A simple spark can set off a chain of events. This pivotal spark took Broadway performer Allie Re from Northern California to Michigan and ultimately to New York City to pursue her dreams.
Re first entered the world of theatre the moment her mom signed her up for a show, believing she had a natural talent for singing.
“There was a theatre company over the summer for kids in elementary and middle school, and my mom signed me up, because she knew that I could sing,” Re said. “I played sports mostly as a kid, but I loved to try new things, so I agreed to it right away. My first show was 101 Dalmatians junior, and from there, I got involved in my high school theater.”
Driven by her ambition for performing, Re earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Michigan, where she trained in musical theatre and minored in nonfiction writing.
“Somewhere along the line, I learned that you could study musical theater in college, and I ended up auditioning for theater schools all around the country. I ended up getting into the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor,” Re said.
Following her graduation, Re moved to New York City, the heart of Broadway, where she has lived for the past seven years. Throughout her time in the city she has accomplished many achievements, most notably her Broadway debut in “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.”
“I moved to Michigan for college, and shortly after I graduated, I moved to New York,” Re said. “What a lot of people do when they study musical theater is they beeline straight for New York City, because that’s where Broadway is, and there’s also a lot of other opportunities here for acting.”
Every opportunity consists of a challenge. In 2020, COVID-19 completely changed the entire entertainment industry overnight. Because of the shutdowns and quarantines, Re thought she might have to leave the performing business. She began working in writing and marketing, but then something unexpected happened.
“I was going to leave the business for a second because COVID happened, but then a casting director I really admire, Michael Cassara, reached out to me and said there was a new musical written by two incredible women that was starting as a weeklong workshop,” Re said. “Shortly after that, I had the opportunity to perform in “Grease the Musical” on Long Island at a regional theater called the Argyle, where I commuted from New York City for a couple of months.”
Gradually coming back to the entertainment world, Re returned to performing in regional theatre.
“There was a parody musical called “Five” and it’s a parody of “SIX the Musical.” I was hired on as a swing to cover three of those girls in that show, which was a very challenging job, but it was definitely a way to earn my stripes. That was a big milestone,” Re said.
A few months later, in November 2024, Re auditioned for “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,” where she booked the role of Moaning Myrtle while simultaneously understudying Delphi Diggory.
“One of my very good friends, Spencer LaRue, joined the company of “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” right after COVID. I remember watching the show and really wanting to play Delphi. A couple years later, I auditioned for “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” and then many months later, they called to tell me I would be playing Myrtle and understudying Delphi, which felt like the best of both worlds for me,” Re said.
Outside of performing on Broadway, Re enjoys an array of hobbies
“I love going to the movies and reading books,” Re said. “I’ve really gotten into yoga this year too which is like a nice balance of activity and also a little meditation to keep everything centered and lovely.”
In the future, Re plans to continue performing, with hopes of working in musicals, film, or television.
“I’d love to be in a musical on Broadway, but I’m also really excited about doing more TV and film because it’s so new to me, and I’ve been having a lot of fun with it,” Re said. “I took an acting class a couple weeks ago and have been doing a few TV auditions. It’s a really exciting medium, in my opinion, and it’s so different from theater.”
