For such a long time, "The Voice" and Broadway do not intersect. There might be a few audition pieces that came from the Broadway catalog, but the beloved reality-singing competition has not featured a performance from a Broadway musical.
In the upcoming "The Voice" Season 23 Grand Finals, the "The Voice" stage might be filled with corn as the Broadway musical "Shucked" makes its way to the West Coast with Tony-nominated Alex Newell performing her song "Independently Owned" on the show.
'The Voice' Features 'Shucked'
According to a Variety exclusive report, Alex Newell will be taking the corns to Los Angeles as she was invited to perform the standing-ovation-inducing number "Independently Owned" at the NBC lot.
Per "The Voice" Head of Talent Melissa Watkins Trueblood, the show is a perfect avenue for Newell and "Shucked" to be in.
"We have always imagined 'The Voice' as a platform to foster talent while being relevant and of-the-moment. It is a joy to have such a phenomenal talent as Alex Newell on the show and get to play a role in this journey for 'Shucked.'"
According to the report, Newell's addition to the "The Voice" 2023 Grand Finals came at a time when the Tony Awards and Writers Guild of America could not strike up a deal on airing the annual show on television.
It is important to note that the Tony Awards is vital for Broadway upkeep as it is considered by many, if not all productions, as an effective promotional tool to rake in attendees.
But as per recent reports, the Tony Awards and WGA have already struck a deal, which the publication noted to be a "double-boost" for the musical. They also noted that Newell's performance on the show could attract the niche and audiences that go beyond frequent theatergoers and could mean a lot to the whole production.
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Alex Newell, 'Shucked' at the Tony Awards 2023
"Shucked" is a front-runner in the Best Musical Category at the 2023 Tony Awards. It is going head to head against "Kimberly Akimbo," "Some Like it Hot," "New York, New York," and "& Juliet."
Meanwhile, Newell is also nominated at the Tony Awards. Despite identifying as a non-conforming gender, Newell welcomes being called he/she/they and as well as being categorized as the Best Featured Actor in a Musical. He's going against fellow actor Kevin Cahoon from "Shucked," Justin Cooley from "Akimbo," Kevin Del Aguila from "Some Like it Hot," and Jordan Donica from "Camelot."
Watch Alex Newell perform "Independently Owned" below:
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