WELCOME

Bridge2Broadway was created out of our recognition that more people would like to connect to the global world of professional theatre. So often in our interactions with our students or friends we were asked, “What is it like to live the life of an actor? What is it like to sing, dance, and act on stage in a big musical? How do I get an agent?”

We asked ourselves– How do we answer these questions for even more curious theatre lovers and starry eyed Broadway bound young people? Well, we become the bridge to Broadway and we bring you closer to the action!

By using our own professional theatre experiences and teaching talents, and connecting to our friends, colleagues and contacts in the industry, we create more opportunities for people to be immersed in the world of both professional local and Broadway/West End caliber theatre.

Come discover a workshop and go see a musical with us! Experience the joy of being onstage with the Creative Team and the actor/singer/dancers who bring stories to life! We invite everyone to join us on the Bridge2Broadway!

With love! Mitch and Melissa

Meet the Team

Mitch Sebastian

Mitch Sebastian is an international award-winning director and choreographer responsible for the West End hit show Ratpack Live from Las Vegas. (Olivier Award nom. WhatsOnstage Award nom) Subsequently he directed the film for PBS Television in the USA and the UK, Canadian, American, and European tours which led to creating the West End seasonal favorite, Christmas With The Ratpack.

He went on to direct the Olivier Award Ceremony, the Brit awards and numerous World tours for international pop artists. With over 30 years of experience in the industry his career has taken him from performer to director to producer. After appearing in Twelve West End and Broadway shows including Starlight Express, Cats, The Who’s Tommy, Les Misérables and Follies he became Movement Director for The Peter Hall Company at the Old Vic Theatre.

In the West End and on tour he went on to direct and choreograph over 30 musical productions. Including: Chicago, Fame, Evita, Sister Act, Legally Blonde, Romance/Romance, La Cava, Lucky Stiff, My Fair Lady, Guys and Dolls, Crazy For You, Anything Goes, Peter Pan, Oklahoma, Little Shop of Horrors, Iolanthe, South Pacific, The Sound of Music and Me and My Girl. He collaborated with composer, Stephen Schwartz on a new version of Pippin in London and is credited for his contribution to the subsequent Broadway revival. In the USA he collaborated with Paula Abdul to create a new entertainment Cheer! and with Hiroaki Omote in Japan to generate Saviour IV multimedia series. Prior to the pandemic he directed and choreographed the regional premier of Matilda in Chicago and choreographed Mamma Mia in the USA (Broadway World nom. Best Choreographer) More recently, he was Creative Director for the World Expo Dubai as well as the Opening Ceremonies for the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar and the National Saudi Games 2023 in Riyadh. Mitch appears in the feature documentary UPROOTED the history of Jazz Dance released on HBO MAX in 2022.

Portraits ZvO 2020 Melissa 04_edited_edi

Melissa Tranchet

Melissa Tranchet is a performing artist and passionate educator who specializes in bringing communities together through theatrical courses and experiences. As a graduate of the University of Michigan’s prestigious Musical Theatre B.F.A. program and as a proud member of the Actor’s Equity Association, Melissa performed professionally in New York City and toured the United States in such shows as Oklahoma!, NINE, Merrily We Roll Along, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Cinderella, Brigadoon, My Fair Lady, and many more.

For more than a decade, Melissa’s creative journey in Switzerland has led her to direct, choreograph, perform, and teach with various groups including Zürich International School, The Theater Arts Collaborative, Close Encounters Theatre, Konservatorium Winterthur, ComunicArt, Jugendstimmen Zürich, Places! Adliswil, and the Vollgas Theater troupe through the Insieme of

Luzern. Melissa is the founder of The Practice Room, where she teaches courses which promote English language acquisition through singing, dancing, and acting for her local community of Winterthur.