Bryant Park Broadway Concert

[Victoria Grant]

Posted: 6/12/03 at 2:48pm

I heard that Bryant Park is having its concert on 6/16 for Broadway.

Has anybody ever gone to Bryant Parks Events? Any tips or pointers aside from the given?


Nine star Antonio Banderas and wife Melanie Griffith, Chicago's next Roxie on Broadway, co-host the free Broadway Under the Stars evening June 16 at Bryant Park in midtown Manhattan.

Tony Award-winner Ann Reinking (Chicago, Fosse) directs and choreographs the second annual evening (approximately 90 minutes) and will be one of the night's highlights as she performs with Bebe Neuwirth.

The show — which is split into four segments including Star-Crossed Love, Unconventional Love, Epic Love and Love in a Movie Musical, each introduced by movie montages and backed by a 30-piece orchestra — will also feature songstress Jewel performing a Cole Porter song, Tony Award winner Jane Krakowski and a finale by her Nine co-star Chita Rivera.

Among the other performers who will take part in the festivities are Christiana Anbri, Brent Barrett, Laura Benanti, Sandra Brown, Liz Callaway, Len Cariou, Carolee Carmello, Rosa Curry, Linda Eder, Raul Esparza, Edie Falco, Eugene Fleming, Alexis Kalehoff, Marc Kudisch, Norm Lewis, Mary Stuart Masterson, Main Mazzie, Andrea McArdle, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Katie Moore, Sharon Moore, Desmond Richardson, Allyson Tucker, William Ullrich, Lillias White, Tom Wopat and Eric Jordan Young.

The second annual Broadway Under the Stars, presented by AOL Time Warner and produced by the League of American Theatres and Producers and NYC&Company, takes place 8 PM June 16 — rain or shine.

The lawn at Bryant Park — between 40th and 42nd Street off Sixth Avenue — will open at 5:30 PM for picnicking. Fans are advised to bring a blanket and arrive early to secure a spot on the grass as chairs are not permitted on the lawn. For more information, visit www.nycvisit.com.

[Amneris]

Posted: 6/12/03 at 2:50pm

wasnt quite as glamorous as the stars that will be there this year!!!! Friends and I got there at 3 last year for the 5:30 lawn opening and man theres was lots of fighting because the people who came at 8 all tried to sit up front :oP
it was great fun though!!!!! Marin got the entire park to stand after she sang "ring them bells"

[KB]

Posted: 6/12/03 at 2:57pm

That is a very good line-up. How crowded does it get there? If I couldn't get there till 6 or so would I be able to see anything or just dots that resemble celebrities?

KB

[Amneris]

Posted: 6/12/03 at 3:00pm

i think they said last year 15,000 plus people attended

[theaterbuff]

Posted: 6/12/03 at 3:03pm

Get there as early as you can.

TheaterBuff

[Victoria Grant]

Posted: 6/12/03 at 3:05pm

Thanks for the info. I'll probably get there at 7:00 am (HAHAHA!) I hope it is worth it.

[Deannaizme]

Posted: 6/12/03 at 4:23pm

Oh, it sounds like it's worth it. That sounds like a really good line up.

~D

[moljul]

Posted: 6/12/03 at 4:30pm

do you really have to get there that early? When I heard the lawn didn't open until 5:30, I thought someone would just need to get there a little before 5:30. Where does everyone go when they are waiting for 5:30 to come? Any advice will be appreciated. A friend of mine is going to save us a spot and I don't want her there unduly early but we just want to be able to grab a spot on the lawn for our blanket.

[TheaterBaby]

Posted: 6/13/03 at 1:32am

Why oh why does it have to be on a Monday Can't they work around my schedule! *Tantrum* Tuesdays are much better for me. I used to go to school around ther corner from there (and not have to work on Monday's). Of course, now that I graduated from Berkeley College (conveniently on 43rd street) they have this!

[RiffRaff]

Posted: 6/13/03 at 1:46pm

Does anyone know what Raul Esparza will be doing at the event??

[ChristineDaae]

Posted: 6/13/03 at 3:18pm

I went to Rent's day last year!

It was fun! After they perform you can talk to the actors! The shows that perform sing 3 songs.

[moljul]

Posted: 6/13/03 at 3:33pm

Actually ChristineDaae, this thread was originally about the Broadway Under the Stars concert which is at night on Monday in Bryant Park. I think what you are referring to are the weekly daytime concerts in the park where one or two shows are featured each week. I think they are on Wedesdays if I'm not mistaken.

Just wanted to clarify that so others didn't think one show would get up and do 3 numbers.