Behind the
Curtain

Our mission is to turn theatre strangers into theatre experts without them even knowing. Wait in the Wings produces free-to-access documentaries on our 150K subscriber YouTube channel, live screenings & seminars, conferences, workshops, and community gatherings.

Our 501(C)3 partner, Friends of Wait in the Wings, furthers the educational mission of Wait in the Wings by supporting—through fundraising, volunteer opportunities, and events—the production of media (like digital archives and exhibitions) that share the history of theater.

Friends of Wait in the Wings is led by a devoted board of directors & committees comprised of artists, philanthropists, advocates, and storytellers, all of whom share in a passion for developing diverse and equitable theatrical community and safeguarding theatre history.

Our Board of Directors

  • A young man with glasses, wearing a brown blazer and white shirt, sitting on a wooden chair in a library, smiling, holding a microphone and papers.

    Brendon Henderson

    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

    Brendon Henderson is a filmmaker, writer, and historian with a deep love for storytelling. Fresh out of college in 2019, he founded the YouTube channel Wait in the Wings to shine a spotlight on underrated musicals and explore the fascinating stories behind them. A devoted admirer of Ernest Hemingway and Bret Easton Ellis, Brendon draws a huge amount of inspiration from their distinctive narrative styles. He is also influenced by Malcolm Gladwell's talent for making mundane subjects compelling, a skill he strives to emulate in his own work. When he's not working on documentaries, Brendon enjoys bowling, gokarts, and browsing the journal section of Barnes & Noble.

  • Young woman with dark hair smiling outdoors in an urban setting with city buildings and a cobblestone plaza.

    Julianna W. Henderson

    BOARD CHAIRPERSON

    Julianna W. Henderson is a museum nerd, picky editor, and lover of every dog she sees in public. She holds a Master's in Museum Studies & Cultural Heritage Management from the University of Pennsylvania and a desire for preserving history in all its forms, especially in her roles as Board Chair and script editor for Wait in the Wings. Julianna especially loves preserving women’s stories, from learning Italian to study Violante Vanni (who etched birds in 1700s Florence) to finding graphic novelist Alison Bechdel’s childhood home on a vacation rental site to document the original wallpaper. She is driven by a love for the details that bring history to life.

  • A smiling woman wearing a beige wide-brimmed hat and a plaid shirt, standing outdoors near a tree with blurred greenery in the background.

    Delaney Heil

    SECRETARY • Delaney Heil is so excited to make her debut as a board member of the Wait in the Wings non-profit! As a self-proclaimed "adopted" theatre kid (a band kid who did shows in high school...that counts, right?), she lives out Wait in the Wings’ mission by striving to connect not only with theatre lovers, but with people on the fringes of the theatre world who haven't had a chance to find belonging within its walls. As the board secretary, she never lets a detail slip or a word get by her, and she always aims to be as detailed as possible to keep the board on track.

  • A young woman with long, light brown hair smiling outdoors, standing in front of a light-colored building with windows.

    Jadin Stoffel

    TREASURER • Jadin Stoffel is a nonprofit professional with experience ranging from events and education to sports and community outreach. Over the past few years, Jadin and the conferences team at The Institutes Knowledge Group have successfully run some of the largest educational events for professionals in workers' compensation (National Comp) and ergonomics (National Ergo). In addition to her work with The Institutes and Wait In The Wings, she is closely involved with the Philadelphia Area Disc Alliance (PADA). In their free time, Jadin plays competitive ultimate frisbee and bakes an aggressive amount of bread and desserts.

  • Person with rainbow-colored hair, pink glasses, and purple embroidered clothing holding a small white dog with a rainbow-colored tail, against a vibrant, cosmic background with stars, a rainbow, and glowing lights.

    Zach Aaronson

    Zach Aaronson is a passionate supporter and patron of live performing arts organizations all over New York City and beyond, having seen over a thousand productions on and off Broadway over the last 17 years living in Hell’s Kitchen. He can be found singing with the New York City Gay Men’s Chorus, or rocking some wild sparkly outfit at a theater most nights with his legendary service dog, Scuttle. @zachaaronson

  • Ashley Griffin

    Ashley Griffin is a Broadway writer/performer most well-known as the first person in history to be nominated for a major award (NYIT Award) for both playing and directing Hamlet (for a theatrical production). Ashley’s work has been produced and developed at New World Stages, MTC, Playwrights Horizons, and more. She has written extensively for film and TV and is the author of two bestselling novels. Ashley has appeared extensively on and off-Broadway and in TV and film; highlights include work at The Gershwin Theater, Lincoln Center, Playwrights Horizons, MTC, and The Public Theater. She is also a theater educator (NYU Tisch, among others) and journalist (American Theater Magazine and more). www.ashleygriffinofficial.com

  • A femme person with shoulder-length wavy red hair, blue eyes, and light skin, smiling, wearing a green jacket, black sweater, and gold necklace with a red pendant, standing against a tree outdoors.

