Broadway BUZZ

(Wayne Brady (Photo courtesy of O&M)) Multiple Emmy Award-winning and Grammy Award-nominated Wayne Brady has made his mark on stage and screen as an actor, producer, singer, dancer, songwriter, and television personality. A true multi- hyphenate, Brady’s career path and personal life journey have helped him see the world in a unique way. His aspirations have always gone beyond solely starring in various entertainment projects, and under his Makin’ It Up Productions banner, he’s set out to create new content across different platforms that showcase innovation and inclusivity in fun and powerful ways.

A five-time Emmy winner (the first to win Daytime and Primetime awards in two consecutive years), Brady has an impressive TV resume including Whose Line Is It Anyway? The Masked Singer, Dancing With The Stars, Black Lighting, The Good Fight, and Showtime’s American Gigolo – each spotlighting different aspects of his immense talent. In addition to being a force in front of the camera, Brady is heavily active behind the scenes wearing the hats of host & executive producer for Let’s Make A Deal, Game of Talents, and Comedy IQ, which he also co-created.

All of this follows on the heels of the success of his award-winning daytime talk show The Wayne Brady Show. Long an accomplished singer and performer, Brady’s musical acumen has always been a personal passion and he used that as fuel to help win the second season of The Masked Singer. Off his victory, Brady dropped a brand- new original single, entitled “Flirtin’ w/ Forever,” which quickly climbed the streaming charts, as well as an accompanying music video. This follows the success of his debut album which was headlined by a version of Sam Cooke's "A Change is Gonna Come" which earned him a Grammy Award nomination in the Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance category. Brady has also triumphed on-stage starting with his Broadway debut starring as legal showman Billy Flynn in the long-running hit musical, Chicago. Soon after Brady starred as the ground-breaking character Lola in Kinky Boots, Broadway’s Tony Award-winning Best Musical, with music and lyrics by Cyndi Lauper and a book by Harvey Fierstein. Brady would later assume his biggest theatrical role to date headlining as Aaron Burr in the Chicago production of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Tony Award-winning juggernaut Hamilton. Recently Brady returned to Broadway as part of Freestyle Love Supreme working with the production team of Lin-Manuel Miranda, Thomas Kail, and Anthony Veneziale. The unique show combines the fusion of hip-hop, improv, and comedy which won it a special Tony Award for its innovation and contributions to the world of theater.

Earlier this year, Brady announced he will again partner with the Freestyle Love Supreme team as well as Speechless to create “FLS+,” a new company committed to making improv globally accessible. Brady’s career evolution has also expanded to TikTok, amassing a stellar following in a short period of time. Whether utilizing social media to raise awareness of important social issues or collaborating with his extended family, the medium has helped him continue to reach and interact with new fans in surprising and innovative ways.