krauss was most recently featured as the standby for Hamilton, Burr and King George on the national tour of Hamilton. In 2011 his talents led him to be a feature performer for the largest Commemoration of September 11 outside of the U.S at the Trocadero in Paris, performing for government officials. The event concluded with a free concert in front of the Eiffel Tower with the Royal Orchestra.

In 2010, Krauss was selected to be one of 20 Presidential Scholars in the Arts by the White House and Presidential Scholar Commission. This honor culminated in a medal ceremony with President Barack Obama and a performance at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. Krauss was selected to be the Feature Vocalist at the 2010 July 4th Celebration at the U.S. National Archives. He also appeared as a feature vocalist with the Fort Wayne Philharmonic Orchestra in Indiana for their Holiday Pops Concert and was a selected participant at the International Fringe Festival in Edinburgh Scotland. He is a 2010 Silver Winner in Musical Theatre by the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts Program, and can be seen as a frequent performer at Feinstein's 54 Below in New York City, as well as with symphonies across the country with Spot-On Entertainment. Other theatrical credits include Benny in In the Heights at Theatre Under The Stars, Godspell and Spelling Bee at the West Virginia Public Theatre. Learn more about Blaine Alden Krauss


Featured image at the top: Blaine Alden Krauss (BFA Musical Theatre, '14) and Kimber Sprawl (BFA Musical Theatre, '14) in CCM's 2014 production of Les Misérables. Photo/Mark Lyons.

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