Music Director Andrew Kurtz has an eye for talent. He hit pay dirt when he booked Joshua Henry for Gulf Coast Symphony’s January show.
“He's going to be one of those voices of Broadway that we will continue to hear about for the next 30 years,” said Kurtz.
His portrayal of Coalhouse Walker Jr. in “Ragtime” has critics raving.
“It's gotten huge press, great accolades, Tony buzz already,” Kurtz noted. "He's already three times Tony nominated. I think this is the one that's going to get him the Tony.”
Henry has one of the most electrifying voices on stage today. His extensive stage credits include Aaron Burr in “Hamilton,” Billy Bigelow in “Carousel,” the 2021 musical film “tick, tick… BOOM!,” and Gaston in ABC’s “Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration” in 2022.
“He put together his own symphony show,” Kurtz added. “He will be singing from all of the shows that made his Broadway career, but the majority of the show is the music that's special to him, R&B and funk. And so, he has Bruno Mars and all these other great songs, and it makes for just a really wonderful evening, both for people who are fans of Broadway, but people who are fans of more pop-style R&B-type music.”
The show’s called “Get Up, Stand Up!” and it's onstage at the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall on Sunday, Jan. 25 backed by Gulf Coast Symphony.
“You're going to have an opportunity of hearing someone who probably is only doing a total of five symphony shows in the United States this year because of his Broadway commitments,” Kurtz said. “So, if you want to see Joshua Henry, you have to come see him here.”
MORE INFORMATION:
“Get Up, Stand Up!” is Henry’s signature show. In it, he takes audiences on a journey through the music that shaped his life, paying tribute to the timeless spirit of R&B, funk, soul and rock and roll, with unforgettable renditions of classics by Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, Nina Simone, Sam Cooke, John Legend, Bruno Mars and more. The evening will also include powerful selections from Henry’s Tony-nominated Broadway roles.
Henry will be backed by Gulf Coast Symphony conducted by Music Director Andrew Kurtz.
To purchase tickets for Joshua Henry’s “Get Up, Stand Up!,” call 239-481-4849 or visit gulfcoastsymphony.org.
The Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall at FSW is located at 13350 FSW Parkway in Fort Myers.
“Ragtime”
New York City Center mounted “Ragtime” in 2024 as a two-week gala presentation. It then transferred On Sept. 25, 2025, to Lincoln Center Theater’s Vivian Beaumont Theater starring Joshua Henry, Olivier and Grammy nominee Caissie Levy and Tony Award winner Brandon Uranowitz for a limited 14-week engagement that was due to end Jan. 4, 2026. The show’s closing has been extended to June 14, ensuring that it will still be around for the height of 2026 Tony Awards season.
“Ragtime” is based on a novel by E.L. Doctorow. With a book by Terrence McNally, music by Stephen Flaherty, and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, the story focuses on Coalhouse Walker, Jr., a Black pianist who buys a Model T Ford and sets off a chain of events that encompass all levels of New York City society, along with magician Harry Houdini, industrialist Henry Ford, celebrity party girl Evelyn Nesbit, civil rights leader Booker T. Washington, architect Stanford White, anarchist Emma Goldman, a Jewish Latvian immigrant, Tateh (Uranowitz) who becomes a movie director, and an upper-class white family living in suburban New Rochelle led by matriarch Mother (Levy). Each is pursuing the American Dream at the dawn of the 20th century.
“Ragtime” was last revived on Broadway in 2009 in a production directed and choreographed by Marcia Milgrom Dodge. The original Broadway production, directed by Frank Galati, opened in 1998. It earned 13 Tony nominations, winning four, including awards for its book and score.
Joshua Henry
Joshua Henry is a Grammy Award-winning performer and recording artist best known for his Tony-nominated leading roles in “Carousel,” “The Scottsboro Boys” and “Violet.” He also gained notoriety for his show-stopping performance as Aaron Burr in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s hit musical “Hamilton.” In December 2022, Henry gave a critically acclaimed performance as Gaston in Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration” live on ABC.
Most recently, Henry starred in the Broadway revival of “Into The Woods,” for which he won a Grammy Award for his performance as a principal vocalist on the 2022 Broadway revival cast recording. His other Broadway credits include “In the Heights,” “Waitress,” “Shuffle Along,” “American Idiot,” “Porgy and Bess” and “Bring It On: The Musical.”
His off-Broadway credits include “In the Heights” and “The Wrong Man.”
Onscreen, Henry starred as Roger Bart in the Academy Award-nominated film “tick, tick… BOOM!” directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda. He also starred as Jerlamarel opposite Jason Momoa in two seasons of “See” on Apple TV+.
Henry’s debut album, "Grow," is available worldwide on all streaming platforms. His second studio album was released in spring 2023.
“He is a wonderful, dynamic performer and a really great, creative individual,” said Kurtz. “He has these interesting, wide musical tastes as well.”
Kurtz booked Henry before “Ragtime” opened on Broadway.
“I love to present people who are both at the zenith of their career but are also more up-and-coming.”
Henry may, in fact, be transitioning from up-and-coming to Broadway phenom.
“I don't know how up-and-coming you could say someone who's already been Tony-nominated three times and has been in the 'Hamilton' on Broadway,” Kurtz acknowledged, “but he's only just now starting to reach that maturity of his career.”
But Kurtz was interested in booking Henry not for his credits, accomplishments and Tony nominations, but for his talent.
“His voice is gorgeous,” said Kurtz. “I mean, ultimately, that's why I'm bringing him in. And we just happened to grab him for his show ‘Get Up! Stand Up!’ before ‘Ragtime’ opened.”
He was originally slated to perform a few weeks after “Ragtime” was due to close. But even though it’s been extended through mid-June, Henry’s performance is locked in and he’ll appear with Gulf Coast Symphony on Jan. 25.
Support for WGCU’s arts & culture reporting comes from the Estate of Myra Janco Daniels, the Charles M. and Joan R. Taylor Foundation, and Naomi Bloom in loving memory of her husband, Ron Wallace.