    Meg Hartung

    Meg Hartung is a costume designer, entertainment administrator, and art director for the stage and screen, with specialization in quick-change adaptive costuming. Recent credits include Henry IV, Parts 1 & 2 (Porters of Hellsgate), My Left Arm (BirdBot Creative), and Tomorrow’s Game (Streets Ahead Productions). Meg enjoys adapting their costuming experience for cosplay, taking an absurd amount of notes for their D&D campaigns, and spending time with their partner and their dog.

  • A young femme person with curly brown hair smiling, wearing a denim jacket over a dark gray shirt, against a black background.

    Stephanie Kwik

    Stephanie Kwik is a multifaceted theatrical artist who enjoys working as a wig assistant and props artisan for the Old Globe. A graduate of San Diego State University, they have worked on run crew for both the Old Globe and La Jolla Playhouse, including La Jolla Playhouse's world premiere of Diana: The Musical. A frequent collaborator with immersive theatre company OPTIKA MODERNA, Stephanie stage managed the company's production of La Lucha, and assistant stage managed/performed in Teatro Piñata, Las Quinceañeras, and Waking La Llorona.

  • Headshot of a man wearing a light gray suit, white shirt, and a patterned tie, smiling outdoors with a blurred urban background.

    Jared Shumway

    Jared Shumway is a father, creator, financial advisor, and community builder, and has spent the last 20 years in different roles where his desire to lead with curiosity has allowed him to provide clarity and confidence in the path forward for many. Jared also serves on teams that provide assistance to LGBTQ+ Youth, women in finance, youth sports groups, and the fight against childhood cancer. Jared and his wife Ty love creating and experiencing life with their family unit. During his free time, he enjoys the opportunity to create, from designing clothing concepts and drawing characters to dancing and singing in his car.

  • A woman with long brown hair wearing a purple sequin dress is smiling and holding an award plaque at an event.

    Rebecca Soldinger

    Rebecca Soldinger is an Emmy Award winning television producer with over two decades in the business. She's passionate about the performing arts and currently serves as the Creator and Executive Producer of the 6-time Emmy nominated series, "Broadway Sandwich." Previous credits include "Rachael Ray," "Tamron Hall," and "The Kitchen."

Our Committee Members

  • A young man with short hair and a slight smile, wearing a light purple button-up shirt with rolled-up sleeves, sitting against a dark background.

    Colby Deckman

    Preservation & Education

  • A smiling woman with long red hair, wearing a gold spiked headband and a purple top, posing in front of a shiny, mirror-like wall with the word 'LUCKY' displayed above her.

    Amber Leigh Dutko

    Community

  • Empty red theater seats arranged in rows with a dark background.

    William Frenzel

    Community

  • A woman with long dark hair, smiling, wearing a patterned blouse and a magenta cardigan, posed against a blue textured background.

    Kaci Risser

    Preservation & Education

  • A young woman with long brown hair, smiling and wearing a green top, outdoors on a grassy rooftop with buildings and trees in the background.

    Jessa Stoffel

    Preservation & Education

  • A person with curly dark hair, wearing a sleeveless white top, silver chain necklace, and earrings, sitting in front of a brick wall, looking at the camera.

    Cesario Tirado-Ortiz

    Preservation & Education

  • A person wearing a bright blue suit and a black face mask stands in front of a large golden door with graffiti that says, 'I'M NOT YOUR CINDERELLA. I'M YOUR BAD CINDERELLA.' The door is part of a building with brick walls. Above the door are two advertising signs with quotes, one from Daily Mail and the other from The Times.

    Richard Wilson

    Community

Questions?

  • Friends of Wait in the Wings is a community-led, volunteer organization. We’re working to build our volunteer programs. To share your interest or offer your time and talents, shoot us an email at juliannawitw@gmail.com! We can’t wait to get to know you.

    We also accept monetary, tax-deductible contributions at givebutter.com/givewitw and @friendsofwitw on Venmo.

  • YES. Friends of Wait in the Wings will help make our docs bigger & better than ever before.

  • Not yet! “Wait in the Wings” and “Friends of Wait in the Wings” are two separate organizations that support each other. Patreon and Kickstarter are currently run through Wait in the Wings, but we hope to offer tax deductions for those contributions in the future. No matter how you support the channel, we’re thankful for you!

  • The Kickstarter makes Wait in the Wings possible, funding our annual slate of documentary projects without having to take corporate ads. You give us the gift of time.

    The Patreon supports ongoing office supply expenses, gear. ultilities, and more, keeping the channel running in between videos (plus unlocks the Discord chats, online hangouts, and in-person meetups). You give us the gift of community.

    The nonprofit extends the impact of the Kickstarter and Patreon by securing us discounts on research & video editing subscriptions, covering the cost of research trips, and more. The nonprofit also makes additional projects that extend the mission of Wait in the Wings possible, like the Broadway History Harvest. You give us the gift of education.