Blog • Maestra

Spotlights on Women Composers in Early Broadway History: Week One, Cissie Loftus

There are so many more women than we think there were in the history of musical theatre who wrote music. So begins our three-week spotlight series.

Maestra Opening Number

On March 30th, Maestra is hosting OPENING NUMBER, our first fundraiser! We’d love it if you’d consider coming. Even better if you buy two tickets and bring someone with you! Individual tickets start at $150, and there are sponsorships available at a higher rate. Admission includes lots of food & an open bar, music, photos, […]

Women Who Wow Us: Spotlight 13

Women Who Wow Us: Spotlight 13. We interviewed Kristy Norter, the only female music coordinator on Broadway and a freelance musician specializing in woodwind instruments. Kristy is the music coordinator for SIX, and she also currently plays Saxophone on Broadway in Tina: The Tina Turner Musical.

The Femme Have Arrived

This all-female-led jam session attracts amateur musicians, Broadway pit players, and touring professionals alike. In this monthly mix of levels and styles are lessons about what actually creates change in an industry that has yet to find gender parity, how it happens, and who’s making it.

Women Who Wow Us: Spotlight 12

Women Who Wow Us: Spotlight 12. We interviewed Kathy Sommer, a Grammy nominated, multi-platinum songwriter and producer, and composer for television and film, as well as a highly accomplished Broadway conductor. Her songs have appeared on over 10 million records, and her Broadway credits as a conductor include Disney’s Beauty & The Beast, City of Angels, Cats, and the Tony Nominated Romance Romance.

Women Who Wow Us: Spotlight 11

Women Who Wow Us: Spotlight 10. We interviewed Sheilah Rae, the President Emeritus of New York Theatre Barn. Sheilah is a composer, lyricist, and bookwriter whose works have been performed regionally and off-Broadway to sold-out audiences. She is the recipient of the 2019 Lifetime Achievement Award from NY Theatre Barn for her exceptional work in musical theatre for more than 50 years.