Local Brooklyn residents didn’t have to travel to Manhattan on June 14 to see quality Broadway theatre performances; Broadway came to Bed-Stuy instead. Cast members from the hit shows Hadestown and Mean Girls sang four or more songs each to kick off this year’s Broadway in the Boros concert series.
Broadway in the Boros, which is in its fourth year, makes Broadway more accessible to city residents. Sirius XM’s Julie James emceed the performances and presided over giveaways, which included free tickets to each show, if trivia was answered correctly.
Anne del Castillo, commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, said this was the first time Broadway performed at Restoration Plaza. Previous Brooklyn locations were Fort Greene Park in 2016, Albee Square Plaza in 2017, and The Plaza at 300 Ashland last year. When asked how Hadestown and Mean Girls came to be chosen in this year’s Brooklyn line-up, del Castillo said it was by popularity and chance.
“We were really lucky that Hadestown took home so many awards at this year’s Tonys, and that’s our opening show. We didn’t plan that,” she explained with a laugh. “We try to look at a mix of new and classic, and also look at where we’re programming. We try to really match the content to the neighborhoods that we’re going to be in, but we also want it to be an opportunity for those communities to be exposed to something they might not otherwise consider.”
HADESTOWN
Hadestown received a warm welcome. The show intertwines two mythic tales – that of young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice, and that of King Hades and his wife Persephone – as it takes audience members on a hell-raising journey to the underworld and back. Singer-songwriter Anaïs Mitchell’s beguiling melodies and director Rachel Chavkin’s poetic imagination pit industry against nature, doubt against faith, and fear against love.
John Krause and Khaila Wilcoxon sang duet favorites “Wedding Song” and “All I’ve Ever Known” as Orpheus and Eurydice. Jewelle Blackman, Kay Trinidad, Yvette Gonzalez-Nacer, the show’s three Fates, performed “Livin’ It Up on Top.”
Kimberly Marable, who sang “Our Lady of the Underground”, grew up about 10 blocks away from Restoration Plaza.
“It’s great to bring Broadway home to my people,” Marable said. “We ought to be bringing it out to the boroughs, and I’m happy to be a part of doing exactly that – reclaiming Broadway for ourselves. I’m happy to be here and can perform in Brooklyn, which I think is the best borough.”
MEAN GIRLS
Mean Girls, which has been playing for over a year, is a musical from comedian Tina Fey. Based on the classic film that recently celebrated its 15th anniversary, the storyline’s all about what it means to be a true friend, a worthy nemesis, and – above all – a good human being. Mean Girls was nominated for 12 Tony Awards in 2018. Curtis Holland (as Aaron Samuels), Becca Petersen (as Cady Heron), Ashley De La Rosa (as Regina George), and Danielle Wade (as Janis Sarkisian) performed at Restoration Plaza.
Becca Petersen spoke after the concert about the event.
“It’s definitely different because we don’t have the elements of costume and lights, but it’s fun to have a different setting and atmosphere; it’s really exciting for us,” she explained. “We’re happy to share our story.”
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Casts and musicians from Beautiful: The Carol King Musical and Wicked will be at Co-op City, Section 1 Greenway (140 Benchley Place) in the Bronx on July 12. Casts and musicians from Beetlejuice and Chicago will be at the Empire Outlets at the St. George Ferry Station (Staten Island) on July 26. All performances are free, take place from noon to 1 pm (rain or shine) and will have ASL musical interpreters on stage.
“I hope this ends up inspiring some folks to check out Broadway or even just sparks an interest in the local theater because there’s tons of offerings in each of the boroughs that are a little bit off the beaten path,” said del Castillo. “We really want this to be an opportunity for New York City residents to really take advantage of the cultural offerings both on Broadway and in their local neighborhoods.”
Top photo by DeGregorio
Author
George Fiala has worked in radio, newspapers and direct marketing his whole life, except for when he was a vendor at Shea Stadium, pizza and cheesesteak maker in Lancaster, PA, and an occasional comic book dealer. He studied English and drinking in college, international relations at the New School, and in his spare time plays drums and fixes pinball machines.
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