Musical Theater

For Helena Padial, Being Named Broadway’s Next Triple Threat Is Just the Beginning

June 8, 2026

At Helena Padial’s middle school production of Bye Bye Birdie, Chita Rivera—yes, that Chita Rivera—came to watch. When she met the musical theater legend backstage, Padial burst into tears of disbelief, and Rivera gave her a hug.

Fast-forward to 2026 and Padial, at 21, has been named Broadway’s Next Triple Threat, a new award created by the Chita Rivera Awards and New York City Dance Alliance. Since March, the Elon University senior had made it through two video rounds of evaluations by a panel of Broadway icons (Charlotte d’Amboise, Robert Fairchild, and Jessica Lee Goldyn, to name a few) before an intense training workshop in NYC, ending with the awards gala. With the Triple Threat award, Padial has also won the inaugural Chita Rivera Training Grant, which will help fund her housing and training in NYC for the upcoming year.

“It happened so fast,” says Padial. Moments before the winner was announced at the gala, she and her fellow finalists had performed Warren Carlyle’s Tony-winning “Too Darn Hot” choreography from Kiss Me Kate, quick-changed into gala attire, and run upstairs and into the theater. As Bebe Neuwirth handed Padial the award, the Broadway luminary told her, “This is just the beginning.”

Helena Padial, in a red evening gown, accepts a glass award from Bebe Neuwirth, who wears a black dress with red glasses and red heels. In front of them is a podium with the Chita Rivera Awards logo and a photo of Rivera.
From left: Helena Padial accepting the Broadway’s Next Triple Threat Award from Bebe Neuwirth. Photo courtesy The Chita Rivera Awards/New York City Dance Alliance.

It really is just the beginning for Padial, who flew to North Carolina the next day for Elon University’s senior week. With just hours until she graduated with her degree in musical theater, she took some time to chat with Dance Spirit about the competition, her dreams, and what it means to be a triple threat.

Could you describe your early training?

I started ballet when I was 3 and trained at Coupé Theatre Studio in Nanuet, NY, from when I was 7 all the way through high school. As I got older, I loved doing jazz, contemporary, and eventually musical theater, when I realized I had a voice.

When did you decide to pursue musical theater after high school?

During junior year, my vocal coach, Celeste Simone, was the first person who made me realize I could do musical theater in college.

Elon was my dream school. I sprained my ankle in the audition (while learning a combo to “Too Darn Hot,” ironically!) but still got in. It really was the most pivotal four years of my professional development and artistic growth. And just finding myself.

Helena Padial, in a white cropped shirt and blue shorts, stands onstage and sings.
Padial in “Too Darn Hot” at the Chita Rivera Awards ceremony. Photo courtesy The Chita Rivera Awards/New York City Dance Alliance.

How did you get involved in Broadway’s Next Triple Threat?

Celeste is involved in the awards, so she sent me the flyer and said I should apply. I was tentative—I didn’t want to get too wrapped up in self-comparison (perfectionism is my Mt. Everest), and I was so busy as a senior at Elon. What made me decide to apply was the idea of getting feedback from industry professionals.

You made it through the first two rounds, then traveled to NYC for the finalist training session. What was that like?

It was basically Broadway Boot Camp. Sharing the room with such major performers, agents, and choreographers, let alone learning from them—that’s not something you think could happen until you’re years into your career. It was such a high-stakes environment, with lots of adrenaline and really difficult choreography.

On Sunday, we learned “Too Darn Hot” with Warren Carlyle—four and a half minutes of aerobic, Broadway-level choreo in six hours, and it was technically a men’s part. For those of us in heels, it was really difficult. Our third run was in tech on Monday, so the gala performance was the fourth. In front of our idols, no less. We had no time to think about any of that. We just brought our A-game.

Five performers jump together onstage with their legs tucked and arms extended outward, hands flexed.
The Broadway’s Next Triple Threat finalists performing Warren Carlyle’s choreography for “Too Darn Hot” at the Chita Rivera Awards ceremony. Photo courtesy The Chita Rivera Awards/New York City Dance Alliance.

Do you have any dreams for your career?

I don’t think Broadway needs to be the end-all, be-all for anyone. Obviously, my dream is to be on Broadway—don’t get me wrong! [Laughs.] But I just want to perform for as long as I can, and to fill my time with doing what I love. Like, 100 percent of the time. Performing makes me so happy.

I don’t think you can ever grasp the feeling that happens when the lights hit you onstage. It’s the ultimate vulnerability, expressing who you are from inside. I just want to do that over and over.

What does it mean to be a triple threat?

That weekend, we talked about how there’s always the singing, dancing, and acting—but there’s a fourth thing, which is being a good person.

I wouldn’t call myself a dancer first or a singer first, or an actor first. I think the way I’ve gotten here is by devoting myself to becoming a well-rounded human being first, and developing every facet of my art through that.

Two photos, side-by-side, show Helena Padial and Chita Rivera first speaking, then hugging. Padial cries and wears a white and pink striped dress with a bow in her hair, and Rivera wears all black.
Padial after her middle school production of Bye Bye Birdie, meeting Chita Rivera. Photos courtesy Padial.

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