Tony Award-winning Broadway star Lauren Patten headlines benefit show
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Tony Award winner Lauren Patten, the breakout star of the hit musical "Jagged Little Pill," will headline a Broadway on Maui show Saturday at the Historic ʻĪao Theater.
Presented by Wave of Harmony Foundation with Maui OnStage, Patten will share the stage with some of Maui's finest singers for "A Night at the Masquerade."
"I love performing at all kinds of venues, and of course performing on Broadway, but I've really always loved performing at small venues," said Patten. "It's great to feel close to the audience."
Patten said she was moved by the Wave of Harmony Foundation’s efforts to provide free and subsidized tickets to arts events on Maui, particularly its work to bring music to young people following the 2023 Lahaina fire.
"I am a strong believer in arts and music education for young people, so I'm so excited that I'm finally able to make the trip and do a concert there," she said.
Best known for starring in "Jagged Little Pill," inspired by Alanis Morissette's landmark 1995 album, Patten originated the role of Jo and was involved with the production from its earliest readings.
"I spent a couple of years developing that character," she explained. "It's a very special experience to bring something from its initial inception as a character to Broadway. One of the things that I really loved about doing the show was it really moved audiences and changed people and helped them feel less alone."
Patten's performance, particularly her emotionally charged rendition of Morissette's "You Oughta Know," became one of the musical's signature moments. It earned her the Tony Award for best featured actress in a musical, and the original cast recording won the Grammy Award for best musical theater album.
A Rolling Stone review noted, "Her rendition of 'You Oughta Know' regularly got audiences to their feet, for what is surely a career highlight."
Patten started acting at 4 years old, putting on concerts in the family living room. She made her professional theater debut at age 12.
"I sang as a kid, put on little shows at my house and really begged my parents to let me get on stage," she recalled. "So I performed my whole life."
Her theater roles have included originating the role of No. 25 in Sarah DeLappe's acclaimed play "The Wolves," whose ensemble won both an Obie Award and a Drama Desk Award. Other credits include "Days of Rage" and "The Counterfeit Opera," and she most recently starred as Suzanna in "Becky Shaw" on Broadway.
Patten made her Carnegie Hall debut in June, performing at a Liza Minnelli tribute, singing "Gypsy in My Soul." In 2024, she released the EP "covers," featuring her interpretations of rock, soul and pop songs, with tracks by Amy Winehouse, Ariana Grande and Melissa Etheridge.
Vania Jerome will direct the music for the show, which also will feature Maui vocalists Aida Rose, Casey Hughes, Dale Button, John Rowehl, PT Mahoney, Kiegan Otterson and Puakenikeni Mochizuki-Kepler. The backing band will feature Jerome on keyboards, Prem Brosio on guitar, Troy Otto on bass and Nolan Wren on drums.
"The first half is going to have some standards and musical theater songs," said Jerome. "Then the second half is going to have more of a pop rock feel to it. Some of our ensemble members are going to be singing either duets or solos with Lauren, or their own ensemble pieces, and Lauren will sing her own pieces as well."
Jerome is encouraging concertgoers to dress up in keeping with the masquerade and Halloween theme, while noting the show is intended for mature audiences.
"When I started Wave of Harmony Foundation, one of my goals was to bring Broadway performers to Maui for our community to enjoy," said Barry Kawakami, founder and president of the Wave of Harmony Foundation. "I hope this is the first of many Broadway on Maui concerts."
Patten is also excited to sing with the performers on Maui.
"I really wanted it to feel like it's a concert and not just you're going to hear me sing. We're all together and putting on this concert," she said. "I've already seen rehearsal videos, and they're so talented. I'm very excited to sing with them."
Will she sing Morissette's "You Oughta Know"?
"I love that song; it never gets old for me," she said. "I love singing it and the theme of 'Night at the Masquerade' of it being around Halloween, we're going to be singing some great sort of spooky songs, and pop rock songs, and also some theme appropriate Broadway songs, but I had to throw some 'Jagged Little Pill' in there, of course."
"Broadway on Maui: A Night at the Masquerade" will begin at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Historic ʻĪao Theater. Tickets are $25 to $55 at MauiOnStage.com with a $10 discount for students and kupuna.