Kara Oates News

On Monday, June 27 at 7:30 p.m. at Don't Tell Mama, several young past and present performers from Broadway joined forces in a benefit cabaret to raise money and show support for the victims, survivors and those suffering as a result of the mass shooting in Orlando this month. The benefit was entitled Broadway Kids for Orlando: All You Need is Love. One hundred percent of the proceeds are being donated to the GLBT Center of Central Florida, and all 49 victims of The Pulse Nightclub shooting were honored in the program. BroadwayWorld has photos and footage from the show below!

Think back to your high school years for a moment. Hopefully, for the most part, the memories are good, funny, positive thoughts of friends, parties, graduations, and dreams of the future. The laws of being a teenager, though, more than likely ensured that bouts of self doubt, insecurity, and self consciousness creeped their way into daily life, making those already awkward years even more awkward. The new film LITTLE MISS PERFECT, written, directed, and produced by Marlee Roberts, takes and in depth look at these insecurities and how they can so easily grab hold of the teenage mind and wreak havoc if left unchecked.

Last night marked the special red carpet and New York screening event for the new feature film, LITTLE MISS PERFECT, directed by Marlee Roberts. The film stars Lilla Crawford (Annie, Into the Woods) and teen recording artist Karlee Roberts. BroadwayWorld was there for the big event - check out photos from the screening and red carpet below!

On Saturday, December 19, 2015 a group of over 70 children including Broadway performers and friends joined together in NYC to raise their voices for peace in hopes to help end gun violence.  They created a flash mob sing-in demonstration first at Schnipper's restaurant in the heart of Broadway on 8th Avenue and 41st and then once again in Times Square.

It is that time of year again! Janine Molinari will be celebrating the holidays by giving back to NYC with the 15th Annual Holiday Hop and bake sale to benefit The Holy Apostle Soup Kitchen in NYC.

Members from the former Broadway, National Tour and Chicago productions of Billy Elliot the Musical came to the July 10th performance of Ogunquit Playhouse production. Among the cast members pictured from Ogunquit's production are Noah Parets (Billy), Sam Faulkner (Billy), Anastasia Barzee (Mrs. Wilkinson), Armand Schultz (Dad), Joel Blum (George), Dale Soules (Grandma), Stephen Hanna (Older Billy), and Anthony Festa (Tony). The honored guests pictured are Tony Award Winner, Trent Kowalick (original Broadway Billy Elliot) Tommy Batchelor, (Billy, Broadway and the National Tour), Thommie Retter (Mr. Braithwaite, Broadway), as well as Broadway cast members Brianna Fragomenti, Kara Oates, Annabelle Kempf and Chicago's Small Boy, Mark Page.

Broadway Matilda's, Sophia Gennusa, Oona Laurence, Bailey Ryon, and Milly Shapiro as well as Kerry Ingram (West End Matilda), Carly Paige Baron (Mary Poppins), Colin Critchley (Kinky Boots, Waiting For Godot), Emma Howard (Matilda), Sawyer Nunes (Matilda), Kara Oates (Mary Poppins, Billy Elliot), Julianna Rigoglioso (Mary Poppins, Far From Heaven), Abigail Shapiro (How the Grinch Stole Christmas), Hayden Signoretti (Mary Poppins, Richard III), took part in in Cabaret for a Cause on November 25th. The event was held at The Duplex Cabaret Theatre to raise money for Shifting Shakespeare.

Oliver award winner and original RSC and West End Matilda, Kerry Ingram, joins Broadway kids in Cabaret for a Cause on November 25th, 2013.

Broadway Kids Care (BKC), the organization of theater kids for kids (and others), will perform holiday songs at the 2013 UNICEF Snowflake lighting ceremony, to be held tomorrow (Friday, November 15th) at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and 57th Street in New York City at 6:00pm. Among the performers will be BKC singer, Josh Page. Josh has been a long time BKC supporter and is delighted to participate with BKC as they lead the holiday songs for the NYC Snowflake lighting.

