Broadway is Back... Well for "One Night Only"

By Olivia Haveron

Photo: Emilio Madrid for Broadway.com

It’s official! Broadway is back! Well, at least for one night only it is. Broadway has been missing from our experiences for the past year due to the Coronavirus pandemic and there is very little sign of it coming back anytime soon. However, soon we will have a glimpse at the future of Broadway for what we wish would be permanent.

One Night Only: The Best of Broadway, hosted by “Mean Girls” Tony Nominee and creator Tina Fey, will air on December 10th at 8:00 p.m. on NBC. The titular two-hour TV special will feature an array of Broadway stars and celebrate the resilience of the community. Broadway, which has been shut down since March and will stay closed until May 2021, has already seen some major closures of some its most popular shows due to the shutdown such as Frozen and Beetlejuice.

The casts of shows such as Ain’t Too Proud -- The Life and Times of Temptations, Chicago, Jagged Little Pill, Mean Girls, and so many others will take over the streets of New York City for this night of spectacular performances. And these cast members are ready to take the stage, or the streets, by storm. Doug Vaughn, executive vice president of special programs at NBC Entertainment stated: “With Broadway being crippled by current events, it’s never been more vital to showcase these incredible performers and remind audiences of their extraordinary talents for when they return to the stage.”

The special will also act as a charity concert as well, benefitting donations for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Donations during the telecast will provide medication, groceries, health care, and emergency financial relief to those in the Broadway community who are in dire need of assistance during the pandemic. This is especially beneficial to those in theater who have health problems and as theater will have been closed for over a year by the time it opens back up. In addition, NBC also plans on making a donation to the group as Vaughn goes on to say that “We’re proud to partner with Broadway Cares and do our part to help those in that tight-knit community during these difficult times.”

In addition to multiple Broadway cast performances, the list of special appearances is endless. This list includes Annaleigh Ashford, Lance Bass, Kristen Bell, Ron Cephas Jones, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Leslie Odom Jr., Billy Porter, Aaron Tveit, and more. One Night Only will also feature performances by Kelly Clarkson, Brett Eldredge, and Patti LaBelle.

One Night Only: Best of Broadway airs on December 10th at 8:00 p.m. on NBC. If you’re interested in donating to Broadway Cares, you can check out BroadwayCares.org. And remember, the show must go on… even midst a pandemic.