It's Like Christmas Morning for Any Broadway Devotee

Sunday, Times Square will get even louder and crazier for its annual theater kickoff event, Broadway on Broadway, a celebration of current Broadway shows as well as the newcomers for the 2008-2009 season. An expected crowd of 50,000 will surround a giant outdoor stage and watch performances by the casts of over 20 musicals, from long-running classics such as Phantom of the Opera and The Lion King, to brand new Broadway residents Billy Elliot, A Tale of Two Cities, Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, and 13. Drew Lachey, Dancing With the Stars star turned Spamalot replacement, will host the event, which spans from 43rd to 47th Streets. The event is free, and even though the performances start at 11:30 a.m., people start lining up much earlier to get a prime viewing spot. Diehard musical lovers abound, and big-name Broadway stars perform leading up to a confetti-filled finale.

Broadway on Broadway was conceived by the Broadway League, the official trade association for commercial theater and the same organization that sponsors the Tony Awards. The event began in 1992 as an outdoor welcome party for the Democratic National Convention, held in New York City that year. It was so successful that the Broadway League decided to continue it in future years, offering spectators the chance to see some of the Great White Way’s biggest stars and also providing a sneak preview of upcoming Broadway shows.

This year, in addition to welcoming new productions to the stage, Times Square is taking this opportunity to usher in the Broadway Concierge and Ticket Center, located inside the Times Square Information Center. The Concierge and Ticket Center is a new office where tickets to nearly every Broadway and Off-Broadway show are available under one roof. The center is the latest development in Broadway hospitality and is aimed at consolidating and streamlining the ticketing process. Broadway on Broadway aims to be a destination event for Broadway lovers not only because of the unique combination of star quality and celebratory atmosphere, but also because it honors new progress in making Broadway accessible to everyone.

Kerry O’Malley, star of the new musical Irving Berlin’s White Christmas and first-time performer in Broadway on Broadway, spoke briefly with Spectator about her hopes for the event. White Christmas opens on Nov. 14, and O’Malley praised Broadway on Broadway for enabling people to see a free preview that will hopefully spark excitement and interest in the show. The event is a “huge attention-getting opportunity,” O’Malley said. She added that Broadway on Broadway’s mix of performers demonstrates “just how much talent is out there on Broadway right now.” Because O’Malley grew up with the televised Tony Awards as her only free exposure to musical theater, she has an immense appreciation for a public event that displays amazing talent in a festive atmosphere, yet has no admission charge. Besides, she said, “Where else can you see numbers from twenty Broadway shows live?”