Each Broadway Doll is handmade by creator and founder Paul Aguirre, with utmost attention to detail.
Broadway Dolls & Guys are personalized, one of a kind crocheted dolls approx. 15” tall! Each doll is created by Paul who captures as much detail as possible in these amigurumi art pieces. Broadway Dolls has created dolls for Broadway’s André De Shields, Patti Murin & Tamyra Gray and more. A great gift for any theatre fan or performer in your life who you want commemorated in a special, unique way!
How it all began.
In 1999, I was doing a production of Wizard of Oz in VA, with then up and comer Kate Reinders. Our wardrobe supervisor was crocheting this beautiful chenille feather boa type of scarf with a pretty large crochet hook. It look fun and super easy, so I asked if she could teach me. With a lot of practice and not so pretty attempts, I eventually became good enough to actually give them out as gifts. I never really ventured outside of making these scarfs because the crochet hook was so huge I figured anything smaller would be way too difficult to work with. Then in 2002, I went on tour with My Fair Lady and was surprised to find that half the cast crocheted. It was great learning new techniques, stitches and how to use those smaller hooks. I made scarfs, beanies, water bottle holders and was even challenged to create sexy red underwear for one of the guys. He said if I could make them by the show he’d wear them that night…challenge accepted, and won!
So crocheting became this great hobby to make gifts for friends and family, and keep busy during long tech rehearsal and traveling on tour. Fast forward to 2016 I was doing an amazing production of Bye Bye Birdie starring Janet Dacal at Goodspeed Musicals in CT. I was playing the Mayor, one of the parents who happen to have a lot of down time during the show. So, I picked up my crochet hooks again to keep busy and found this amazing pattern for amigurumi dolls from Hamilton created by Crafty Is Cool by Allison Hoffman (she’s incredible and has wonderful books available). Amigurumi is the Japanese art of knitting or crocheting small stuffed yarn creations. I started with Alexander Hamilton, then made, Jefferson and Washington. At this point I was having such a great time and really picking up the patterns well that I decided to branch out on my own and create a doll of the infamous wardrobe supervisor at Goodspped, John Riccucci, which he loved and immediately added it to he memorabilia wall.
Creating a side hussle.
Once I started posting posting the dolls on social media, people started asking how they could purchase a doll. One friend in particular inquired how they could get a doll made for Cynthia Errivo for her Birthday/Closing Night gift for The Color Purple. Of course I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to honor Cynthia in her brilliant performance as Celie. Soon, another couple of requests for dolls came in.
BroadwayCon 2018 was in about 6 months, and it was suggested that I get a booth to display my work (the dolls are much more impressive in person when you can see some of the smaller details and the actual size). With some encouragement from friends, colleagues I had been working with, and my incredible boyfriend, David Thorpe, Broadway Dolls & Guys was born .
In 2017 the 6 months before BroadwayCon, we obtained a business licence, and started crocheting some of our favorite Broadway characters to display; Evan Hansen, SpongeBob, Usnavi, and the Plastics (sounds like a cool band). We also thought is would be fun to create so mini props like Aladdin’s lamp, Evan’s cast, Mrs. Lovett pies and Elphaba hats. Which were sold exclusivly at BroadwayCon, and so the Broadway Props collection began.
BroadwayCon, was a hit! We got wonderful feedback, met amazing Broadway fans, and really helped spread the word about Broadway Dolls & Guys. We also had the opportunity to meet other incredible Broadway Makers, and was asked to be a part of the beginning of a wonderful collective that was just being formed, the Broadway Makers Alliance.
Giving Back.
Since then, Broadway Dolls & Guys has created over 200 Custom Dolls, we’ve had wonderful raffles, and give-a-ways, plus have donated to various theatre groups for their auctions. We’ve been featured in the New York Times, The Broadway Wiz and Broadway.com and have participated in various fund raising events. The favorite being Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids Flea Market and Grand Auction. Each year we donate a Broadway Doll which is then paired with a meet & greet with that Broadway star. In 2018 our Once on This Island TiMoune doll was auctioned at $2,600. And in 2019, we created the Tony Award winning Andre DeShields as Hermes in Hadestown, which sold for an incredible $13,000, The 2nd highest auction that year.
David and I thank you so much for following along and reading about the Broadway Dolls & Guys journey. We look forward to creating some beautiful and challenging dolls in the future and are excited about our new Collectible Cards and other things we have in store for you.
What people are saying.
“Her shoes are fierce, right? A knit heel? C’mon now!”
— LaChanze, Summer, The Donna Summer Musical
“Literally just the most incredible Anna I’ve ever seen…Wait, I need so many of these”.”
— Patti Murin, Frozen
“Oh my Godness, Look at the details.”
—George Salizar, Be More Chill
“I can’t express the happiness that I felt when I realized I had a doll modeled after me. I love the little Ms Avery so much! I really love the inspiration photo and how accurate you were in every detail> I will cherish her forever. Thank you Broadway Dolls & Guys.”
—Carla R Stewart, The Color Purple
“It looks just like me and has so many unigue details that always bring a smaile to my face!”
—Bella May Mordus, How the Grinch Stole Christmas
So Stinkin Coooool!!!!!.”
—Bronson Norris Murphy, Love Never Dies
More about Paul and David.
Paul Aguirre is an professional actor and proud member of Actors’ Equity. As a performer he has toured the US, Canada and South America in the national tours of Billy Elliot (Big Davey), Seussical starring Cathy Rigby, The Who’s Tommy (Uncle Ernie), How to Succeed…, My Fair Lady and How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Papa Who, cast recording) at Madison Square Garden . Off-Broadway/NYC productions include The Giant Hoax (PT Barnum), Lyz! (Hector/Bobby), Seesaw (Sparkle) and A Christmas Carol (Fezziwig/Xmas Present). Some of Paul’s favorite regional credits include Evita, In The Heights (Kevin & Piragua Guy), Billy Elliot (Mr. Braithwaite), Guys & Dolls, Music Man (Marcellus), Joseph..., Jesus Christ Superstar (Herod), The Wiz (Lion), Young Frankenstein (Victor) and Twist: An American Musical (Mr. Potlatch) at the Alliace Theatre and Pasadena Playhouse directed and choreographed by Debbie Allen. For more, please feel free to visit PaulAguirre.com. Paul lives in Connecticut with David, and fur children Nikki and Arya.
David Thorpe is an artist and graphic designer who was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah. After graduating from the University of Utah with a bachelor’s degree in 2014, David moved to the east coast and began working in New York City doing design work. Whether a doll is in need of painting or sewing, or a booth at Broadway Con needs to be run, David lends a helping hand. Check out his work on Instagram or his portfolio.
