The Broadway League, Playbill, and the Times Square Alliance, announce details for the third-annual Curtain Up Broadway Festival, a three-day outdoor experience in Times Square presented by title sponsor Prudential Financial, with additional support from the NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, Music Performance Trust Fund, The Film Fund, Open Jar Studios, and Hotel Edison.
From Friday September 8 - Sunday September 10, 2023, Curtain Up Broadway Festival brings Broadway to the streets, in the heart of New York City: Times Square. Stretching between 45th and 47th Streets, the festival will include interactive events and performances that are all live, free, and open to the public. #CurtainUpBway
The three-day celebration will include the following headlining events:
The Curtain Up Broadway Festival will kick off on Friday September 8 at 2:30PM. The Curtain Up Broadway Festival kicks off with guest speakers from Playbill, The Broadway League, Times Square Alliance, & Prudential Financial, with Broadway guest hosts, special performances, and special and special guests from The NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME), Hotel Edison, Open Jar Studios, The Entertainment Community Fund, and more. The event will ignite excitement on the main stage and include a celebratory countdown to the official event start!
The Prudential Stages on Broadway Brought to You by Playbill contest hosted by Brittney Johnson, an acclaimed Broadway star who made history playing the title role of “Glinda” in the smash-hit musical “Wicked,” will take place on September 9th and gives aspiring and emerging artists across the country the opportunity to capitalize on their “Now What?” moment. The winning artists will have the opportunity to network with theatre professionals – like host Brittney Johnson and contest judges Tara Rubin and Allen René Louis – and could walk away with a monetary prize of up to $10,000 plus an opportunity for financial advice from a Prudential Advisor.
All will culminate in The Curtain Up! LIVE from Broadway finale concert, a grand, outdoor event taking place rain or shine on Sunday, September 10 from 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM in Duffy Square. This FREE outdoor concert spotlights marquee talent and showcases current Broadway musicals and plays and will be aired live on WABC. More details and a list of participating shows will be announced at a later date.
Additional events include: Broadway Sing-Alongs throughout the festival on the ‘Belt It Out On Broadway’ stage, Curtain Up After Dark events featuring Broadway Sings and Rockers On Broadway, Ailey’s Revelations dance workshop, multiple Dueling Piano events at the ‘Belt It Out on Broadway’ stage, Broadway Block Parties presented by the NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME), and more to be announced.
For a full list of events, please see the event schedule below. Visit Playbill.com/CurtainUp for Curtain Up Broadway Festival details (as they are announced).
Join the conversation about Curtain Up Broadway Festival by following @Playbill, @TimesSquareNYC, and @BroadwayLeague and using #CurtainUpBway.
For video assets from Curtain Up 2022 please click here (credit: Playbill). For photos click here (credit: Heather Gershonowitz for Playbill).
CURTAIN UP BROADWAY FESTIVAL SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
The three-day celebration will include the following events below. For a full, detailed listing of events taking place, please visit Playbill.com/CurtainUp.
(Performances are rain or shine, with times and participants subject to change.)
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2023
Event: Broadway Sing-Along
Time: 2:00 – 2:30 PM
Location: Belt it Out on Broadway Dueling Pianos Presented by Prudential
(Location in Times Square bet, 45th and 46th Streets)
Check back for the exciting show announcement shortly!
Event: Official Curtain Up Kick-Off Celebration
Time: 2:30 – 3:00 PM
Location: Mainstage on Duffy Square
The Curtain Up Broadway Festival kicks off with guest speakers from Playbill, Times Square Alliance, The Broadway League, & title sponsor Prudential Financial, with Broadway guest hosts, live performances, and special guests from The NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME), the Music Performance Trust Fund (MPTF), The Film Fund, Hotel Edison, Open Jar Studios, The Entertainment Community Fund, and more. The event will ignite excitement on the main stage and include a celebratory countdown to the official event start!
Event: The Broadway Block Party presented by the NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME)
Time: 3:00 – 3:30 PM
Location: Mainstage on Duffy Square
Join DJ Mike Borowski as he spins Broadway hits in the middle of Times Square!
Event: Broadway Sing-Along
Time: 3:45 – 4:15 PM
Location: Belt it Out on Broadway Dueling Pianos Presented by Prudential
(Location in Times Square bet, 45th and 46th Streets)
Check back for the exciting show announcement shortly!
Event: Broadway Sing-Along
Time: 4:30 – 5:00 PM
Location: Belt it Out on Broadway Dueling Pianos Presented by Prudential
(Location in Times Square bet, 45th and 46th Streets)
Check back for the exciting show announcement shortly!
Concert: “All That Jazz” – A Celebration of Chita Rivera with the Entertainment Community Fund
Time: 5:00 – 6:30 PM
Location: Mainstage on Duffy Square
The Entertainment Community Fund, in association with Nouveau Productions, bring together Broadway stars and special guests celebrating nine decades of the incomparable Chita Rivera! Featuring members of the American Pops Orchestra, the concert will feature performances and stories, shared, and performed by some of the brightest stars on Broadway. Plus, stay for a special appearance by Chita herself - this concert is one not to miss!
