Tony winner James Monroe Iglehart (Aladdin, Hamilton) will host the second annual Broadway Celebrates Juneteenth concert in Times Square June 19 at noon.
The free 90-minute concert—part of The Broadway League’s Black to Broadway Initiative—features Black performers and allies performing their own works of art, including songs, dances, and poetry accompanied by live music provided by The Music Performance Trust Fund.
This year’s event includes the inaugural presentation of the Juneteenth Legacy Awards honoring Tony winners Leslie Uggams and Ben Vereen for their community involvement and achievements on Broadway.
Attendees can expect appearances by 2022 Tony winner Myles Frost (MJ The Musical), 2022 Tony nominee Jared Grimes (Funny Girl), and Alex Newell (Once On This Island) as well as cast members from The Book of Mormon, Company, Dear Evan Hansen, Funny Girl, The Minutes, Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Mr. Saturday Night, Paradise Square, The Phantom of the Opera, and Tina—The Tina Turner Musical. Kids from current and recent Broadway shows will also offer a rendition of “Young, Gifted, and Black."
Steve H. Broadnax III writes and directs the concert, with music direction by Rashad McPherson. Brian Moreland and Aaliytha Stevens executive produce. Foresight Theatrical's Nzinga Williams and Devon Miller are the general managers, and Jhanaë Bonnick is the stage manager.
Charlotte St. Martin, president of The Broadway League, said in a statement, “We congratulate Leslie Uggams and Ben Vereen as the two inaugural recipients of the Juneteenth Legacy Award honors. They are artists of great caliber who have certainly left their mark on Broadway. As the Broadway community gathers in Times Square to celebrate Juneteenth, we take this opportunity to acknowledge these two dedicated individuals who have shown great commitment to education, philanthropy, and advocacy work on behalf of their communities.”
The goal of Black to Broadway is to inspire deeper engagement with an awareness of, and access to, Broadway for all Black people.
