The concept for Broadway Backwards is an easy one - Men sing Women's songs and vice versa, and all the money from the tickets goes to the LGBTQ center of NYC and Broadway Cares Equity Fights Aids. However, when you put these amazing voices together, it becomes so much more than a concert. It definitely becomes a movement. The audience was made up of all types of people - young and old, gay and straight, and everyone was there to do some good and raise money and awareness for basic human rights.
I personally sat next to a gay couple that have seemingly been together forever. Both introduced themselves to me immediately, and we chatted all evening. They were kind and hilarious and made me feel at ease instantly. You see going to shows by myself isn't a thing I'm super comfortable with just yet. I usually sit awkwardly and stare at my phone until the show starts, but I didn't have to do that this evening, I had instant friends. (This is also why the unwritten subtitle to this post is "If Straight Guys were as Easy to Talk to as Gay Guys, I'd be Long Married by Now...")
Then of course, there were the entertainers, and oh my goodness did they entertain! The big draw for me was Andrew Rannells who sang Wherever He Ain't which was amazing - as usual. Another fabulous standout was Josh Groban making his first appearance at the event. He sang a song I recognized from Chess the musical - most songs that were sung tonight were not on my radar at all, so it was fun to recognize one or two. Elizabeth Stanley - the woman I discovered last week in that amazing Inspiration video I posted for Women's Day - sang a fall-over funny song from "Cops: The Musical." Who knew that was a thing?! Jay Armstrong Johnson and Andrew Keenan Bolger singing "Sixteen Going on Seventeen" was also super fun! Lastly, John Glover and Carolee Carmello tore everyone's hearts out with "Hello in there" and "Pity the Child." Those are just my favorites - but every single person was absolute perfection.
Between the performers and the audience, you could definitely feel an energy that you don't get anywhere else. We were all sort of connected in the moment and feeling the power of being creative and doing good. And that right there is just so much better than any drug! Before the show began, my new friends and seatmates told me that once I saw the show, I would definitely return year after year. And I'm not sure they've ever been so right about anything in their lives. Such an awesome night!
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