New York Comic Con kicks off October 12 at the Javits Center, and Playbill is onsite to make sure Broadway fans are well represented. We've brought together a host of Broadway favorites for this year's programming, which includes panels, autograph signings, and more. Attendees can also visit the Playbill Store on the Show Floor for exclusive merchandise.
The return of The Big Broadway Nerd Panel kicks off the weekend October 12 at 1:30 PM with Douglas Lyons (Chicken & Biscuits), Helen Park (KPOP), Hunter Bell ([title of show], Other World), Jelani Remi (Back to the Future), and Bob Martin (The Prom, Boop!) on hand to discuss how fantasy, comic books, and sci-fi have inspired and engaged their stage work, personas, and personal lives. Playbill's Bryan Campione is hosting.
Moving to Friday, Broadway's Back to the Future will be the subject at hand for an October 13 panel at 12 noon. Cast members Roger Bart, Casey Likes, Hugh Coles, Liana Hunt, Jelani Remy, Nathaniel Hackmann, and Merritt David Janes will share how the classic film was adapted for the Broadway stage. Elliot Hansen will host.
At 4:30 PM, dig into the 20th anniversary of Broadway's Wicked with Defying Gravity: Wicked's Enduring Legacy. Elphaba standby Mary Kate Morrissey, costume designer Susan Hilferty, longtime production stage manager Marybeth Abel, and make-up artist Christa Kaimimoku-Wong will give an inside look at this audience favorite. Sentimental Men podcast hosts Quincy Brown and Kevin Bianchi will moderate.
October 14's programming kicks off with a Death Note: The Musical panel at 10:30 AM. Set to appear are cast members Adam Pascal, Joaquin Pedro Valdes, and Dean John-Wilson; producers Yuzo Kajiyama and Jamie Chapman Dixon; and book writer Ivan Menchell, with producer Haley Swindal hosting. A late-night listening party of the recently announced studio concept album will follow at 9 PM, with Valdes and John-Wilson joining along with host Louis Hobson and special guest Ashley Loren (Moulin Rouge! The Musical).
Playbill's final panel is set for October 15 at 10 AM. The Broadway Bard Party will see audiences getting to join Broadway stars to play a D&D-style one-shot. This year's players will include Nik Walker (Spamalot), Peppermint (RuPaul's Drag Race, Head Over Heels), Philippe Arroyo (& Juliet), and Rebekah Greer Melocik (How to Dance in Ohio), with David Andrew Greener Laws (The Twenty-Sided Tavern) serving as Gamemaster and Playbill's Jim Cairl hosting.
The Playbill Store is open throughout the 2023 New York Comic Con, located on the Show Floor. From Playbill cover cards to game cards, magnets, mystery bags, enamel pins, Parodybills, and more, stop by for a host of Broadway-inspired merchandise.
We'll also be bringing some of Broadway, television, film, and comic's biggest stars to the Playbill Store Booth for a chance to meet, take photos, and get autographs. Among those set for autograph sessions are Qui Nguyen (She Kills Monsters), Hunter Bell, Jay Armstrong Johnson, Adam Pascal, Carolee Carmello, Zachary James, Sam Primack, Gerard Canonico, Tiffany Mann, and Elizabeth Teeter.
Playbill will also host a special quiet room, presented by Broadway's upcoming musical How to Dance in Ohio, to the Comic Con offerings. The space will be the perfect place to rest and relax during the Con, with beans bags, sensory fidgets, and more on hand to soften the vibes. Visitors will also be able to dive deeper into the music from the new musical, which tells the story of a group of autistic young adults preparing for their first formal dance. Previews begin November 15, and the quiet room will include an opportunity to snag some discount tickets. Visit the Playbill booth for location details.
For a schedule of Playbill's New York Comic Con events, including a full listing of all autograph signing opportunities, visit Playbill.com/ComicCon. Tickets are available at NewYorkComicCon.com.
