A bevy of Broadway stars will celebrate reopening at free three-day outdoor fest
Who: Norm Lewis, Michael Urie, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Daphne Rubin Vega, James Monroe Iglehart, Joe Iconis, Ayodele Casel, Joshua Henry, Jelani Alladin, Lauren Molina, Bryce Pinkham, Antoinette Nwandu, Lynn Nottage, A. J. Holmes, many more
What: Three-day festival celebrating the reopening of Broadway
Where: Duffy Square, Playbill Piano Bar in Times Square
When: September 17-19, free
Why: Dozens of performers, writers, directors, choreographers, podcast hosts, and others are coming to Broadway for a free outdoor three-day celebration of the reopening of the Great White Way. Playbill, in partnership with the Broadway League and the Times Square Alliance, are presenting “Curtain Up!” September 17-19, featuring live performances, panel discussions, singalongs, interviews, and more in Duffy Square and at the Playbill Piano Bar. Among the impressive list of participants are Norm Lewis, Michael Urie, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Ayodele Casel, Robin DeJesús, Daphne Rubin Vega, James Monroe Iglehart, Joe Iconis, Joshua Henry, Jelani Alladin, Bryce Pinkham, Antoinette Nwandu, Lynn Nottage, and A. J. Holmes. All events are free, but be prepared for big crowds.
Friday, September 17
Wake Up, Broadway!, with Joe Iconis, Ilana Levine, and Sam Maher, hosted by Ayanna Prescod and Christian Lewis, Playbill Piano Bar, 11:00 am
Curtain Up! Festival Kick-off Event, with Chuck Schumer, Anne Del Castillo, Alex Birsh, Charlotte St. Martin, Tom Harris, Vikki Been, Brian Stokes Mitchell, and Jessica Vosk, with music direction by John McDaniel, Duffy Square, noon
Divas of Broadway Sing-Along, with Brandon James Gwinn, Playbill Piano Bar, 1:00
Dear White People Panel, with Kandi Burruss, Ashley Blaine Featherson, Logan Browning, DeRon Horton, and Bryan Terrell Clark, Duffy Square, 1:30
New Broadway Hits, with Brandon James Gwinn, Playbill Piano Bar, 2:30
Sing Along with Joe Iconis, with Joe Iconis, Amina Faye, Jason SweetTooth Williams, Kelly McIntire, and Mike Rosengarten, Playbill Piano Bar, 3:00
The Playbill Variety Show, with Bryan Campione, Joshua Henry, Tom Viola, Frank DiLella, Joseph Benincasa, and T.3., Duffy Square, 3:30
Wicked Sing-Along, with Adam Laird, Playbill Piano Bar, 4:30
Jimmy Awards Reunion Concert!, with Bryson Battle, John Clay III, Sofia Deler, Caitlin Finnie, Elena Holder, Lily Kaufmann, McKenzie Kurtz, Sam Primack, Josh Strobl, and Ekele Ukegbu, directed by Seth Sklar-Heyn, with music direction by Daryl Waters, hosted by Jelani Alladin, Duffy Square, 5:30
Curtain Up After Dark Presents: Lauren Molina, Playbill Piano Bar, 6:30
Pass Over playwright Antoinette Chinonye Nwandu is part of “Curtain Up!” Broadway reopening festival (photo by Marc J. Franklin)
Saturday, September 18
The Broadway Morning Warm-Up, with James T. Lane, Jessica Lee Goldyn, Tyler Hanes, Chryssie Whitehead, and Alexis Carra, Duffy Square, 10:30
Wake Up, Broadway!, with Kaila Mullady, Anthony Veneziale, Tarik Davis, James Monroe Iglehart, and Jan Friedlander Svendsen, hosted by Ayanna Prescod and Christian Lewis, Playbill Piano Bar, 11:30
Black to Broadway — It’s “Play” Time!, with Harriette Cole, Kennan Scott III, Antoinette Nwandu, Lynn Nottage, and Douglas Lyons, Duffy Square, 12:15
The Golden Age of Broadway Sing-Along, with Logan Culwell-Block, Playbill Piano Bar, 2:00
Sing-Along with Rob Rokicki, Playbill Piano Bar, 2:30
The Playbill Variety Show, with Bryan Campione, Bryce Pinkham, Shereen Pimentel, Lauren Gaston, Austin Sora, Valerie Lau-Kee, Minami Yusui, Jose Llana, Lourds Lane, and Ted Arthur, Duffy Square, 3:00
A. J. Holmes: Live in Times Square, Playbill Piano Bar, 4:00
Musical Theatre Hits Sing-a-Long with Concord Theatricals, with Michael Riedel and Zachary Orts, Playbill Piano Bar, 4:30
¡Viva Broadway! When We See Ourselves, with Bianca Marroquín, Ayodele Casel, Janet Dacal, Robin DeJesús, Alma Cuervo, Linedy Genao, Nicholas Edwards, Eliseo Roman, Daphne Rubin Vega, Josh Segarra, Caesar Samayoa, Jennifer Sánchez, Henry Gainza, Claudia Mulet, David Baida, Florencia Cuenca, Marielys Molina, Natalie Caruncho, Angelica Beliard, Sarita Colon, Gabriel Reyes, Roman Cruz, Steven Orrego Upegui, Adriel Flete, Noah Paneto, Harolyn Lantigua, Valeria Solmonoff & Iakov Shonsky, Luis Miranda, Rick Miramontez, Emilia Sosa, and Sergio Trujillo, directed and choreographed by Luis Salgado, written by Eric Ulloa, with musical direction by Jaime Lozano, Duffy Square, 5:00
Curtain Up After Dark, with Lauren Molina, Nick Cearley, and Eric Shorey, Playbill Piano Bar, 6:30
Sunday, September 19
Wake Up, Broadway!, hosted by Ayanna Prescod and Christian Lewis, with Off Book: The Black Theatre Podcast!, with Kim Exum, Ngozi Anyanwu, and Drew Shade, Playbill Piano Bar, 9:00
Curtain Up: This Is Broadway! Finale Concert, with performances by stars of more than twenty current and upcoming Broadway shows, Duffy Square, 11:00