Broadway Celebrates Earth Day Returns to Times Square Saturday, April 26

Photo: Michael Hull

Shaina Taub, Stark Sands, and Merle Dandridge join the Broadway Green Alliance and Times Square Alliance’s annual star-studded event, presented by SUMMIT One Vanderbilt

The Broadway Green Alliance and Times Square Alliance are proud to announce that Broadway will once again raise its voice for the planet as the Broadway Celebrates Earth Day concert returns for the fourth year on Saturday, April 26th from 11am – 3pm ET, presented by SUMMIT One Vanderbilt. 

Taking place in Times Square’s Pedestrian Plaza, this free outdoor concert will feature live performances from Broadway stars including hosts Seth Rudetsky and James Wesley (Stars in the House), Tony Award Winner Shaina Taub (Suffs), Tony Award Nominee Stark Sands (Kinky Boots), Grammy Award nominee Merle Dandridge (Hadestown), and many more to be announced. 

Alongside show-stopping Broadway headliners, audiences can look forward to performances from more than 75 students from the tri-state area, uniting to advocate for a healthier, just, and more sustainable future for all. Audiences can also learn from and be inspired by theatre-makers and environmental leaders at the forefront of this work, including Materials for the Arts, HeadCount, Final Strike Collaborative, and 2030orBust. 

The concert serves as a marquee event for the NYC Department of Transportation’s city wide “Car-Free Earth Day” and will highlight the theatre community’s ongoing efforts to combat the climate crisis with actionable steps. Fans can tune in from around the world through the livestream hosted by Stars in the House. 

The concert is presented by SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, NYC’s premier immersive, artistic observation experience with 360-degree views of the city and beyond. SUMMIT is committed to supporting and elevating the intersection of sustainability, arts, and culture as a champion for initiatives that strengthen and celebrate the vibrant local community of New York City, such as Broadway Celebrates Earth Day. 

The concert is presented along with media partner iHeartRadio Broadway with additional generous support provided by The Knickerbocker Hotel. Creative Goods and Le Botaniste contribute as additional sponsors for the event. David Alpert serves as the director of the event and Rick Hip-Flores provides musical accompaniment. 

“The Times Square Alliance is thrilled to partner once again with the Broadway Green Alliance and the Department of Transportation to present a free Broadway Earth Day concert in the heart of Times Square as part of Car-Free Earth Day,” said Tom Harris, President of the Times Square Alliance. “We are thrilled to see this concert continue to grow in its fourth year with new Broadway stars and partners filling our plazas with music and climate action as we celebrate Car-Free Earth Day throughout the city.” 

“At a time when environmental progress is being rolled back, hope can feel difficult to come by—but our community continues to rise, turning frustration into action,” said Molly Braverman, Director of the Broadway Green Alliance. “This year, the concert embraces the theme of Active Hope, a reminder that through action, we create the hope we need to keep driving progress forward. We are so grateful to partner with the Times Square Alliance to belt this message out at the crossroads of the world.”

“I’m honored to once again be working with the Broadway Green Alliance to create this special event combining two of my favorite things–climate activism and musical theatre,” said David Alpert, Broadway Celebrates Earth Day Concert Director. “So many of us feel hopeless and fearful when reading the news, but this is a way to practice active hope and action! As always, we will use this concert to not only spotlight the magic of live theatre and Broadway; but to also inspire, educate, and encourage all of us to be a little greener–and use our individual voices to affect those around us.”

‍For more information:

www.broadwaygreen.com/earth-day

The Broadway Green Alliance (BGA) educates, motivates, and inspires the entire theatre community and its patrons to implement environmentally friendlier practices. The BGA was launched in 2008 as an ad hoc committee of The Broadway League and is a fiscal program of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. The BGA brings together all segments of the theatre community, including producers, Broadway and Off-Broadway theatres in New York and around the country, college drama programs, theatrical unions and their members, and related businesses. Working closely with the NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council), the BGA identifies and disseminates better practices for theatre professionals and reaches out to theatre fans throughout the country, and through alliances, internationally. Follow the Broadway Green Alliance on Instagram at @BroadwayGreenAlliance. www.broadwaygreen.com ‍

The Times Square Alliance works to improve and promote Times Square – cultivating the creativity, energy and edge that have made the area an icon of entertainment, culture, and urban life for over a century. Founded in 1992, the Alliance keeps the neighborhood clean and safe, promotes local businesses, manages area improvements and produces major annual events with partners including New Year’s Eve, Solstice in Times Square and Taste of Times Square. As the custodians of Times Square, the Alliance works every day to improve the quality of life for the neighborhood residents and businesses while driving economic growth in New York City. www.TSq.org

‍SUMMIT One Vanderbilt is NYC’s premier immersive observation experience with 360-degree views of the city and beyond. Located in the crown of One Vanderbilt in Midtown, in the heart of the city, the story-driven, innovative destination combines unparalleled vistas, curated multi-sensory experiences and cutting-edge technology. Visitors will experience way more than just spectacular views as SUMMIT offers four rooms of unique immersive art installations spread out across three levels. More daring adventurers will enjoy stepping out into fully transparent glass sky boxes that extends out of the building and suspends guests 1,063 feet above Madison Avenue. Completing the experience, on the top floor is Après, a bar and cafe that leads to the outdoor terrace. www.summitov.com