For as long as she can remember, theater has always piqued Dublin Scioto High School alumna Reilly Hickey’s interests. Hickey’s parents are native New Yorkers and took their daughter to the city every year.
After seeing her first show, Hairspray, something clicked.
“I loved everything about it,” Hickey says. “Part of coming to the city was seeing a show, so I just took to it.”
But I’m Not an Actor
Throughout high school, Hickey was always passionate about theater, but she never saw herself in the spotlight.
“I’m not an actor, I’m not a singer or dancer, and just never realized you could do something administratively in theater until late in high school,” Hickey says.
When it came time to decide what to do after graduation, Hickey knew that theater would play a major role in her life. When she committed to Pace University in New York City, Hickey knew she was making the right choice.
“I told myself, ‘If I am going to go to school in the city, it’s going to be for something I loved,’” Hickey says. “If it wasn’t going to work, then it didn’t. And at least I could say I gave it a shot.”
Hickey knew that New York City was the place to be to make it on Broadway, and she was fully invested in chasing her dreams.
“I knew even if I didn’t end up pursuing it, I wanted to be surrounded by it at the very least,” Hickey says.
Taking Advantage of Opportunity
Matt Simpkins Matt Simpkins Photography
Hickey's family visits to New York City served as her fist experiences with Broadway.
“The city is hard,” Hickey says, recalling her first few years at Pace. “However, I was lucky because Pace is very much part of the city and not just a campus.”
Hickey was surrounded by passionate, likeminded people her age, and it allowed her to flourish in the city. Like most college students, Hickey saw the immediate importance of internships and jumped at any chance for work.
“I definitely had to make my own way and make my own opportunities through internships,” Hickey says. “I really wanted to focus on that since there are so many opportunities here.”
Throughout her time as a student at Pace, Hickey interned with a number of acting and Broadway-related companies including Broadway World, Telsey + Company and TBD Theatricals, to name just a few.
Internships allowed her to gain valuable experience and make important connections for her future.
“I mean, obviously, there is the whole getting coffee aspect of it, too,” Hickey says, laughing. “But I definitely learned so much just by being there, you absorb so much. I find internships so invaluable.”
Once on this Island
Sometimes opportunity comes knocking, and it can come at unexpected times.
Hickey was interning with TBD Theatricals when she crossed paths with Hunter Arnold, a partner at TBD and a producer in the process of reviving the Broadway play Once on this Island.
“They decided to put together a group of young, underrepresented and up-and-coming producers in theater to help raise money for the show and give them a window of opportunity,” Hickey says. “I just happened to be in the right place at the right time.”
“I was always afraid, but they may create that role for you and, if not, create your own and go learn and prepare yourself.” - Reilly Hickey
As a co-producer, Hickey was tasked with fundraising to help aid in the rebirth of the show. Given a short period of time to raise the money, Hickey hit the ground running.
“It was a rigorous process with a lot of trial and error,” Hickey says. “Whether that was emailing people I knew personally, friends of friends, family friends or doing some online research, it was a lot of reaching out and just taking a shot.”
The fundraising was a success, and Once on this Island opened to the public Dec. 3, 2017.
“I saw the show come from nothing, go to previews, then opening, then to good reviews and then to the Tonys. It was a crazy ideal process to witness,” Hickey says. “I couldn’t ask for anything better.”
The 71st Annual Tony Awars on June 11, 2017
The 71st Annual Tony Awards
After receiving rave reviews, the cast and crew of Once on this Island was invited to the 71st annual Tony Awards on June 11, 2017. The play was up for Best Revival of a Musical.
Hickey brought her mother and, after an entire day of getting ready, they made their way to Radio City Music Hall.
The revival award is one of the last awards of the night, so the cast and crew anxiously waited.
“We were just sitting there having a great night, though we weren’t winning any awards,” Hickey says.
As the end of the night approached, Christine Baranski of Mamma Mia! took the stage to announce the revival award.
“I remember jokingly telling another producer sitting next to me, ‘Ha-ha, we are going to lose,’ and next thing I know Christine Barankski says ‘Once on this Island,’” Hickey says. “We all jumped up and ran to the stage. It was not expected at all and so great.”
As Hickey stood on stage, she became one of the youngest producers in Tony history to win the coveted award.
You Never Know
Hickey graduated from Pace in May 2018 and still lives in New York City. When she is not casting for Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, she spends time raising money for Hadestown, set to hit Broadway in 2019.
Hickey’s journey to success may seem like a series of fortunate events, but it wasn’t luck. She wasn’t afraid to speak up or insert herself into important conversations. Hickey urges young students with similar interests as her to seek out opportunities in high school and clubs.
“If you don’t see the role you want in theater and you aren’t an actor and want to do something else, just ask,” Hickey says. “I was always afraid, but they may create that role for you and, if not, create your own and go learn and prepare yourself.”
Rocco Falleti is an assistant editor. Feedback welcome at rfalleti@cityscenecolumbus.com.