Concert: Curtain Up After Dark presents Broadway Sings: Acoustic!
Time: 6:30 – 8:00 PM
Location: Belt it Out on Broadway Dueling Pianos Presented by Prudential
(Location in Times Square bet, 45th and 46th Streets)
Presented by Prudential, Curtain Up After Dark welcomes Broadway Sings: Acoustic to the stage! Join Broadway special guests, performers, and band as they present an acoustically driven concert under the golden setting sun. With hit Broadway songs and incredible arrangements, the concert will be one to remember forever!
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2023
Event: Ailey’s Revelations dance workshop
Time: 10:30 AM – 11:15 AM
Location: Mainstage on Duffy Square
Everyone can dance with Ailey! Join the processional through Duffy Square as Ailey’s West African drummers and dancers lead New Yorkers of all ages to the Curtain Up mainstage, where you’ll learn modified excerpts of Alvin Ailey’s masterwork, Revelations. Participants are asked to wear comfy clothing.
Event: Broadway Sing-Along
Time: 11:15 – 11:45 AM
Location: Belt it Out on Broadway Dueling Pianos Presented by Prudential
(Location in Times Square bet, 45th and 46th Streets)
Check back for the exciting show announcement shortly!
Event: The Broadway Block Party presented by the NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME)
Time: 11:45 AM – 12:45 PM
Location: Mainstage on Duffy Square
Join DJ Mike Borowski as he spins Broadway hits in the middle of Times Square!
Event: Belt It Out On Broadway Dueling Pianos Presented by Prudential
Time: 1:00 – 2:15 PM
Location: Belt it Out on Broadway Dueling Pianos Presented by Prudential
(Location in Times Square bet, 45th and 46th Streets)
Join Prudential all weekend at Belt It Out On Broadway, a series of Dueling Piano show-downs held right in Times Square. From specially themed programs featuring Broadway stars to spirited sing-alongs where audience members choose the tunes, rollicking good fun will be yours for the asking. This session will star pianists Elijah Caldwell and Rachel Kaufman!
Concert: Prudential Stages on Broadway Concert
Time: 3:00 – 4:00 PM
Location: Mainstage on Duffy Square
Hosted by Brittney Johnson, an acclaimed Broadway star who made history playing the title role of Glinda in the smash-hit musical Wicked – the Prudential Stages on Broadway Concert will give (4) four aspiring and emerging artists across the country the opportunity to capitalize on their ‘Now What?’ moment and sing on stage with Johnson in front of theatre professionals like contest judges Tara Rubin and Allen René Louis. The winning aspiring artist will also walk away with a monetary prize of up to $10,000 plus an opportunity for financial advice from a Prudential Advisor.
Event: Belt It Out On Broadway Dueling Pianos Presented by Prudential
Time: 4:00 – 5:00 PM
Location: Belt it Out on Broadway Dueling Pianos Presented by Prudential (Location in Times Square bet, 45th and 46th Streets)
Join Prudential all weekend at Belt It Out On Broadway, a series of Dueling Piano show-downs held right in Times Square. From specially themed programs featuring Broadway stars to spirited sing-alongs where audience members choose the tunes, rollicking good fun will be yours for the asking. This session will star pianists Rachel Kaufman and Drew Wutke!
Concert: Curtain Up After Dark presents Rockers on Broadway
Time: 6:30 – 8:00 PM
Location: Belt it Out on Broadway Dueling Pianos Presented by Prudential
(Location in Times Square bet, 45th and 46th Streets)
Presented by Prudential, Curtain Up After Dark welcomes the return of Rockers On Broadway: Live in Times Square, benefiting The PATH Fund. Join Broadway’s Donnie Kehr and his band as they rock the stage with Broadway and contemporary rock-n-roll hits, alongside special guests!
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2023
Concert: Curtain Up! LIVE from Broadway
Time: 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM; rain or shine
Location: Mainstage on Duffy Square
An exciting, outdoor event that marks the culmination of Curtain Up Broadway Festival, the Curtain Up! LIVE from Broadway concert will feature live musical performances and special guest star appearances highlighting the current Broadway season. The concert will be broadcast live on WABC.
Event: Belt It Out On Broadway Dueling Pianos Presented by Prudential
Time: 12:30 – 2:30 PM
Location: Belt it Out on Broadway Dueling Pianos Presented by Prudential
(Times Square bet, 45th and 46th Streets)
Join Prudential all weekend at Belt It Out On Broadway, a series of Dueling Piano show-downs held right in Times Square. From specially themed programs featuring Broadway stars to spirited sing-alongs where audience members choose the tunes, rollicking good fun will be yours for the asking. This session will star pianists Sarah Glassman and Drew Wutke!