BroadwayCon 2023: As always, as amazing as can be!

By LINDA ARMSTRONG Special to the AmNews

If there is one event that I look forward to every year, it’s BroadwayCon.

This year, BroadwayCon 2023 took place at the Marriott Marquis from July 21–23 and it was marvelous. It was everything that I love about Broadway—a place to bring people together and feel the warmth of this wonderful community.

BroadwayCon was as inclusive as always and had Broadway panels about Broadway classics, current shows, and upcoming delights. BroadwayCon 2023 was a place where you could come in full cos-play or simply stroll around the Marketplace on the fifth floor and see all types of merchandise— artwork, pins, jewelry, T-shirts, jackets, full theatrical costumes, and show posters.

Madame Tussaud’s had a display from the now-closed “Phantom of the Opera” with the Phantom and Christine on the boat, and you could lie on pillows and pose with them.

Walking around, it was not unusual to suddenly hear someone belting out a show tune, and all were welcome.

Panels covered every facet of Broadway one could imagine, from plays that came and went but left their mark,such as “KPOP” and “Ain’t No More,” to ones that are still to come, such as the 30th anniversary production of the Who’s “Tommy.”

This theater event welcomed everyone, with panels including “Drag Is Life: Drag artists and the fight for LGBTQ+ Rights.” There were panels about non-traditional casting on and off-Broadway. There were panels about autism and Broadway; panels about “Musicals & Mental Health.” At any point during each of those three incredible days, multiple panels were going on simultaneously, so attendees had a plethora of choices.

I moderated two panels this year and would just like to share a bit from them. The first was about “Fat Ham,” which recently closed on Broadway. With me were Adrianna Mitchell, who played Opal; Benja Kay Thomas, who played Rabbi; and Calvin Leon Smith, who played Larry. It was truly riveting to speak with them about this play and their roles, and what it meant to have a play like this, first off-Broadway and then on Broadway.

“Fat Ham” was James Ijames’s take on Shakespeare’s classic tale of “Hamlet.” He set it in a family’s backyard at a wedding barbecue, and Hamlet was a gay college student named Juicy. The actors talked about the importance of the timing of this play, especially with how society can be unfair to the LGBTQ community.

When asked about breaking the fourth wall (speaking directly to the audience), which often happened in the play (and was quite humorous to experience as an audience member), the cast was candid as they shared what that can mean for an actor. While Thomas enjoyed doing it, she also said she could sometimes get carried away. Mitchell said that it was like having a spiritual connection to the different audiences. Smith, however, said that breaking the fourth wall was something he struggled with because it leaves an actor vulnerable. That response was an eye-opener for me and for those who attended the panel, all of whom had seen the production multiple times. My next panel was a one-onone with the two-time Tony- and Drama Desk-nominated actress Kara Young. Young has had a marvelous career thus far, one that I have followed closely. She talked about her journey and the role that her Black theater community has played in supporting her and calming her doubts when they occur. She talked about her regard for those actors who set the way for her, especially Ruby Dee. This was very important, because this September, she will play a role that Ruby Dee originated in her husband Ossie Davis’s play “Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through The Cotton

Gussie Mae Jenkins.

Young was also excited about finally getting to work with the fantastic Broadway director Kenny Leon, and said that what makes him special is that from day one, he is all about the work,

As I walked around BroadwayCon 2023 and visited the Marketplace, I was appreciative of the beautiful Broadway-related items on sale, from T-shirts, pins, and jewelry to posters and costumes. A few things truly caught my eye.

The Lights of Broadway/Show & Cards are baseball-style cards featuring Broadway shows and Broadway history; they are traded like baseball cards and used to raise money for organizations connected to assisting people in the business. This group is the brainchild of Dori Berinstein, who is the co-creator/producer, and

Justin “squigs” Robertson, co-creator/artist.

“We have raised money for 30 different charities and have donated over $200,000 over the past seven years. We are celebrating theater and keeping people’s passion up! The group is international, with trading cards and collectors in Paris and London.

There are cards autographed by celebrities, 3D cards, foil cards, and other types of designs. Col- lectors are kids, adults, and every kind of person you can imagine,”

Berinstein said.

When we stopped by Meow Cleeva, we saw gorgeous, original mixed-media prints and character descriptions of Meow Cleeva, a character created by artist Martha Colon, who also did book illustrations. (Her Instagram is @ meow_cleeva.)

There was truly something for everyone. AMDA was recruiting, and members of the Dramatists Guild staffed a table to recruit young playwrights.

As always, BroadwayCon 2023 was an event to be experienced and cherished, and to continue to grow an appreciation and love for all things THEATER.

BroadwayCon is produced by Mischief Management. See you again next year!

For more info, visit www.broadwaycon.com.