Photos by Amanda Schwab/StarPix.

                 By Jeanne Lieberman     

The stars came out and brightened a cloudy day in that tiny patch of consecrated real estate called Shubert Alley. Packed to the rafters with adoring fans they proved that one didn’t have to wait till night time experience their brilliance.

Big Stars like Norm Lewis, Kelli O’Hara. Tyne Daly, Karen Ziemba, new stars like Adriane Lenox of After Midnight, Andy Karl of Rocky, Bryce Pinkham of Gentleman’s Guide…, Nikki M.James of Les Miserables and Lena Hall of Hedwig, and the electric Joshua Henry of Violet, the startling Thulislie Thusi of Lion King, and Andrea Goss of Cabaret, bright constellations like the choruses of Motown, Newsies, Cinderella, Mamma Mia.

It was a veritable banquet of theatrical tastings as each of 30 shows served up one of their numbers accompanied by a live 12-piece orchestra or some delectable dialogue. Even tantalizing tidbits from shows not yet opened like On the Town. and Holler If You Can Hear Me were served up.

And it was a chance to display the impressive versatility of our theater: as soaring melodies from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera and Jason Robert Brown’s Bridges of Madison County contrasted with the punk rock of Hedwig and Rock of Ages, the pop of Cindy Lauper’s Kinky Boots, the down home gospel style of Violet, and the 30’s Cotton Club style of After Midnight.

Indeed something for everyone!

Photos by                 Amanda Schwab/StarPix.

The chief steward of this smorgasbord was the venerable Norm Lewis, making history as the first black Phantom on Broadway in recent history (and he reminded us that there will be a concert of Blacks on Broadway at Carnegie Hall June 23^rd – thanks, Norm we’ll be there).

Exuberant with his success he couldn’t help but add an unscheduled chorus of Music of the Night to the Phantom of the Opera offering “All I Ask of You” by Sierra Boggess and Jeremy Hays.

ROCKY

The program started with Andy Karl singing ”Fight From the Heart”

 

ACT ONE

Chuck Cooper and Santino Fontana chatted about the show and the League

CHICAGO

“Roxie” was performed by the delightful Bianca Marroquin (who was just named the voice of Viva Broadway for Latin Audiences) surrounded by four sexy make Fosse dancers

MOTHERS and SONS

Tyne Daly and Bobbie Steggert chatted about the show and the event

MAMMA MIA!

Judy McLane sang “Winner Takes It All” with the cast

IF/THEN

“Love While Yu Can” was sung by

LaChanze and Jenn Coletta

HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME

Tanya Pinckins and Saul Williams talked about the show now in rehearsal

NEWSIES

“Seize the Day”
It was strange to see the cast of the best dancers on Broadway just singing but their spirit rang out nevertheless

CASA VALENTINA

Nick Westrate and Gabriel Ebert, virtually unrecognizable out of drag vowed they will not rest “until every play is either written or re-written by Harvey Fierstein” who currently has three running.

KINKY BOOTS

“The History of Wrong Guys” 
was sung charmingly by Jeanna de Waal

WICKED

“As Long As You’re Mine”
Sung by Justin Guarini and Christine  Dwyer

BEAUTIFUL: The Carole King Musical

“On Broadway”
E. Clayton Cornelius, James Harkness, Douglas Lyons, Alan Wiggins

THJE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA

“All I Ask of You’
Sierra Boggess, Jeremy Hays

THE LION KING

“The Circle of Love”
A huge and commanding voice emanated from this petite
Thulislie Thusi

ON THE TOWN

Tony Yazbek, Clyde Alves and Jay Armstrong Johnson gave us a sneak peek

A GENTLEMAN”S GUIDE….

Bryce Pinkham sang the intricate “Foolish to Think”

ALL THE WAY

Betsy Aidem who plays LadyBird and J Bernard Callaway who plays Abernathy chatted it up

Motown THE MUSICAL

Presented a spirited Supremes Medley/Signed Sealed, Delivered

CABARET

“Cabaret” was sung by Andrea Goss

LES MISERABLES

“On My Own”
Nikki M. James gave a heartrending version

AFTER MIDNIGHT

“Women Be Wise”
Adriane Lenox stopped the show and cracked up the band in her usual dynamic performance

RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN’S CINDERELLA

“Stepsister’s Lament”
Led by Ann Harada and a chorus

BULLETS OVER BROADWAY

“Let’s Misbehave”
Riotous rendition by Helene Yorke and Brooks Ashmanskas

VIOLET

“Let It Sing”
A rousing rendition by first time Tony nominee Joshua Henry

PIPPIN

“On The Right Track”
Featured Kyle Dean Massey and Ciara Renee

The BRIDGES OF MADISON  COUNTY

"To Build a Home"
Poignantly sung by Broadway favorite Kelli O’Hara

THE GLASS MENAGERIE

Celia Kennan-Bolger made an impressive appearance

HEDWIG and the ANGRY INCH

“Random Number Generation”
Was scathingly sung by Lena Hall

ROCK OF AGES

“Don’t Stop Believin” the cast performed an appropriate and I inspirational finale. 

Above all the huge and successful event reminded us all how special our theatrical community is. It is to be cherished and nurtured!