“Broadway-bound” means different things to different people. For aspiring performers, it may signal career moves, but for Towson’s Cynthia Fraser, it meant being named “Broadway’s Biggest Fan” and experiencing a whirlwind weekend in New York City at the end of May.
Fraser was named the national winner of Broadway.com’s “Broadway’s Biggest Fan” contest, and part of the honor included a trip to Manhattan from May 27-30 to see Broadway shows and attend the 25th Annual Broadway.com Audience Choice Awards.
Judges for the contest were Broadway celebrities Josh Lamon (“Death Becomes Her”), Jasmine Amy Rogers (“Boop! The Musical”), and Helen J. Shen (“Maybe Happy Ending”).
The judges were impressed by Fraser’s self-submitted video entry because they were deeply moved by the impact love of the stage had on her life, and the way she portrayed her mother’s nurturing of that passion.
While in New York City, Fraser saw all three shows of the celebrity judges and was a special guest at the fan-driven Audience Choice Awards ceremony on May 29. The Broadway.com Audience Choice Award is the only major theatrical award determined solely by votes cast online by audience members.
“This trip was a once in a lifetime experience,” Fraser said. “I am so grateful for the opportunity and cannot believe I won and am still smiling about this experience! The judges said their shows were all about love and they saw my love for theater and for my mom in my video and they wanted to share that love with me. Their shows were in many ways about love, and we need more of that in the world today.”
Fraser had never been to Broadway before winning the contest, though her connection to the theater world has run deep for decades. Her father took her to see “Les Misérables” and “Annie” at the Morris A. Mechanic Theatre in Baltimore when she was a child, spawning a life-long love for the arts. She began performing in fourth grade and continued through her college years in school productions. Her favorite role on-stage was as Miss Prism in Dickinson College’s production of “The Importance of Being Earnest.”
When her late mother’s health declined, Fraser became her caregiver, a role she lovingly rendered for more than 20 years. Though this prevented Fraser from traveling, it did not dim her love of the arts, nor her connection to it. She once wrote to Lin-Manuel Miranda for her mother’s birthday and received a heartfelt letter and autograph in return, which Fraser treasures.
As a TV news producer from 1988 to 1998, Fraser collected a remarkable set of autographs while working behind the scenes to book guests for local media outlets like Maryland Public Television and ABC Baltimore. Her collection includes autographs from celebrities like Marvin Hamlisch, John James, and many more.
Fraser works as marketing director for Mahan Rykiel Associates, Inc. For the past 27 years, she has led marketing efforts for the landscape architecture, urban design, and planning firm, which has offices in Baltimore and Philadelphia.
On her four-day trip to New York City as “Broadway’s Biggest Fan,” Fraser brought her longtime college friend Kim Wright of Wilmington, Delaware. Together, they experienced the magic of Broadway, attending shows and mingling with theater stars during this long-awaited dream-come-true.
“Meeting the stars of many of the Tony nominated shows this year was amazing,” Fraser said. “I’ll never forget the huge hug from Jonathan Groff, the original King George in ‘Hamilton’ and now starring in ‘Just in Time’ on Broadway.”
