Letter from the Editor-In-Chief: The Broadway Issue

When I first took on the role of Editor-in-Chief at BELLA, I knew there would be milestones that would shape not just the magazine, but me personally. Launching our first-ever Broadway Issue is one of those moments.

Broadway has always fascinated me — it is art, discipline, spectacle, and rebellion all at once. But it wasn’t until recently, when I took my niece to her very first Broadway show, that I was reminded of the true magic of theater. The show was &Juliet, and I watched through her eyes as the stage lit up with a story that turned tradition upside down. A story that dared to ask: What if Juliet chose her own ending?

Her face lit up at every note, every costume, every line. In that moment, I was reminded why Broadway is so much more than entertainment. It is empowerment. It’s a space where stories redefine themselves, where boundaries are broken, and where possibility feels infinite.

That’s why it feels so right to mark this milestone with &Juliet — a production that embodies everything our tagline declares: Broadway Plays By Its Own Rules.

On our cover is the radiant Gianna Harris, representing a show — and a generation — that is fearless enough to rewrite the script.

And as BELLA steps into this new chapter, I can think of no better message to celebrate: you can choose your story, your ending, your rules.

With love and inspiration,

Vanessa Coppes

CEO + Editor-in-Chief