Pandemic Forces Annual Viva Broadway Event Virtual to Celebrate Latinx Heritage Month

The annual Viva Broadway event to celebrate Latinx Heritage Month will go on this Fall as a virtual digital concert. The pandemic continues to cause organizations to pivot their events, adding this event’s presenters, The Broadway League and Playbill, to the list.

Playbill and The Broadway League present ¡Viva Broadway! Hear Our Voices, a digital concert in celebration of Latinx Heritage Month, as well as Latinx milestones in theatre. The performance will benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, including championing the R.Evolución Latina initiative, and Broadway Bridges.

The virtual concert will premiere via livestream on Playbill.com, Playbill’s YouTube Channel and on The Broadway League’s website (Viva.Broadway) on Thursday October 1, 2020 at 8PM ET and remain available for viewing until Monday October 5 at 8PM ET.

¡Viva Broadway! Hear Our Voices will salute the vibrant, lasting legacy that Latinx artists have contributed and continue to give to Broadway and the entire theatre community while showcasing Latinx talent in an effort to continue to increase representation throughout the industry.

Andréa Burns (In the Heights, On Your Feet!) serves as the Host, led by director and Tony-winning choreographer Sergio Truijllo (Ain’t Too Proud).  This year’s celebratory event features an extraordinary roster of award-winning stage and screen Latinx talent, including Lucie Arnaz, Gloria Estefan, John Leguizamo, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Luis Miranda, Chita Rivera and Thalía.

Socially Sparked® highlights this year include:

• –A performance from members of the original cast of In the Heights, including Karen Olivo, Andréa Burns, Janet Dacal, Robin De Jesús, Mandy Gonzalez, Olga Merediz, Carlos Gomez, Eliseo Roman, Luis Salgado, and Seth Stewart
• –Performances from Broadway-bound musicals and new works including John Leguizamo’s Kiss My Aztec; Arrabal; Passing Through
• –A look at the first Spanish-language production of A Chorus Line from Antonio Banderas
• –Additional performers for the concert include Melissa Barrera (In the Heights film), Jaime Camil (“Jane the Virgin”), Florencia Cuenca (A Never Ending Line), Ariana DeBose (Summer: The Donna Summer Musical), Robin de Jesús (The Boys in the Band), Raúl Esparza (Company), Mandy Gonzalez (Hamilton), Raúl Gonzalez (“¡Despierta América!”), Ivan Hernandez (Dear Evan Hansen), Mauricio Martinez (On Your Feet!), Bianca Marroquín (Chicago), Shereen Pimentel (West Side Story), Daphne Rubin-Vega (Rent, Anna in the Tropics), Philippa Stefani (On Your Feet!), Angélica Vale (“La Fea  Más Bella”)  and Ana Villafañe (On Your Feet!)

¡Viva Broadway! is produced by Jack Noseworthy, written by Eric Ulloa, and features arrangements and music direction by Jaime Lozano, sound design by Jorge Muelle and Jessica Paz, and instrumentals by national and international musicians including Tony Award winner Alex Lacamoire, Oscar Hernandez and Michelle Rodriguez & Julio Copello. Luis Salgado is the associate director/choreographer and Roberto Araujo is the Director of Video Production and Editing.

Viva Broadway is a program of The Broadway League, and is it’s national audience development partnership with the Latinx community that helps bridge the world of Broadway with Latinx audiences across the country.

A very different Viva Broadway was presented in 2019 with a special cabaret style concert series titled “El Conjunto”, held at the W Living Room Times Square in NYC. The live concert was hosted by Broadway actress and singer Ana Villafañe, known for her role as Gloria Estefan in On Your Feet! The Musical – The Story of Emilio & Gloria Estefan and NBC’s “Sunnyside” and “New Amsterdam.”

The show must go on and it will, albeit virtually! The pandemic continues to wreak havoc on the theatre world with the cancellation of the Broadway season through 2020. Broadway may remains dark, but the spirit and resilience of the theatre community and its adoring fans shine bright. We are excited to virtually hear their voices this week in Viva Broadway and join in celebrating Latinx Heritage Month. — Forever #SociallySparked  Tweet us @sosparkednews & @asparks01