Broadway celebrates Pride at Playbill and Times Square Alliance's second annual Pride in Times Square, kicking off June 23. The free—and fabulous—weekend-long celebration of all things Broadway and Pride is taking over the heart of NYC's theatre district for NYC Pride Weekend, rain or shine. Events are scheduled in Times Square through June 24, with the weekend culminating as the Playbill Pride Float returns to the NYC Pride March June 25, supporting the organization Heritage of Pride.
The festivities start with a special Kick Off Celebration June 23 at 2 PM on the Pride Main Stage, with James T. Lane (Chicago) and Tony nominee L Morgan Lee (A Strange Loop) hosting and counting the crowd down to a confetti-filled beginning to the weekend. Also set to appear are Andrew Keenan-Bolger, Eric Ulloa, Brandon Contreras, Madison Rose, and special guests from The NYC Unity Project, The NYC Commission on Human Rights, GLAAD, Hotel Edison, Open Jar Studios and more.
Following the Kick Off on the main stage will be a Pride Celebration with The National LGBT Chamber of Commerce at 2:30 PM, spotlighting the NGLCC/Grubhub Community Impact Grant Program's work with NYC-based LGBTQ+ bars and restaurants. Special guest performer Pepper MaShay will be on hand.
ViiV Healthcare will celebrate the choices that make us unique at 3:30 PM. Set to appear are RuPaul's Drag Race stars Pandora Boxx and Jackie Cox, along with stand-up comic and actor Jes Tom and activist Marti Cummings. A special sing-along moment from The American Theatre Wing will be led by 2023 Tony Award winner J. Harrison Ghee along with 2023 Tony winner Bonnie Milligan, Annaleigh Ashford, Anthony Lee Medina, Brandon Contreras, Desmond Is Amazing, Devin Lewis, Lauren Elder, Lee LeBreton, Melba Moore, Nic Rouleau, Tatiana Lofton, Val Ramirez, and more.
Day one Main Stage programming will close with a special concert, Anthems of Pride, hosted by Tituss Burgess and presented by American Express at 5:15 PM. The concert will explore the deep connections between the LGBTQIA+ community and Broadway, with performances from Melanie La Barrie from & Juliet; Will Swenson and Mark Jacoby from A Beautiful Noise; PJ Adzima from The Book of Mormon; Kimberly Marable, Arian Keddell, Mary Claire King, Marty Lawson, Jeff Gorti, and Michael Scirrotto from Chicago; Lilli Cooper, Dana Steingold, and Laura Bell Bundy from The Cottage; Lea Michele from Funny Girl; Reeve Carney and Eva Noblezada from Hadestown; Thayne Jasperson, Trey Curtis, Ta-Tynisa Wilson, Johanna Moises, Laura Mendes, Lily Froehlich, and Kennedy Kandi from Hamilton; Colleen Fitzpatrick, Alex Vinh, Miguel Gil, Olivia Elease Hardy, Fernell Hogan, and Nina White from Kimberly Akimbo; Uma Paranjpe from Life of Pi; Gilbert Domally from The Lion King; Tiffany Rene and Joy Woods from Little Shop of Horrors; Vanessa Sears from New York, New York; Ellie Morris and Nancy Zamit from Peter Pan Goes Wrong; Kolby Kindle and Clyde Voce from The Play That Goes Wrong; Alex Newell from Shucked; Hailee Kaleem Wright, Leandra Ellis-Gaston, Bella Coppola, Ayla Ciccone-Burton, Zoe Jensen, and Taylor Iman Jones from SIX The Musical; J Harrison Ghee from Some Like It Hot; Anthony Murphy from Titaníque; and Mary Kate Morrissey from Wicked. Also featured will be cast members from Parade.
Over at the Pride Piano Bar, Richard Rodgers Award-winning pianist Brandon James Gwinn will start things off with The Playbill Pride Mix at 12:15 and 1:15 PM, followed by Godspell and I Can See Your Voice star Eric Krop at 3 PM. At 4:15 PM, the NYC Mayor's Office of Equity will present the Summer Youth Employment Program, which connects young LGBTQIA-identifying people with supportive and welcoming summer jobs and career experiences. The presentation will include songs, stories, and special guests.
Attendees will also be able to connect with Pride in Times Square sponsors, which include American Express, ViiV Healthcare, and Audible. Interactive double-decker buses will be on site with experiences to explore. Audible's area will feature Amazon Music DJs spinning songs from the PROUD Playlist. Audible also invites Pride in Times Square attendees to consider visiting their one-night-only live performance of Alison Bechdel's Dykes to Watch Out For at Minetta Lane Theatre, which will feature Bechdel, Roberta Colindrez, and more.
Throughout the weekend, local businesses will be offering discounts, deals, giveaways, and special menu items to help celebrate Pride Month. Visit TSQ.org/PrideDeals to find details for all promotions. The Alliance has also arranged displays of Pride flags and rainbows on screens and billboards throughout Times Square for a special #SignsofPride campaign.
Pride in Times Square is sponsored by American Express, ViiV Healthcare, and Audible Theater, with additional support from Hotel Edison, The National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC), Open Jar Studios, the NYC Mayor’s Office of Equity, and NYC Unity Project.
For a full schedule and more information, visit Playbill.com/Pride.
