In celebration of International Women’s Day, Disney on Broadway has announced a virtual event focusing on the theme of “Reflecting Courageously, Transforming Collectively.”
“This year has been unimaginably difficult for our community, who were suddenly cut off from not just their livelihoods but their chosen purpose,” said Anne Quart, SVP Production & Co-Producer, Disney Theatrical Productions. “With our theatre’s still dark, we knew it was important now more than ever to gather the Women of Broadway to share our stories and inspire and refresh each other.”
“On March 10, 2020, we held our 3rd annual Women’s Day on Broadway event, welcoming Secretary Hillary Rodman Clinton as our Keynote Speaker, along with many amazing women from within the theatre community. The next day, the world and our industry shuttered due to the pandemic,” stated Quart.
The need for events like this that keeps the spark of Broadway alive is crucial one year into the shutdown.
Holding an event like this, even if its virtual, shows how much everyone involved in Broadway is anticipating getting back up on the stage with live audiences in the seats.
About the event:
When? Friday March 12 at 1pm EST
Details: It’s free to join, but registration is required
Register at www.womenofbroadway.com
Event participants include: Marija Abney, Laura Benanti, Tanya Birl, Pearl Cleage, Cara Cooper, Maria Manuela Goyanes, Alia Jones-Harvey, Gethsemane Herron-Coward, Vanessa Javier, Tavia Jefferson, Julia Jones, Eva Price, Erin Moore, Phoebe Moore, Brittany Monachino, Lynn Nottage, Karen Olivo, Tali Pelman, Deborah Roberts, Jessica Rush, Macy Schmidt, Aaliytha Stevens, and Anne Quart.
This year’s event coincides with the one-year mark since Broadway’s shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The theme of “Reflecting Courageously, Transforming Collectively” will continue to engage attendees of all gender identities and expressions in a two-hour virtual event, featuring two substantive conversation sessions entitled “Broadway’s Moms: How Life Goes on When the Show Doesn’t” and “Broadway’s Second Act: A Conversation about Moving Beyond Intention.”
The first session, entitled “Broadway’s Moms: How Life Goes on When the Show Doesn’t” will bring mothers together to discuss the unbelievable challenge of parenting and specifically mothering during the pandemic. The panel will be moderated by Cara Cooper and Jessica Rush, co-hosts of the Mamas Talkin’ Loud podcast. Panelists for this session includes Tanya Birl, Laura Benanti, Vanessa Javier, Julia Jones, and Karen Olivo.
The second session, “Broadway’s Second Act: A Conversation about Moving Beyond Intention,” will be moderated by award-winning ABC News Correspondent, Deborah Roberts, leading a conversation about what actionable steps we can all take to ensure that we not only increase representation of BIPOC women in our board rooms, writing rooms, rehearsal rooms and beyond but that they have equal access to power and privilege. Panelists for this session include Maria Manuela Goyanes, Alia Jones-Harvey, Tali Pelman, Eva Price, and Aaliytha Stevens.
Introductions made throughout the event are young BIPOC women ready to join the industry. Many are participants in Black Theatre Coalition’s Winter/Spring initiative, including Marija Abney, Gethsemane Herron-Coward, Tavia Jefferson, Erin Moore, Brittany Monachino, and Phoebe Moore.
The event will feature a prerecorded performance of The Broadway Sinfonietta under the direction of Founder/Orchestrator Macy Schmidt.
For more information and to register for the event, visit the home for Women’s Day on Broadway, WomenOfBroadway.com, and follow @WomenOfBroadway.