Broadway sang again. The performance was brief, the voices strong, the talent huge, the emotions high. Tears were shed. It was a preview of hope for Broadway coming back.
It was just one song at a popup event in Times Square called “A Moment for Broadway”. The chorus stood socially distanced, behind face shields to sing Stephen Sondheim’s “Sunday” from Sunday in the Park With George on the TKTS Red Steps.
This single song was the first time since Broadway was shut down in mid-March by the pandemic that the theater community has come together as a chorus. The event was organized by NYCNext as part of a series of pop-up performances designed to bring renewed vibrancy to New York City.
The chorus included Kate Baldwin, Sierra Boggess, Charl Brown, Andréa Burns, Carolee Carmello, Danielle Chambers, Casey Clark, Kris Coleman, Gavin Creel, Jennifer Damiano, Allyson Kaye Daniel, Brandon Victor Dixon, Eden Espinosa, Lucia Giannetta, Jason Gotay, Erika Henningsen, Marcus Paul James, Telly Leung, Norm Lewis, Zonya Love, Anastacia McCleskey, Javier Muñoz, Jon Eric Parker, Bernadette Peters, Andrew Rannells, Kris Roberts, Desiree Rodriguez, Eliseo Roman, Ben Roseberry, Stark Sands, Ari’el Stachel, and Virginia Woodruff.
“We created NYCNext to celebrate New York, the city we love,” says NYCNext co-founder Maryam Banikarim. “We recognize that this is a difficult time for the city, but we also know that New York is incredibly resilient. With these shared moments, we aim to mobilize New Yorkers to help build the next New York. The group of people who have spontaneously come together to produce this Broadway event – our first major performance – is incredible. It’s a testament to the irrepressible spirit of the city.”
