The Broadway League’s Black to Broadway Initiative will present Broadway Celebrates Juneteenth, a free outdoor event centered around Black joy and unity that will feature Black Broadway performers in a 90-minute concert. This inaugural event, which is sponsored by MAC Cosmetics and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS with the support of the Times Square Alliance, will take place in Times Square (Broadway between 43rd & 44th Streets) on Saturday, June 19, 2021 from noon – 1:30 PM (rain or shine).
The program is free and open to all to join in this celebration, including those who identify as Black, their allies, and anyone who feel a connection to this holiday. Broadway Celebrates Juneteenth will feature cast members from such shows as Girl from the North Country, The Lion King, Moulin Rouge, The Phantom of the Opera, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, Thoughts of a Colored Man, with special appearances by Lillias White, Ben Vereen, and more to be announced, in a concert of song and dance with live music provided by The Music Performance Trust Fund.
The creative and production team includes Steve H. Broadnax III as Director, Daryl Waters as Music Director, Nzinga Williams as General Manager, and Cody Renard Richard as Stage Manager. The Broadway League is the executive producer of the event. Brian Moreland and Aaliytha Stevens are Co-Chairs of the Broadway League's Multi-Cultural Task Force.
“This will be the first year that Juneteenth will be an official holiday in New York State. We are proud to be honoring and celebrating this important day together as a community. We will be reflecting on the incredible contributions that the Black members of our community have made and continue to contribute to Broadway. As the industry prepares to reopen this fall, we welcome this opportunity to join together in looking forward to a better Broadway, one that comes back stronger, more diverse, more equitable, more inclusive, and more united,” said Charlotte St. Martin, President of the Broadway League.
“We are looking forward to this celebration of Black joy and unity within and beyond the Broadway industry. An amazing roster of performers with live music will be on hand for this historic event,” said Brian Moreland and Aaliytha Stevens, Co-Chairs of the Broadway League's Multi-Cultural Task Force. “All are welcome as we come together to work towards Broadway's recovery, and advance along the road to a better future for Broadway that is more equitable, inclusive, and accessible.”
The goal of Black to Broadway is to inspire deeper engagement with, awareness of, and access to Broadway for all Black people. Created by The Broadway League in 2019, and originally called Let’s Do Broadway, this initiative is an industry-wide celebration of the Black community on Broadway—on stage, in the audience, behind the scenes, and as leaders in the Broadway community.
For more about Black to Broadway visit BroadwayLeague.com. Performers are subject to change. For Broadway information in NYC as well as for shows on tour across North America and internationally, visit Broadway.org.
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