Sure, that lyric may be sung nightly with verve by the inimitable six-time Tony-winning Audra McDonald, but it can undoubtedly be applied to BroadwayCon 2025, the mammoth annual celebration of the Great Bright Way and the effervescent community that keeps it shining every night!!
Now in its tenth year, the weekend-long fest, oft referred to, along with the Tony Awards, as the theater nerd’s Super Bowl (apt as this year’s final hurrah coincides with the sports world’s ever-hyped football finale), features over 100 hours of programming, performances, interactive experiences, and more!
Lin-Manuel Miranda in All In: Comedy About Love on Broadway. Photo by Emilio Madrid.
Running from Friday, February 7th through Sunday, February 9th, can’t-miss panels include:
- “Creatively All In,” spotlighting the singular Lin-Manuel Miranda, wherein the artist himself dives deep into his multifaceted career and countless collaborations—from In the Heights and Hamilton to Encanto, Mufasa, and Warriors—examining the evolution of his creative process and how he became a “groundbreaker” in American theater, film, and more. Saturday, February 8th, 2pm, Broadway Ballroom.
- “Writing Wicked,” which sees original author Gregory Maguire and Broadway bookwriter Winnie Holzman discuss the origin of the green girl, the property’s cultural impact, and overall adaptation from page to stage to screen, all while rejocifying over the show’s enduring 20+-year success. Sunday, February 9th, 12pm, Westside Ballroom.
- “Gone Too Soon,” in which actors and creatives from Tammy Faye, Swept Away, and Lempicka, recent productions that shuttered before their time, discuss their experiences in these productions and navigating an early closing. Sunday, February 9th, 3:15pm, Julliard Complex.
- “Hats Off to Seussical,” a highly anticipated panel reuniting original cast members Kevin Chamberlin, Janine LaManna, and Michele Pawk with feted librettists Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty for a discussion of the musical’s diehard fandom and enduring appeal 25 years later. (We, for one, think it’s the universality and prevalence of its themes.) Sunday, February 9th, 2pm, Westside Ballroom.
Other buzz-worthy panels cover theatre meme culture and politics on stage, discussions on regional theatre and the “indie theater scene,” conversations with Broadway playwrights, photographers, designers, directors, and stage managers; and a Q&A with Ellen Hart of the iconic Ellen’s Stardust Diner.
Music City. Drew Bastian (on drums, behind plexiglass), Corry J. Ethridge, Holly Wilder, Jonathan Judge-Russo, Stephen Michael Spencer, Leenya Rideout. Photo by Ashley Garrett.
And of course, there's the acclaimed First Look and Showcase, boasting performances from longstanding favorites like & Juliet, SIX, and Titanique, along with newcomers like Redwood, A Wonderful World, and Off-Broadway’s Music City, and sneak peeks at spring hits like Real Women Have Curves and Buena Vista Social Club.
It’s all sandwiched between sing-alongs, dance tutorials, game nights, trivia sessions, fan meet-ups, book signings, autograph sessions, cosplay contest, and the eighth annual Star-to-Be competition, the latter bestowing the best of the BroadwayCon amateur talents with the ultimate theatrical prize.
The on-site marketplace will also be rife with retailers, including representatives from Applause Shop, Broadway Memories, Parodybill, Ripley-Grier Studios, “Scents of the Stage,” Lights of Broadway Showcards, and TDF by TKTS, to name a few.
Finally, as a special add-on to the Broadway merriment, select productions, including & Juliet, A Wonderful World, and The Great Gatsby, will also offer BroadwayCon Nights as part of their performances throughout the weekend. With each show ticket, attendees can take part in an exclusive post-performance talkback with the cast—and possibly some more surprises—on the allotted night.
Whether you’re an aspiring actor, director, producer, or just like to take it in from the comfort of the velvet seats, this weekend’s sure to make you see—and celebrate—why there’s truly “no business like show business” at all!
Image: Cheryl Root Photography
BroadwayCon 2025 recently announced a last-minute change in venue. The three-day convention will be held within the New York Marriott Marquis Hotel (1535 Broadway) in the Theatre District. For tickets, schedules, and more information, visit broadwaycon.com.
