RM gabs with Raleighite + Broadway co-producer Lauren Brady Kennedy
The City of Oaks is seeing stars. Tony season officially kicked off with the announcement of this year’s nominations May 5, and Raleigh is in the running—all thanks to local Lauren Brady Kennedy, co-producer of acclaimed Broadway musical Titaníque.
Scoring four noms (Best Musical, Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical, Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical, and Best Book of a Musical), Titaníque follows the same story as James Cameron’s 1997 film Titanic, but through a critical and comical perspective the OG film left out—the lens of Celine Dion (really).
Think the same story—Rose and Jack are still star-crossed lovers and the ship still sinks—but with campy, comedic commentary and Rupaul’s Drag Race references. And you can thank Brady Raleigh-bred Brady Kennedy for fueling the fire behind the satirical.
Founder of Theatre Raleigh the performing arts veteran attended the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music before beelining to Broadway to perform in Sunset Boulevard during actress Glenn Close’s iconic ’90s run.
Twenty years later—with a résumé spanning Les Miserables, Spamalot and more—the NYC performer pivoted to the production side of showbiz—now riding out the musical parody’s success at the St. James Theatre through Sept. 20.
We sat down with Brady Kennedy to dive into her work, the show and her potential accolades.
What spurred the switch from performance to production? It’s a multifaceted answer, and it just evolved sort of naturally. I wanted to be in more control of my opportunities. I recorded two albums, and that was probably the jumping-off point for me. After understanding what it was like to have an idea of a project and creatively curate it—hire people, rent the studio, pick the material and more—I sort of got the bug from there.
What made you take the plunge with Titaníque? While acting as the lead producer of a musical based on Bull Durham, I had some meetings with Eva Price, who is the lead producer of Titaníque and suggested I get involved. At first, I felt like I should be focusing on my show, but I had seen Titaníque and loved it. As I started thinking about it more, I thought this is really the kind of show that the world needs right now. It’s an escapist, ridiculously fun, hyper-creative Broadway show.
Tell us about co-producing a Broadway show. Much of it entails being an advocate and being an ambassador. The biggest contribution is raising money and pulling together networks of people who want to support it. Ultimately, we want it to go on a national tour and have all these artists get the accolades they deserve.
Any celebration plans? I always dreamed of being a performer and never saw anything outside of that, so it is really wild to have this whole second act, so to speak—being an executive director of a theater company and being a commercial producer on Broadway. I’m just celebrating the artists. The fact that I can be a part of helping people’s dreams come true is all that matters to me.
New trail system aims to make up for lost mountain biking trails near RDU.
The fight for new local mountain biking trails is gaining momentum—and for riders, the stakes are immediate.
In March, Wake County officials proposed a new trail system at Lake Crabtree Park to help replace the former 286 East Mountain Bike Trails, which are being lost as part of a new lease agreement with the Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority. The proposed ~400-acre network—dubbed Haleys Branch after the stream that forms the western boundary—would merge new trail development with a portion of William B. Umstead State Park.
An ad hoc solution to a larger expansion, the proposal comes after a major shift in how the county can use the land. Last June, the Wake County Board of Commissioners renewed its lease with RDUAA to maintain Lake Crabtree Park—but under new terms that significantly change the footprint. The park will lose nearly 150 acres back to the airport authority, much of it home to popular mountain biking and hiking trails. RDUAA, in turn, is exploring the possibility of developing an outdoor recreation destination on the land.
For decades, the arrangement was a bargain. Wake County first leased a 33-acre tract from RDUAA back in 1985, paying just $1 per year as the park expanded. Under the new 20-year lease agreement, that cost jumps to $214,488 annually starting this year—plus a 3% increase each year—after an increase in FAA policy compliance, combined with RDUAA’s shifting priorities for land use, led to a market-rate shift in the price for lease renewal.
Translation: The county is paying more for less land—and mountain bikers are feeling it the most.
“The cycling community is cautiously optimistic about the extensive trail network draft of the Haleys Branch Trails,” says Shaun King, executive director of Triangle Off-Road Cyclists. “The land at Lake Crabtree and the 286 East Tract has been highly contested, but Wake County’s expanded trail network draft proposal is a significant reimagining and a commitment to the development of natural surface trails for cyclists in the heart of the Triangle.”
Meanwhile, RDUAA is potentially partnering with Pacific Elm Properties on a wellness and recreation destination for the 130 acres by Lake Crabtree—expected to include water and land sports, family-focused activities, retail, food and beverage, and lodging.
What this means for existing trails at Umstead is still unclear. The park currently offers 15 routes across hiking and biking, and Wake County has hosted several community meetings to gather input.
