Playbill and the Times Square Alliance have joined forces to present Pride in Times Square, a weekend full of events featuring stage and screen stars, Broadway productions, LGBTQIA+ non-profits, special Times Square business promotions, and more. Set for Times Square between 45th and 47th streets—the heart of Broadway—the event will be held June 24–26, coinciding with NYC Pride. The event is sponsored by ViiV and Audible.
“Playbill is extremely proud to take part in this celebration of the LGBTQIA+ community,” says Playbill Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Alex Birsh. “We are always honored to change our iconic yellow design to the Pride Flag colors, celebrating this expansive and important community. And this year, we are even more proud to celebrate Pride in our biggest way yet: a big party in Times Square. Playbill aims to be a leader in our community, and we look for this event to continue expanding our tradition of standing with and behind our LGBTQIA+ friends, family, and allies. Here's to an amazing celebration with our partners, sponsors and the entire Broadway community."
On the mainstage, Pride 365: LIVE! will bring Broadway shows together with community and non-profit organizations to celebrate dynamic voices in the community and support their continued fight for equity, diversity, and inclusion for all. Special guests, panels, surprise performances and more are planned for this mainstage event June 24 and 25, with a more detailed schedule set to be released June 1.
Visitors can also join in The Big Broadway Disco, a street party that will invite revelers to dance through Times Square to Broadway songs and performances, all with a disco flare. Set for June 25 at 6 PM, the event will feature DJs, performers, costumes, and more, all set around the Playbill Pride float.
Also on hand will be Playbill’s Sing for Hope piano, where audiences will be able to celebrate pride at the Playbill Pride Piano Bar. Broadway musicians and performers will lead sing-along performances and piano concerts throughout the entire weekend on the special piano covered in real Playbills from Broadway's most beloved shows.
Audiences will also be able to connect with Pride in Times Square sponsors ViiV and Audible on interactive Double Decker Buses, acting as anchor points audiences can explore on June 24 and 25. The buses will become part of the NYC Pride March June 26, parading down 5th Avenue.
The Broadway Grand Gallery, which 10-foot-tall Playbills in Times Square for theatre fans to interact and take pictures with, will transform for the entire month of June with all covers represented getting the special rainbow Pride Playbill header. Those visiting the Times Square Pride event can head to Broadway between 47th and 48th Streets to see giant Pride Playbill Covers from Aladdin, The Book of Mormon, Come From Away, Company, Dear Evan Hansen, Funny Girl, Hadestown, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Jersey Boys, The Lion King, Little Shop of Horrors, MJ The Musical, Moulin Rouge! The Musical!, Mr. Saturday Night, Mrs. Doubtfire, The Phantom of the Opera, The Play That Goes Wrong, Plaza Suite, SIX: The Musical, and Tina: The Tina Turner Musical.
The Times Square Alliance will celebrate the best of the neighborhood’s Pride discounts, deals, giveaways, and special menu items from local businesses all month long, allowing visitors to browse special offers from Times Square restaurants, shops, shows, and attractions that celebrate and support the most colorful month of the year. Times Square will also be home to #SingsOfPride, a display of Pride flags and rainbows on screens and billboards throughout the area.
“The Times Square Alliance is honored to partner with Playbill in delivering a weekend of exciting and inclusive events for Times Square to celebrate Pride,” says Alliance President Tom Harris. “We look forward to welcoming LGBTQIA+ individuals and allies to the crossroads of the world to enjoy programming that supports, inspires, and represents the diverse community of New York City.”
Also on display throughout the month of June is artist Kristaps Ancāns’ Polar Rainbow, an augmented reality sculpture of a virtual double rainbow connecting the North and South poles. The rainbow will soar more than 3,000 feet above 7th Avenue and will be on view in Times Square, where 7th Avenue intersects with Broadway. Visitors can see the rainbow through an app available via a QR code onsite in Times Square, or online through Times Square Art’s website. The rainbow was curated by Corina L. Apostol (Tallinn Art Hall), developed by Platvorm, and produced in cooperation with Tallinn Art Hall, the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union, and the Latvian State Culture Capital Foundation.
“This year, it is wonderful to bring Pride programming into the heart of Times Square, where audiences of all ages can participate in the celebration,” adds Playbill Creative Director Bryan Campione. “As part of the LGBTQIA+ Community, it has been a personal honor to be producing compelling and inspiring events, performances, and programs that celebrate all areas of our community and our allies.”
For more, visit Playbill.com/Pride.
