Ethan Slater endlessly bounces around the Palace Theatre as the title role in SpongeBob SquarePants, but on April 2, the Broadway newcomer offered an equally energetic and nimble performance of “The Lady is a Tramp” at the 13th annual Broadway Backwards. Watch the clip above.
While the song has become a standard by such artists as Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, and Tony Bennett (alongside Lady Gaga), the tune was originally sung by Mitzi Green in the 1937 Rodgers and Hart musical Babes in Arms. Additional singers to have recorded covers include Ella Fitzgerald, Shirley Bassey, and Diana Ross and the Supremes.
The 2018 event at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre broke Broadway Backwards’ fundraising record, bringing in a total of $680,273 for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center.
Beauty and the Beast and That’s So Raven star Anneliese van der Pol also sang a rendition of “She Touched Me,” from Drat! The Cat!. Take a look at the performance below.