For now, the future of riding in the Triangle is in flux. And while Haleys Branch may be the next chapter for local riders, it also signals a broader shift in how—and where—we make room for the outdoors.
Down, set, hut! Tucked off Rock Quarry Road in East Raleigh sits a one-of-a-kind park that’s been quietly flying under the radar—until now. Recently gaining traction on TikTok, Barwell Road Park is one of the largest rec centers in the City of Oaks, boasting amenities that go well beyond the standard swings-and-slides setup.
Along with a community center featuring a range of year-round programming, two air-conditioned gyms, classrooms and a fitness room, the park is home to a Carolina Panthers-funded challenge course and playground unlike anything else in Raleigh. Anchored by a castle-like play structure built high off the ground with two enclosed slides, the playground also sports swing sets, a chained bridge connecting summits, and multiple climbing structures designed to keep you moving.
Like the NFL meets Ninja Warrior, what truly sets Barwell Road Park apart is the Panther Play 60 Challenge obstacle course—basically a football training facility masked as an outdoor playground. Created as part of the NFL PLAY 60 initiative and sliding on-scene in 2021, the turfed course serves up 11 different stations focused on agility and strength, including climbing structures (traverse wall, floating boards, etc.), plus a timed 40-yard dash perfect for helping build speed. It’s the kind of equipment you’d expect ~10 miles west at Carter-Finley—just scaled for public use and finished in Panthers blue.
While designed with kids and teens in mind, the pro-grade setup also ups the adult appeal. Built for everything from cross-training and chasing a new workout to simply seeking a more dynamic alternative, the challenge course is a fresh way to break a sweat—no gym membership required.
And the big play doesn’t stop there. The rest of the park is poised for some serious upgrades under the Barwell Park Master Plan, approved by City Council back in 2017 with the goal to post up more opportunities for play, wellness and discovery. One milestone is already in place: In partnership with the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle, the city’s first in-park community garden debuted in 2023.
Looking ahead, future fun additions are part of the vision as funding becomes available. Think small amphitheater, hammock grove, aquatic center, multiuse courts, playfields and a casual nine-hole disc golf course.
In short, as the master plan continues to take shape, Barwell is evolving into more than just a Saturday afternoon spot to take the kiddos—it will be a full-fledged community hub.
For now, whether you’re looking for a place your minis can burn some serious energy or you’re just ready to trade the treadmill for something more playful, Barwell Road Park delivers an all-access NFL-inspired experience—one spring, climb and slide at a time—with even more on the future roster.
Go beyond the freezer aisle and savor the rest of summer with quirky + delicious local frozen desserts.
As Selena Gomez sings in her 2020 pop ballad with BLACKPINK: “Baby, you deserve a treat.” And why settle for all those average store-bought ice cream pints? As summer slips slowly away—yet temps remain high—it’s only right to ride out the rest of the season with more unique and decadent versions of your favorite frozen desserts. Because, as we all know, the only thing cooler than being cool is ice cold (!).
While Raleighites know you can’t go wrong with classics like Two Roosters, Howling Cow or Andia’s—to name but a few local favorites—ice cream shops around the world are getting creative with how they serve the summer classic.
For instance, viral Hong Kong shop Gelato Messina was featured in The New York Times for its distinctive flavor pairings, showcasing combos ranging from salted tequila and lime sorbet to olive oil gelato with pistachio fudge and black sesame crunch.
For those seeking comparable mix-and-match flavor profiles nearby, stop into Simons Says Dip This, with locations in both Raleigh and Durham. The shop features numerous “dips” to coat your soft-serve cone with—and, as a bonus, there’s a handful of dairy-free and gluten-free options on offer as well. Close your eyes and pretend you’re on a tropical vacation with the Key lime dip, or fast-forward to the annual NC State Fair with the caramel cotton candy.
If you’re really looking to satisfy your sweet tooth, you’re gonna wanna load up at Seaboard Station’s The Yard Milkshake Bar, which specializes in over-the-top milkshakes—think the Butterfinger Cheesecake Crunch, a Brookie Monster Butter Crunch milkshake topped with a whole slice of cheesecake, whipped cream, crushed Butterfinger pieces, and chocolate and peanut butter drizzle; or the Brookie Monster, topped with a brownie, Oreo cookie, whipped cream, a scoop of cookie dough, and blue marshmallow and chocolate drizzle.
Looking for a nightcap instead? Drinks and dessert meet at Dos Taquitos, where an uberpopular soft-serve margarita steals the show—choose from the raspberry flavor made with Stoli raspberry vodka or a vanilla Pinnacle whipped vodka version. All in all, these delish local ops prove that sometimes more is more. So get scoopin’, sippin’ and slurpin’ before summer bids goodbye.
