Broadway is Back! Tony Honoree Irene Gandy Takes Us Behind the Curtains

Rolonda On Demand

Broadway Publicist and Tony Award Honoree Irene Gandy Takes Us Behind the Curtains of The Great White Way, along with Emilio Sosa, the newly appointed Chair of the American Theater Wing. Emilio is also a tony-nominated costume and fashion designer.

The recent Tony Awards gave us all hope and a strong signal that Broadway is coming back after taking a hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. And we will see more diversity as actors and producers gave speeches about their yearning for more inclusive stories on Broadway stages.

In this interview, these two Broadway leadership stars share a behind the scenes look at one of the best places on earth! Start buying tickets and support the theater now!

Irene Gandy is the only Black female press agent member of ATPAM (Association of Theatrical Press Agents and Managers) for over 50 years. Working with Producer Jeffrey Richards for over three decades, she is a Tony Award-winning Broadway producer for The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess, and was a producer for Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill starring Audra MacDonald. She was also co-producer with Voza Rivers of the National tour of South African musical Sarafina.

In 2008, she became the first female press agent to be immortalized with a Sardi’s caricature. A fashionista known for her furs, in 2015 she launched a signature collection featured in Vogue magazine and will debut a Lady Irene Fur line in 2022.

Gandy’s recent productions include The Great Society, American Son, China Doll, Fiddler on the Roof, and You Can't Take It With You. She began her career in 1968 as a publicist with Douglas Turner Ward and Robert Hooks’ Negro Ensemble Company. Since then, she has worked on over 100 Broadway shows including August: Osage County, Glengarry Glen Ross, Radio Golf, Bubbling Brown Sugar, Smokey Joe’s Cafe, Lena Horne: The Lady and her Music, and The Wiz.

About Emilio Sosa:

Born in the Dominican Republic and raised in New York City, Emilio is one of Broadway’s most unique

talents. He began his theatre career at Grace Costumes, starting as a shopper, and eventually becoming

its Creative Director. He credits this time as the foundation for his career. Emilio went on to tour the

world with Celine Dion, The Alvin Ailey Dance Company, and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra with

Wynton Marsalis. Emilio made a name for himself styling music videos for Hip Hop pioneers, Salt-N-

Pepa, MC Lyte, and Kid & Play to name a few. He has also designed for music icons Diana Ross, Mariah

Carey and Gloria Estefan. Catching the eye of director Spike Lee, Emilio became his in-house stylist,

working on national and international ad campaigns, before setting his sight on Broadway, where he

was mentored by director George C. Wolfe, for whom he designed his first Broadway show, TOPDOG /

UNDERDOG. His other Broadway credits include, ON YOUR FEET! The Emilio and Gloria Estefan Story,

MOTOWN: The Musical, PORGY AND BESS (TONY Award nom) and LADY DAY at EMERSON’S BAR AND

GRILL. He shares the unique distinction of being the first designer of color to design The Radio City Music

Hall Spring Spectacular and a new permanent number for the legendary Christmas Show, both starring

The Rockettes.

He has received both Tony Award and Drama Desk Award nominations and has been the recipient a

Lucille Lortell Award, NAACP Theatre Awards, and LA Ovation Award. Emilio’s talent was also evident on

season seven of Project Runway and Project Runway All Stars, where he showed his final collection on

all models of color, a first for the popular franchise. A proud Trustee of the American Theatre Wing,

Emilio shares his vast theatre knowledge with communities rarely represented, by sponsoring theatre

trips, workshops and talk backs. “I believe theatre has the ability to build the bridges needed for all of us

to better understand ourselves and the world we live in.”

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