This year’s annual dinner and a show featured special guest Seth Stewart, a Broadway performer, as a judge for the competition.

Seth Stewart is an actor from Kent, Ohio and has been a part of many different theatre performances and some film appearances. Stewart is highly recognized for his role in the 2016 Broadway production of Hamilton, where he played Thomas Jefferson. Stewart will be attending Revere’s annual dinner and a show where he will be a guest judge. Bunny Oldham, who helps organize the event, explains what Stewart will be doing this year at the show.

“There is a People’s Choice Trophy that is awarded to the performer who raises the most money for their act. This year, the winner of the trophy will be selected by crowd vote, amount of money raised and vote by guest Judge, Seth Stewart,” Oldham said.

Growing up, Seth Stewart wrestled and played football for Kent-Roosevelt high school while also being apart of show choir. With a musical family, Stewart naturally got into the arts industry. Stewart has been a part of many productions including The Revival of Sweet Charity, where he was part of the original cast, he was also in the original company of In the Heights and was in the original company of Hamilton. Stewart explains working in the arts.

“It’s always a roller coaster, the highs are highs and the lows are lows and sometimes a low can be not working for two or three years, sometimes a low can be recovering from an injury that takes six months to a year but I think patience and trusting yourself and trusting your talent just is the most important thing,” Stewart said.

Stewart was able to come to Revere because of a connection through a family friend who got him in contact with Bunny Oldham. Stewart described how the show impacted him.

“I’m really happy I came because I saw the kids performing and that was amazing, I mean I wish I had this in high school. I don’t think people in the audience realize how good these kids really are,” Stewart said.

Stewart has been working in the entertainment business for many years and wants to take a step away from Broadway to pursue more television and film roles. Stewart gives his advice to anyone who might be looking into a career in the entertainment business.

  “Go into it because you love it, not because you think you’re going to make a lot of money especially if you have to live in New York or L.A. because the cost of living compared to what you’re making evens out so the only thing that has kept me going in this industry is that I absolutely love it and when I have an injury or I don’t have time to spend with my friends my advice would be to always have your heart in it and if you’re hearts no longer in it no matter what you do it’s time to start figuring something else out because that is what’s going to pull you through so if you want to go into the entertainment business do it because of the heart not because of the fame, I know a lot of people who are rich and famous and also miserable and that’s because they don’t have their core whether that be themselves, their friends or family so it’s really about operating from your hearts base to maintain your sanity in this crazy but amazing industry,” Stewart said.

Ellie Lewis won the people’s choice trophy for raising the most money for their act, some students that attended Stewart’s masterclass are Josh Devera, Noah Vongratana, Molly Oldham, Kyle Fink, William Marchetta and many others.