Broadway fans have descended upon Times Square, the heart of NYC's theatre district, as the Curtain Up Broadway Festival continues. Free and open to the public, the three-day event from Playbill, The Broadway League, the Times Square Alliance, and Prudential Financial features performances, sing-alongs, a block party, and more—including a host of your favorite Broadway stars.
Not in NYC? All main stage events will be streamed live at Playbill.com/CurtainUp, so you can join in the fun from wherever you may be!
There's lots to look forward to on the festival's second day, including a Kinky Boots sing-along, a dance workshop with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Playbill: The Game Show Live, and the "One Night Only" benefit concert supporting The Entertainment Community Fund, along with appearances from a host of Broadway favorites including Julia Murney, Nic Rouleau, Shereen Pimentel, Christopher Sieber, Antwayn Hopper, Carolee Carmello, Jay Armstrong Johnson, and Santino Fontana, to name but a few.
Take a look at today's complete schedule below. For more information, including a map of the entire event and the main stage livestream, visit Playbill.com/CurtainUp.
Saturday, October 1
CANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER – Ailey’s Revelations dance workshop
Everyone can dance with Ailey! Join the processional through Duffy Square as Ailey’s West African drummers and dancers lead New Yorkers of all ages to the Curtain Up Main Stage, where you’ll learn modified excerpts of Alvin Ailey’s masterwork, Revelations. Participants are asked to wear comfy clothing.
1:45-2:15PM – Playbill: The Game Show LIVE!
Join us in Times Square as Broadway Stars as they take part in the first-ever live Playbill: The Game Show - where theatre’s brightest stars prove how much they know about Broadway! Written by Aaron Fuksa and produced by Roberto Araujo, watch as Broadway participants Julia Murney (Wicked), Nic Rouleau (The Book of Mormon), Shereen Pimentel (West Side Story ) test their knowledge of all-things Broadway in a fun and fast-paced game, hosted by Christopher Sieber (Company), with Nicholas Connell on piano.
3:00-3:45PM – Audible Theater presents Jason Gotay on Stage
Jason Gotay takes the stage and sings selections from his Audible Original, Where You’ll Find Me, a musical narrative that honors the strong and dynamic women in his life with musicians Garrett Taylor (keys/music direction), Matt Hinkley (Guitar), Alan Stevens Hewitt(Bass) and Jeremy Yaddaw (drums). Jason’s show coincides with Curtain Up Broadway Festival and is playing at the Minetta Lane Theatre September 30—October 2. The Audible Theater performance, recorded live, will be available to stream on Audible later this year.
5:00-6:30PM – “One Night Only” – A Benefit Concert for The Entertainment Community Fund
Join stage stars and celebrities for a one-night-only celebration of Broadway, benefitting the Entertainment Community Fund. Directed by Bryan Campione and Corey Mach, with musical direction by Joshua Stephen Kartes, the concert will invite audiences in Times Square and online to share in song and celebration; all while raising money to support the Fund’s mission of fostering stability and resiliency and providing a safety net for performing arts and entertainment professionals over their lifespan. Hosted by Natalie Joy Johnson (Kinky Boots), special guests include Ann Harada (TV: “SMASH”, Bway: Cinderella), Antwayn Hopper (A Strange Loop), Bobby Conte (Company Revival), Carolee Carmello (1776 Revival), Christine Dwyer (Wicked), Christopher Sieber (Company Revival), Corey Mach (Kinky Boots), Ginna Claire Mason (Wicked), Jarrod Spector (Beautiful – The Carole King Musical), Javier Ignacio (CompanyRevival), Jay Armstrong Johnson (The Phantom of the Opera), Jelani Remy (The Lion King), Jessica Hendy (Cats), Kelli Barrett (Getting The Band Back Together), Mary Kate Morrissey (Mean Girls), Santino Fontana (Film: “Frozen”, TV: “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend”, Bway: Tootsie), TikTok vocal sensation T.3, Jim Hogan (Kimberly Akimbo), Liam Fennecken (U.S. Tour School of Rock), Brendan Jacob Smith (The Simon & Garfunkel Story), with representatives from The Entertainment Community Fund and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. The “One Night Only” Band includes Kartes, Yayoi Ikawa, Hiroyuki Matsuura, Colin Dean, Andy Buslovich, Rachel Lanskey, Erikka Walsh(Once), Nick Anton, Clyde Daley, Matthew Jermiason, and Amy Griffiths. Background vocalists include Baldwin Wallace graduates Charles Mayhew Miller, Jillian Kates, and Kailey Boyle.
American Sign Language accessibility services provided by Access Broadway for the "One Night Only" event.
