Cassie Blanchette floated into 54 Below in a sparkling evening gown, the vision of a Disney princess, singing “Part of Your World.” In a way, Cassie has always been part of the (musical) world, but not without years of hard work, soul searching, and dedication. Some of her earliest memories are her father playing guitar and her melodies filling up the room. Cassie has been performing practically since she was born, competing in classical voice competitions at age 10, to now, making her debut at Broadway’s renowned cabaret venue Feinstein’s/54 Below.
Cassie enchanted the audience on the evening of July 14th at her concert titled “I Dreamed a Dream: A Benefit Concert for Veterans.” Painting a storyline throughout the evening, she introduced each song with a short anecdote on why she chose that particular piece. Cassie emphasized that she wanted to give “the audience [something they] could take with them long after the last note.”
Before singing a captivating rendition of “Come to My Garden” from The Secret Garden, Cassie walked us through her own garden, telling her story of her husband in the Marines and the birth of her children. Not a single note was lacking emotional depth or power. “The garden is a symbol for our dreams that we lock up inside of us,” Cassie explained in a personal interview with me the week following the concert. While listening to her unparalleled soprano voice, it can be hard to believe that she once did not believe in her dreams. Even though she grew up loving music, she set those dreams aside to focus on starting her family. “What happened when I locked [my garden], eventually I woke up, and realized I was living a version of my life that someone else had for me,” she said. After that pivotal morning, she began auditioning again after five years—and, speaking her truth.
Once she started telling her loved ones about her dreams, she felt a “massive freedom.” This freedom has led her to starring as Ariel in The Little Mermaid, making her New York City debut at the Birdland Jazz Club, and even receiving an invitation to audition for America’s Got Talent. Cassie explained that getting back into the saddle of auditioning again wasn’t easy, but her trick to overcoming fear and intimidation is to continue to do it. Her advice to anyone looking to audition and pursue a career in the arts is that “once you accept that rejection is part of it, you just move on to the next thing.” Changing this mindset was extremely powerful for her, as she learned to keep trying and putting herself out there—which led her to making her 54 Below debut, a true dream come true.
Encouraging the audience to “say goodbye to the things that are holding you back from your dreams,” Cassie sang a piece from her favorite musical, The Phantom of the Opera, “Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again.” Joining her on stage for the next piece from the same musical was 10-year veteran of said show, Jeremy Stolle. Together, joined by Elliott Greer, they performed “All I Ask of You” and a haunting acoustic version of “I Dreamed a Dream.”
Cassie effortlessly transformed into different characters, enveloping into their story, and took the audience along with her. Her personal connections to the songs were powerful. After a standing ovation, Cassie returned to the stage to sing “Gold” from the musical Camille Claudel, leaving the audience more hopeful and joyous than they arrived. Cassie’s outpouring of love was reciprocated, as seen after the show, as many audience members stayed for a chance to thank her, exchange hugs, and take pictures. Cassie said that “it’s not just performing for me; it’s hoping to inspire someone else to go after their dreams.” It is evident that, while pursuing her own dreams, she has inspired many others to achieve theirs.
Cassie will appear next in Matilda at The Center at Eagle Hill in Hardwick, MA in late November, and she hopes to produce more content in New York City and Boston, MA. You can keep up with Cassie by visiting her website, liking her Facebook page, or following her on Instagram and Twitter.