Broadway Kids Care (BKC), the organization of theater kids for kids (and others), will perform festive holiday songs at the 2013 UNICEF Snowflake lighting ceremony on Friday, November 15th at the intersection of 57th Street and 5th Avenue in New York City. This year's event will also feature an appearance by New York Knicks Center, Tyson Chandler, as well as Jason Testa (Elf) and Kara Oates (Billy Elliot the Musical and Mary Poppins) who will flip the switch to illuminate the magnificent UNICEF Snowflake, signifying the beginning of the gift-giving season across the globe.

Tiffany Schleigh presents Cabaret for a Cause: West End meets Broadway, on November 25th, 7pm at The Duplex Cabaret Theatre. Olivier award winner Kerry Ingram (Game of Thrones, original Matilda of both the RSC and the West End companies of Matilda) joins a line-up of Broadway performers including Carly Baron (Mary Poppins), Colin Critchley (Waiting for Godot, Kinky Boots), Emma Howard (Matilda), Sawyer Nunes (Matilda), Oona Laurence (Matilda), Kara Oates (Mary Poppins, Billy Elliot), Julianna Rigoglioso (Mary Poppins), Abigail Shapiro (How the Grinch Stole Christmas), Milly Shapiro (Matilda), Hayden Signoretti (Mary Poppins, Richard III), and Jaidyn Young (Annie).

Heather has grown up on Broadway, going from Baby June to Little Who to Ballet Girl to a partly adult role now.

Mary Poppins will conclude Broadway run at The New Amsterdam Theatre today, March 3, 2013 after 2619 performances and more than six years. With attendance totaling nearly four million guests, the show has been seen by more people in the last six years than any Broadway show except Wicked and The Lion King. BroadwayWorld takes you back through the magical nanny's journey to Broadway below!

As the Broadway production of MARY POPPINS comes to a close, we tracked down all the past and current kids who played the iconic roles of Jane and Michael Banks, from the original cast in 2006 to the current group as they take their final bow on March 3, 2013.

Kara Oates, the Greenwood girl who has gone from the Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre stage to Broadway to perform in two top shows, has now taken to the recording studio.

Five young Broadway veterans treated children from Brooklyn communities profoundly impacted by Hurricane Sandy to a special performance for the holidays on Sunday, December 16, 2012. The event, UJA-Federation of New York's Hugs for Chanukah, brought together 180 kids with their parents and grandparents for an afternoon of song, face painting, carnival games, crafts, and snacks at the Shorefront YM-YWHA of Brighton-Manhattan Beach, a UJA-Federation beneficiary agency.

Last night, June 25, the stars of the upcoming revival of Jekyll & Hyde, Tony Award nominee Constantine Maroulis (Rock of Ages) and Grammy Award Nominee Deborah Cox (Aida), hosted the 4th annual National High School Musical Theater Awards at Broadway's Minskoff Theatre. The show featured 60 of America's most talented young musical theater performers vying for the "Jimmy Award" for Best Performance by an Actress and Best Performance by an Actor. This year, Elizabeth Romero, Joshua Grosso were crowned the night's big winners. Each received $10,000 scholarship awards for their efforts. Runners up, who each recieved $2,500 in scholarships, were Evan Greenberg, Drew Shafranek, Nicolette Burton, and Erica Durham. BroadwayWorld was on hand for the event and brings you photo coverage below.

The 26th Annual Easter Bonnet Competition raised $3,677,855, the result of six weeks of intensive fundraising for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS by 51 Broadway, Off-Broadway and national touring companies. The grand total was announced Tuesday at this year's Easter Bonnet Competition, which ended in two shows featuring original presentations, songs, dances and 18 elaborate, custom-made bonnets. Below, BroadwayWorld brings you coverage of day two of the competition extravaganza!

The 26th Annual Easter Bonnet Competition raised $3,677,855, the result of six weeks of intensive fundraising for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS by 51 Broadway, Off-Broadway and national touring companies. The grand total was announced Tuesday at this year's Easter Bonnet Competition, which ended in two shows featuring original presentations, songs, dances and 18 elaborate, custom-made bonnets. Check out day one of the festivies below and stay tuned for day two coming soon!

Sir Paul McCartney, along with his wife, Nancy, and daughter, Beatrice, attended a Broadway matinee performance of Mary Poppins on Saturday, February 18.