Orchestrator, Music Supervisor, and Broadway Sinfonietta Founder, Macy Schmidt, has become the first woman of color orchestrator on Broadway for her additional orchestrations on Kimberly Akimbo alongside Tony Award-Nominated Orchestrator, John Clancy, which opened to rave reviews on November 10th at the Booth Theatre in New York City. In addition to this historic accomplishment at age 25, Schmidt is also one of the youngest woman orchestrators ever to work on Broadway alongside Haley Bennett, who (also at age 25), provided Additional Orchestrations for the 2017 Broadway revival of Once On This Island.
“Historically, orchestration has been such an elusive and closed-off field to break into that the only way I was able to consistently display my work as an orchestrator was by creating my own orchestra [The Broadway Sinfonietta, an all-women and majority women-of-color orchestra and production company],” said Schmidt. “So, I’m beyond grateful to John Clancy and Jeanine Tesori for bringing me into the fold and allowing me to make even a small mark on Broadway history in this way.”
A first-generation Egyptian-American, Macy was recently honored on the Class of 2022 Forbes “30 Under 30” List in Music for her work as the Founder and CEO of The Broadway Sinfonietta. Founded in 2020, The Broadway Sinfonietta is an all women and majority women-of-color orchestra and production company renowned for its diverse and innovative creative direction and dedication to musical excellence. The orchestra has performed with artists such as Jordin Sparks, Brandy, Hillary Scott (Lady A), and Laura Bell Bundy, the TikTok musicals Ratatouille and For You, Paige, theatrical organizations such as Ars Nova, Second Stage and the Atlantic Theater Company, and brands such as Bloomingdale’s, MAC Cosmetics, and The Atlantic Magazine.
Named in 2021 as a “Woman to Watch on Broadway” by the Broadway Women’s Fund, Schmidt has quickly risen in her field as an artist, businesswoman, and an advocate for women in entertainment. Her recent and upcoming stage credits include: Kimberly Akimbo (Broadway), TINA (Broadway), RIDE (London), Disney’s Aida Revival (Developmental), Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (West End / UK Tour),and the musical adaptation of Chelsea Clinton’s She Persisted (Off-Broadway).
