Broadway rarely feels closer than this.
At this year’s People’s Ball, two celebrated performers whose careers have taken them from New York’s greatest stages to concert halls, television screens and international productions will bring a touch of Broadway magic to the celebration: William Michals and Desi Oakley.
Together, they represent two remarkable journeys through American musical theater—one defined by a commanding baritone and some of the stage’s most iconic leading-man roles, the other by a dynamic versatility that has carried her from Wicked and Les Misérables to starring turns in Waitress and Chicago.
For guests at People’s Ball, their appearance offers something increasingly rare: the opportunity to experience world-class Broadway talent in an intimate setting, up close and in the heart of the Filipino American community.
William Michals: A Voice Built for Broadway
There are certain voices that seem made for the great roles of musical theater. William Michals has one of them.
An award-winning actor, singer and international concert performer, Michals made his Broadway debut as The Beast in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, immediately placing him in one of Broadway’s most recognizable leading roles.
He would go on to become especially known for his portrayal of Emile de Becque in the Tony Award-winning revival of South Pacific at Lincoln Center, one of the most acclaimed musical revivals of its era.
His connection to the role would eventually take him across the Atlantic. Michals became the first American to portray Emile de Becque in France, appearing with the Opéra de Toulon.
The breadth of his stage career is formidable. He has taken on title roles in Man of La Mancha, Sweeney Todd, The Most Happy Fella and The Music Man, while also playing such celebrated characters as Javert, Captain von Trapp, Lancelot and Fred/Petruchio.
His career has extended far beyond Broadway.
Michals regularly performs with major symphony orchestras across the United States and internationally, appearing with ensembles ranging from the New York Pops, Philly Pops and National Symphony to orchestras in San Francisco, San Diego and Maui, as well as in Hong Kong, Taipei and Singapore.
Television audiences may also recognize him from appearances on Law & Order and Blue Bloods.
Whether commanding a Broadway stage, performing with a full orchestra or singing in an intimate concert setting, Michals brings the same combination of theatrical presence and vocal authority.
And at People’s Ball, the setting may be especially intimate—but the voice is unmistakably Broadway.
Desi Oakley brings the electricity
If William Michals represents the grandeur of the classic Broadway leading man, Desi Oakley brings the electricity of a new generation of musical-theater stars.
A stage, screen and voice artist based in New York City, Oakley has built a career distinguished by versatility, emotional depth and the ability to make celebrated roles distinctly her own.
She is perhaps best known for originating the role of Jenna on the first national tour of Waitress, taking on the demanding centerpiece of Sara Bareilles’ hit musical. She later crossed the Atlantic to star in the role in London’s West End.
More recently, Oakley returned to Broadway with a fresh interpretation of one of musical theater’s most famous characters: Roxie Hart in Chicago.
Her Broadway résumé also includes three landmark productions—Wicked, Annie and Les Misérables—placing her among a select group of performers who have appeared in some of the most enduring musicals of their generation.
But Oakley’s work reaches well beyond the stage.
Her television appearances include Elsbeth, Gotham, The Gilded Age and Only Murders in the Building. As a voice artist and singer, she has also contributed to major feature films including Wicked, Dear Evan Hansen, Tick, Tick… Boom! and Spirited.
She is a recording artist as well, with original music available across streaming platforms.
Away from the spotlight, Oakley devotes part of her time to coaching and mentoring young performers throughout the United States. She is also an advocate for greater mental-health support—an extension of a career that, for her, is not only about performance but about helping other artists find their own voices.
Two Broadway Careers, One Special Afternoon
What makes the appearance of Michals and Oakley at People’s Ball particularly exciting is the contrast—and chemistry—of their artistic worlds.
Michals brings the sweeping romanticism and vocal power associated with some of Broadway’s greatest classic roles.
Oakley brings the immediacy, emotional range and contemporary energy of today’s musical theater.
Both, however, share something fundamental: the ability to tell a story through song.
That is ultimately what Broadway does at its best. Beyond the lights, costumes and marquees, its greatest performers can take an audience somewhere else for a few minutes—with a lyric, a melody, a character and a voice.
At the 22nd People’s Ball, guests will not have to travel to Times Square or Lincoln Center for that experience.
Broadway is coming to them.
