At just 13 years old, Yair Keydar is already shaping the kind of career most performers hope to build over decades. With an off-Broadway run in “Drag: The Musical,” a role in the world premiere of “Millions” at Atlanta’s Alliance Theatre, a three-week winning streak on Netflix’s relaunched “Star Search” — where he narrowly missed the finals — and a growing list of cabaret and theater credits, the young performer is emerging as a voice to be heard. Not a bad trajectory for someone who only recently marked his bar mitzvah.
Born in Los Angeles and raised on the East Coast, Yair, who now lives with his parents in Parkland, has grown up surrounded by music. His mother, Magda Fishman, senior cantor at B’nai Torah Congregation in Boca Raton, filled their home with song from the moment he was born. By age 3, he was already performing alongside her at interfaith events.
Performing on ‘Star Search’
Photos courtesy of Netflix
“Being on stage has always felt like a happy space,” he says. “It’s where I feel amazing and can connect with people and bring them joy.” His longtime vocal coach, Badiene Magaziner — owner of the Magaziner Vocal Studio and a Juilliard-trained vocal powerhouse whose clients have appeared on “The Voice,” “America’s Got Talent” and “American Idol” — recognized that spark early. Yair was only 5 when he and his mother first walked into her studio.
“His drive was already unmistakable,” Magaziner recalls. She officially took Yair on a few years later, and his talent, enthusiasm and discipline have been unwavering ever since.
“His joy in being on stage and sharing his gift, combined with his electrifying presence, is rare,” Magaziner says. “From the moment I met him, I could see that he was a true showman — someone who could hold a Las Vegas audience, even at this age.”
Over time, Yair’s interests expanded from pop vocalization to include musical theater. He began training at West Boca’s Broadway Bound Academy, where he has appeared in numerous productions, starting with “High School Musical Jr.,” and he regularly visits schools and senior centers with his classmates. These community performances have helped sharpen his stage instincts, build his confidence and support his growth as a vocalist and an actor. He handled his “Star Search” run with professionalism and grace, from the lengthy audition process to the pressures of competition, making new friends and contacts along the way.
The person who has helped take those instincts from impressive to professional is his agent, David Gilbert of the Zuri Agency, who discovered the then-9-year-old by chance while scrolling online. His impressions were confirmed when he watched Yair’s off-Broadway debut in “Drag: The Musical.”
“On opening night, Yair got two standing ovations — five to 10 minutes each — after both of his songs,” Gilbert says. “I had just seen ‘Sunset Boulevard,’ where Nicole Scherzinger received a huge response, and I remember thinking, ‘He’s getting that same kind of reaction.’”
Yair playing the role of Brendan in ‘Drag: The Musical’
Photo courtesy of ‘Drag: the Musical’
In “Drag,” Yair played Brendan Hutchinson, a young boy drawn to the glittery world of drag. For six months, he lived in New York, working with seasoned adult actors and drag performers. The experience, he says, was “crazy but amazing.” He bonded deeply with several of the cast members, who became mentors and role models, including Broadway veteran Nick Adams, former New Kids on the Block member Joey McIntyre and Broadway star Adam Pascal, best known for originating the role of Roger in “Rent.” He also formed a close friendship with Remi Tuckman, the young actor with whom he shared the role of Brendan. The two recently launched a podcast, “Broadway Before Bedtime,” offering a behind-the-scenes look at theater life.
Gilbert believes Yair’s musicality is matched by an emotional intelligence that is uncommon at any age. “I would put him in rare company, alongside artists like Ariana Grande and Ben Platt,” he says. “His vocal dexterity, combined with his ability to emotionally connect through a song or scene, is something you just don’t see often. And that’s before you even get to his personality, which is genuine and magnetic.”
Despite the increasing demands of his career, Yair remains grounded. He completes his schoolwork online, continues vocal and acting training, performs frequently in his community and still finds time for friends, travel and video games. Gilbert credits Yair’s parents for the balance. “They’re supportive in the healthiest, most loving way,” he says. “With that foundation, he can go incredibly far.”
Yair with his mother, Magda Fishman, on ‘Star Search’
Photos courtesy of Netflix
It looks like he will, too. Yair continues to sing regularly at synagogue with his mother, his first and most formative influence. Earlier this year, he appeared in a cabaret performance organized by Magaziner at the nonprofit venue 54 Below in New York. In June, he’s slated to appear in “New York Sings Yiddish,” a large, open-air Yiddish sing-along, as part of Central Park’s free SummerStage series.
When asked about his dream role, Yair doesn’t hesitate. He laughs, admitting he is “a huge Ariana Grande fan” and that he’d love nothing more than to sing with her one day. Given his momentum, it hardly feels out of reach.
As far as Gilbert is concerned, Yair’s future is bright. “It’s not a matter of if he’ll work,” he says. “It’s only a matter of what comes next — Broadway, a series, a major film. He was simply born to do this.”