Thousands of theater fans and passers-by gathered in Duffy Square on Sunday as casts from 23 Broadway productions delivered free performances in the heart of Times Square despite scattered rain.
The event, part of Mayor Eric Adams’ year-long "Founded by NYC" initiative celebrating the city’s 400th anniversary, featured musical numbers from well-known shows including Wicked, Mamma Mia!, The Book of Mormon, Chicago and Aladdin. Performers frequently walked from nearby theaters to the open-air stage and returned afterward to prepare for afternoon matinees.
Organizers and industry officials described the gathering as a celebration of Broadway’s presence in the city. "There's only one Broadway, and there's only one New York City," Broadway League President Jason Laks said in a statement released about the event. "The heart of Times Square is the perfect place to celebrate Broadway's legacy."
Attendees included residents who traveled specifically for the performances and tourists who stumbled upon the show. Terry Bush, a 47-year-old visitor from Milwaukee, said she and her family had planned to see The Lion King but welcomed the opportunity to hear multiple shows in one place. "When I think of New York, I think of Broadway, but we didn’t think we’d be walking around and get to see it all just happening in the middle of Times Square," she said.
Some theatergoers said free public events help offset the rising cost of tickets. "I love Broadway, but tickets to see every show can be so expensive, so I always try to come to free events like this," said Tamara K., a 19-year-old New York University student who said she enjoyed seeing Christopher Jackson, known for his role in Hamilton, perform. Other actors at the event included company members from new and long-running productions who alternated between the Times Square stage and their theater stages.
Lin-Manuel Miranda, the creator of Hamilton, was among those who spoke at the event, and casts staged highlights that drew repeating applause from the crowd. City officials said the program was designed to bring the arts to public spaces and highlight Broadway as a cultural and economic engine for New York.
Performances continued into the afternoon with audiences remaining despite the intermittent showers. For many attendees, the chance to experience professional productions without purchasing a ticket offered a rare and welcome introduction to multiple shows in a single setting. Organizers said the celebration was one element of a broader slate of events planned across the city for the 400th anniversary year.
Officials did not release an overall attendance figure. Theater representatives and city leaders described the outdoor showcase as a reminder of Broadway’s visibility and role in New York’s cultural life, and said similar public programming would continue as part of the anniversary observances.