We’re shifting the focus of our virtual Tony Awards celebration.
In order to keep the spirit of the Tony Awards alive (originally scheduled for this Sunday night), we’ve been planning to release archived performance footage of Tony winning/nominated stars who have graced The Cabaret stage as part of The Glick Philanthropies Broadway at The Cabaret Series.
In light of recent events, we’ve decided to continue with plans to share performance footage, but with a new focus: amplifying Black voices.
Our initial virtual lineup of featured Tony winners/nominees included multiple Black Broadway artists, but now will exclusively feature some of the incredible Black artists who have shaped Broadway and inspired audiences at The Cabaret.
“These are the voices who need to be heard, elevated, and celebrated right now. We stand with these artists and with all of the Black community who continue to inspire in the face of injustice, inequity, unspeakable violence, and systemic racism. Black lives matter and have always mattered.” – The Cabaret Staff & Board
Starting on Sunday, June 7, performances by Tony winning/nominated Black artists will be released daily on our YouTube channel, shared via social media (@thecabaret on Facebook and Twitter, @the.cabaret on Instagram) and posted here on our website. Tony nominee Valarie Pettiford (Fosse) will kick things off on Sunday as our first featured artist; in the meantime, we encourage you to view a timely message from Valarie to The Cabaret’s followers (below).
While the complete schedule is still being finalized, it will be curated from a list of such artists as Tony winners Renée Elise Goldsberry (Hamilton) Jennifer Holliday (Dreamgirls), Billy Porter (Kinky Boots), LaChanze (The Color Purple), Brian Stokes Mitchell (Kiss Me Kate), Patina Miller (Pippin); and Tony nominees Norm Lewis (Porgy and Bess), and Joshua Henry (Violet, The Scottsboro Boys). The Cabaret has also reached out to many of these artists to see if they would like to do a social media takeover on the organization’s social media or share a message with The Cabaret’s audience.
We hope you’ll join us in celebrating and amplifying the voices of these incredible performers and all of the Black community. It’s well past time to pass the mic.
