Broadway On Demand, with the support of the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League, has announced a special, never-before-seen event in place of the Tony Awards in order to celebrate the Broadway community despite the recent prolonged closure of Broadway and the postponement of the 2020 Tony Awards. The event will stream on Sunday, June 7 at 6:00 PM ET exclusively on the Tony Awards website and Broadway on Demand’s website.
The one-hour event will bring the theatrical community together on what is always the industry’s biggest night. The evening is directed by Tony Award nominee Lonny Price and written by Tony nominee Karey Kirkpatrick, Steve Rosen, David Rossmer, Kate Wetherhead and Lauren Yee. Musical direction & supervision is by Grammy Award winner Jason Howland with choreography by Sarah O’Gleby.
The event will raise money for both the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League, with support for the American Theatre Wing’s Education and Professional Development initiatives that provide crucial programming for theatre’s next generation of artists, creatives, and arts administrators and The Broadway League Foundation’s efforts to train young artists around the country and introduce them to careers in theatre.
Heather Hitchens, President & CEO of the American Theatre Wing, said, “While the level of need within our community right now is overwhelming, so too is the generosity we continue to see every day. We are very grateful for Broadway On Demand for designing this wonderful opportunity for fans to celebrate Broadway and the Tony Awards while supporting the work we are doing to help those affected by this crisis.”
Charlotte St. Martin, President of the Broadway League, said, “Given all the devastating ways that this pandemic has affected our educational system, providing educational and training opportunities to those who otherwise might not have access feels more vital than ever before. In these uncertain times, helping the next generation of artists flourish is the best way I can think of to remain optimistic about the future of Broadway! Thank you to everyone at Broadway On Demand for helping us realize our mission, and helping to celebrate our industry’s biggest night – the Tony Awards.”
Sean Cercone, Broadway On Demand President and CEO, added, “There’s never been a more important moment for the theatre community to gather, celebrate and share our collective passion for the craft. Broadway’s ability to be a cultural touchstone not just to NYC but for all people around the globe truly makes it the longest street in the world. We are thrilled to provide a platform where all theatre lovers can gather in this moment, albeit digitally, to remind us of the shared sense of magic, wonder and humanity that Broadway stands for.”
Broadway On Demand recently launched its platform on May 17 with its debut programming, “30 Days of Opening Nights.”