Sponsored ContentRob Madge, James Monroe Iglehart, Jay Armstrong Johnson Will Get Their Pride On With Playbill
A host of Broadway favorites are set to perform at Playbill's third annual Pride in Times Square, presented in collaboration with the Times Square Alliance.
By
Logan Culwell-Block
June 20, 2024
The triumphant return of Playbill and the Times Square Alliance's Pride in Times Square is nigh, and now we know which Broadway stars and shows will be on hand to help us celebrate in style! The third annual weekend-long event will invite theatre fans to the heart of Broadway to celebrate in style, with performances from Broadway stars, a nighttime disco dance party, and more. Festivities are planned for June 28 and 29, coinciding with NYC Pride Weekend.
The weekend will close June 30 as the Playbill Pride Float returns to the NYC Pride March, with supporting partner Heritage of Pride. Double-decker buses from some of the Pride in Times Square sponsors will also get in on the fun, helping to make 2024 NYC extra special.
Hosting the event's kick-off, the Broadway Pride Block Party set for June 28 at 5:15 PM rain or shine, will be Rob Madge. Also appearing will be Jenn Colella, Betty Who, Yola, Corey Mach, Storm Lever, Max von Essen, Mary Kate Morrissey, Talia Suskauer, Gilbert Domally, Dee Roscioli, and James Monroe Iglehart. A host of Broadway shows will be on hand to participate, too, including Back to the Future, The Book of Mormon, Chicago, Empire, The Great Gatsby, Hadestown, Hamilton, Hell’s Kitchen, Illinoise, The Lion King, Little Shop of Horrors, Merrily We Roll Along, The Notebook, The Play That Goes Wrong, Six, Suffs, Titanique, Water for Elephants, A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical, The Who’s Tommy, and Wicked.
Moving to June 29, ViiV Healthcare presents Celebrate You! will feature RuPaul's Drag Race stars Yuhua Hamasaki, Peppermint, Jan Sport, and Scarlet Envy, along with TikTok sensation Gioconda.
Closing out the weekend will be the return of The Big Broadway Disco, also June 29, and hosted by Playbill's Bryan Campione. The funkadelic event will be led by DJ Mike Borowski, and feature a fabulous wardrobe by DW. Participants will include Jay Armstrong Johnson, Eric Michael Krop, Tracy McDowell, Galyana Castillo, Madge, Darius Anthony Harper, Anne Fraser Thomas, Marti Cummings, Grant Evan, Bianca De Sarro, Kristen Plati, Karley Wasaff, King Queen, Ernest Terrelle Williams, and Paris L’Hommie. Specialty dancers will be supported by PJ Adzima.
The event is part of Playbill's LGBTQIA+ Pride celebration throughout the entire month of June, which sees the iconic yellow Playbill logo change to a Pride rainbow on programs handed out on Broadway and at major theatres nationwide.
Past Pride in Times Square events have seen nearly 800,000 attendees, with social media coverage attracting more than 1 million impressions. The 2023 Pride March was attended by a staggering 2.4 million people. Those interested in sponsorship opportunities should email [email protected].
The third annual Pride in Times Square is being presented by ViiV Healthcare and NYC Pride, with additional support from SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, The National LGBT Chamber of Commerce, The Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment, and MOTTO by Hilton NYC Times Square.
The play comes on the heels of a broader cultural conversation about Dahl's work and the prejudice that was embedded in many of his most beloved stories.