CMPA Alumnae Star in Broadway Musical SIX

Alumnae share how Belmont prepared them to step into the bright lights of Broadway

Three alumnae from Belmont’s College of Music & Performing Arts have recently made their Broadway debuts in the Tony award-winning musical SIX. Detailing the stories of King Henry VIII’s six wives through their own voices, the musical has become a hit since it first premiered on London's West End in 2019.  

Belmont commercial voice alumna Kelsie Watts (‘15) and musical theatre alumnae Wesley Carpenter (‘16) and Sierra Fermin (‘23) have performed on one of the world’s biggest stages through this production in the past year.  

Kelsie Watts

Watts had a less traditional path to Broadway. She joined the Belmont community as a transfer student in the commercial voice program and was surprised to have made it through the audition process. “To be honest, I didn’t expect to get in as a transfer,” she said. “I ended up not only being accepted, but got a scholarship and took that as a sign that I was supposed to attend my last few years of college at Belmont.” 

While at Belmont, Watts was part of Phoenix, Belmont’s premier pop-rock ensemble. The one-of-a-kind ensemble under the direction of Jamie Wigginton showed her the art of crafting live performances. This skill is especially important for her role in SIX, as it is one of the few Broadway shows that uses in-ear monitors and an on-stage band. Her time with Phoenix also helped her transition from a classical to commercial singing style, which helped in her post-graduate singing career.  

After graduating, she began writing and releasing her own music. In 2020, she made it to the Knockout Rounds of The Voice’s 19th season on Kelly Clarkson’s team.  

Following her time on The Voice, Watts continued to release music, performing alongside artists like Backstreet Boys’ AJ McLean, O-Town and Lance Bass of *NSYNC. After performing at a variety show and connecting with SIX’s music supervisor, she went through the audition process, ultimately landing the role of Jane Seymour and making her Broadway debut on Feb. 19. 

“Performing in SIX can’t really be compared to anything I have done in my career thus far,” she said. “I’ve been blessed to have a lot of work of varying kinds, but one of my biggest dreams since I was a little girl has always been to ‘make it’ on Broadway. Because I never studied musical theatre, I didn’t think it was a possibility. To have made it to such an elite stage in a show that celebrates women and blends pop music with Broadway is an absolute dream come true.” 

Wesley Carpenter

After following her sister to Belmont, Carpenter found the deepest inspiration in her voice teacher, program director Nancy Allen. Allen took the time to tailor her lessons to Carpenter’s voice and performance needs, which became one of her biggest advantages in the audition process.  

Her time at Belmont showed her the importance of the entire theatre community, from the on-stage leads to the ensemble and backstage crew. “A big show doesn't exist without the veins and muscles and blood vessels. The main characters are the bones, but something has to hold all of it together,” she explained. “One of the things that I learned during my time at Belmont was that not only are those ensemble roles so important, but it's also so fun to get to create the world in the background.” 

Carpenter’s experience with SIX began on a Norwegian Cruise Lines ship where she played Jane Seymour, but this run was cut short due to the pandemic. She later had the opportunity to join the Broadway company in October 2023 and was in the Broadway and touring productions until October 2024 as the alternate for Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Katherine Howard and Catherine Parr. 

Carpenter also had the unique role of being a “universal swing,” meaning that she could be called out to any production of SIX in the world to fill in for a role. Her most sudden traveling performance was on a morning when she was called to swing for a production in Toronto that evening. “I woke up that day thinking I was going to be sitting in Midtown that night, and I ended up sitting in Toronto.” 

Now, Carpenter is preparing for the premiere of the new musical Regency Girls in San Diego. 

Sierra Fermin

Growing up in a musical family, Fermin’s journey to Belmont began at the end of her junior year of high school. After going through the audition process for a dozen universities, she chose Belmont because she felt it was the best place for her to grow personally and professionally.  

For Fermin, Belmont’s training in how to audition well gave her the confidence she needed to earn the role as an alternate for four queens less than a year after graduation.  

“The biggest thing that I felt prepared for because of Belmont was the audition itself,” she said. “Our teachers always used to say that auditioning is the job. Once you book the gig, it's a paid vacation, because you get to do what you what you love.”  

The musical theatre program’s seminar classes consistently train their students in how to audition, having them complete mock auditions nearly every week. Practicing in front of the entire program makes the real audition room seem less overwhelming, Fermin said, because there are fewer people and you don’t know any of them.  

“Belmont prepared me to go into every audition and really own the room,” Fermin stated. “They taught me to remember that every audition slot is mine for a reason, and it’s okay to take up the space and have an attitude of gratitude.” 

Today, Fermin covers four of the six queens: Catherine of Aragon, Anne of Cleeves, Katherine Howard and, most recently, Catherine Parr. 

Despite portraying two-thirds of Henry VIII’s wives, she has found that she loves all of their characters equally. “I truly don't have a favorite queen, which I feel grateful for. I find parts of myself in each of them, and I really do enjoy being all of them.” 

The Belmont Difference

These alumnae felt the power of Belmont’s community during their time as students and continue to appreciate that love today. “I will always be a cheerleader of Belmont programs and the professors there,” said Fermin.  

From encouraging staff like Jamie Wigginton and Nancy Allen to experiences in every part of the production process, these Broadway stars credit their programs’ ability to foster community over competition with their success in the performing arts.