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Brooklyn’s Bridge debuts in Orlando with an all-local cast
Brooklyn’s Bridge is a new musical, premiering tonight at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. The story is centered around the extraordinary life of Emily Roebling, the woman who secretly led the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge when Washington Roebling, her husband and Chief Engineer of the Bridge, became bedridden. For years Washington received all the credit leaving Emily’s story untold. Now, after years of development, Brooklyn’s Bridge a new musical debuts in Orlando, setting the record straight with an outstanding performance from an all-local Orlando cast.
Laurel Hatfield, who plays Emily Roebling, says she has a deep admiration for her character and feels honored to portray her. She described Emily as a “genius” who had to keep her brilliance hidden due to societal norms at the time.
“She truly was an incredible woman,” Laurel says. “She was doing calculus and eventually earned her law degree in an all-women’s class. She wanted to study law, but she learned engineering with her husband, Washington Roebling. And she just had the most incredible brain. It was always working.”
Alex Albrecht, who plays the role of Washington Roebling, shared that history has only recently begun to recognize Emily’s contributions. He explained that, for a long time, credit for the bridge’s construction was given solely to his character, but that understanding has started to change.
"The consensus has been up until fairly recently that it's been accredited to my character, Washington Roebling, as building the bridge. It's only in recent discoveries that it's truly all because of Emily. It wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for her."
Laurel and Alex both expressed excitement about Brooklyn’s Bridge premiering in Orlando, especially with an all-local cast. They see this as a major opportunity for the city’s theater community and hope it marks the beginning of more original productions being developed here.
Laurel said, "It’s really cool to know that if this show goes on to other theaters or New York or wherever it may go, which is the goal, it started here. It started in Orlando. So we’ll always be able to say that as an Orlando arts community."
Alex believes that Orlando has an enormous amount of talent that is often overlooked.
"There’s this underbelly of the city that hosts an immense amount of talent that is underutilized, and the Dr. Phillips Center has the opportunity to invest in those people and create some amazing art with local talent, local ideas, and creativity."
Albrecht says he feels honored to be at the forefront of something that could start a movement here in Orlando, where new works are produced regularly and our city is seen as a place for high-level theater.
Brooklyn's Bridge runs from February 21 - March 6, 2025 at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts
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