Before founding Broadway Rise, Eloïse enjoyed an international performing career that took her
from touring musical theater productions overseas to stages like Carnegie Hall and the Sydney
Opera House. In New York, she has also become a familiar face in the city’s vibrant cabaret and
jazz scene, performing at legendary venues including Birdland Jazz Club, Don’t Tell Mama, The
Duplex, and Cleopatra’s Needle.
Tell us about yourself and what brought you to New York
I grew up on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast in Australia and fell in love with theater at a young
age. By the time I was about twelve years old, I had already decided it was “New York or
nowhere.” I had Broadway dreams and a mission to go achieve them.
After studying theater and jazz voice and performing professionally in Australia and
internationally, New York felt like the inevitable next step. I moved here in 2015 to be in the
epicenter of the theater world. The energy of the city — especially for artists — is completely
electric. It’s a place where ambition is contagious and where creative dreams feel genuinely
possible.
Tell us about your business, Broadway Rise!
Broadway Rise is a performing arts training program in New York City offering acting, musical
theater, and vocal programs for kids, teens, and adults — designed to build confidence,
creativity, and a lifelong love of the performing arts.
The idea was inspired by the youth theater program I grew up with in Australia — a place where
kids and teens from all over the Sunshine Coast would come together to study with brilliant
instructors, perform in incredible productions, and truly find their people. I’m still in touch with
many of the mentors from that program today, and the impact they had on my life continues to
inspire the work we do at Broadway Rise.
When I moved to New York, I was surprised to notice a real lack of high-quality theater
programs for young people. It sounds unbelievable given that this is the birthplace of Broadway
— but I saw an opportunity to create something truly special for the kids of New York. Broadway Rise has also become the perfect intersection of two of my passions: performing arts
and business. Theater has always involved a lot of hustle and uncertainty, where success doesn’t always correlate directly with effort. In business, however, the results are often far more
measurable — the harder and smarter you work, the more you can build. Creating Broadway
Rise has allowed me to bring those two worlds together in a really exciting way.
What have been some of the most challenging moments establishing the business and how have you overcome them?
Building a business in New York requires resilience. In the early days you’re wearing every hat
— teacher, marketer, producer, administrator — sometimes all within the same hour.
One of the biggest lessons for me has been learning to delegate and avoid burnout. I genuinely
love what I do and could easily work 24/7, but building something sustainable means stepping
back occasionally so you can continue growing the vision.
If you believe deeply in what you’re building and surround yourself with the right people, the
momentum begins to build. Every challenge has helped refine what Broadway Rise is becoming.
What have been the highlights for you as the owner of Broadway Rise so far?
Seeing students grow in confidence is incredibly rewarding. Watching a child who was hiding
behind their mom or dad when they first meet us step into a lead role in a show just six months
later — that never gets old.
Another highlight has been creating programs for passionate adults. We love building spaces
where people rediscover performing after years — sometimes decades — away from it. Watching friendships form and seeing people reconnect with a part of themselves they thought
they had left behind is incredibly inspiring.
“Watching a child who once hid behind their parents step into a lead role six months later — that never gets old.”
Have you experienced an “only in New York City” moment?
When I was 18 and visiting New York for the very first time, I was spontaneously invited to
perform at Birdland Jazz Club. It already felt surreal to be singing in such an iconic venue — but
then I learned that Liza Minnelli, who had always been one of my idols, was sitting in the
audience that night.
After the performance, I managed to catch her before she left, and she said to me, “Darling, you
were fabulous!”
I was completely starstruck. It was one of those magical New York moments that made the
dream of building a life in this city feel very real.
What is the best show (or shows!) you’ve seen on Broadway or off-Broadway?
A few that really stand out for me are Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, MJ, The
Phantom of the Opera, and Wicked.
Each of those productions represents something different about Broadway — immersive
storytelling, iconic spectacle, musical brilliance, and timeless theater magic.
What show is top of your list to see next and why?
I’m always excited to see new work, particularly Off-Broadway productions and emerging
writers. Some of the most exciting theater in New York happens in smaller venues where artists
are experimenting and pushing the art form forward.
Three words to describe living in New York
Electric. Bold. Possibility.
Who are some other Australian women who are on your radar doing amazing things?
Two Aussie women who have always inspired me are Kaye Tuckerman and Caroline
O’Connor. Before their generation, there weren’t many Australians — and certainly not many Australian women — whose names were lighting up Broadway marquees. They helped pave the way for performers like me to imagine building careers here. What I admire most is that they’re not only extraordinary performers but also incredibly generous artists who are committed to supporting the next generation of Australian performers.
How can AWNY members find out more about Broadway Rise classes?
The best place to learn more is www.broadwayrise.com.
We offer programs for kids, teens, and adults — from beginner acting classes to advanced
musical theater training. You can also follow us on Instagram @broadwayrise to see what our
students are working on.
Anything else you’d like readers to know?
Before launching Broadway Rise, my career path was a mix of performing and entrepreneurship. Prior to the pandemic, I founded a New York tour company that brought visitors from around the world to some of the city’s most iconic landmarks. Alongside performing, I also taught private lessons in voice, acting, and piano.
When COVID shut down New York, I returned to Australia to be with family. Like many artists,
that period forced me to rethink the direction of my career. During the pandemic I launched
several e-commerce businesses, which deepened my love for entrepreneurship and the process of building something from the ground up. Interestingly, around that time I was also being called back in for some of the dream roles I had always hoped to play. But something had shifted. I realized that even achieving those original Broadway dreams wasn’t going to bring the same fulfillment it might have years earlier.
What I kept coming back to was something I had always known I wanted to do one day: create a
youth theater program. The moment that truly crystallized it came while I was starring as Maria
Rainer in The Sound of Music. Working closely with six wonderful young actors in that
production reminded me so vividly of my own experience growing up in youth theater — the
excitement, the sense of belonging, and the incredible impact great mentors can have on young
performers. Watching their passion reignited something in me that I hadn’t felt in years, and I
realized it was time to create that same kind of community for the next generation.
By 2024 it felt like the right moment, and Broadway Rise launched in September of that year. It
has been incredibly rewarding to watch it grow into a community where young performers —
and adults — can develop their craft, confidence, and love of the performing arts.
I’m also incredibly grateful for the support of my family back in Australia — who have patiently
listened to me talk about Broadway Rise endlessly — and of course my partner, who has always
been there whenever I need him.
