PRESS RELEASE: “Kathie Lee Gifford to host Broadway on Broadway® 2012: Free outdoor concert in the heart of Times Square kicks off the new Broadway season with star performances from new shows and long-running favorites, accompanied by a live orchestra!”
(New York, NY) August 29, 2012 — Multi-talented actress, singer, television host, playwright, songwriter and author, KATHIE LEE GIFFORD, will host the 20th Broadway on Broadway® concert. It was announced today by The Broadway League and the Times Square Alliance.
The free outdoor concert in the heart of Times Square will take place on Sunday, September 9th at 11:30am to kick off the 2012-2013 Broadway season with star performances from new shows and long-running favorites, accompanied by a live 30-piece live orchestra.
Gifford is the writer (book and lyrics) of the upcoming new musical Scandalous: The Life and Trials of Aimee Semple McPherson that is coming to Broadway in October. She’s best known for her 15 years on “Live with Regis and Kathie Lee” (11 Emmy nominations), and is currently the three-time Emmy Award-winning co-host of the fourth hour of NBC’s “Today” show with Hoda Kotb.
“I am so honored and thrilled to host this year’s Broadway on Broadway concert,” said Kathie Lee Gifford. “Over the past 20 years, Broadway on Broadway has become one of the most exciting and highly-anticipated events of the season, with amazing performances from the best that Broadway has to offer. And I’m looking forward to kicking-off a brand new theater season on September 9 with thousands of Broadway fans in Times Square!”
Gifford made her Broadway debut in Stephen Sondheim’s Putting It Together in 2000, then originated the role of Marta Dunhill in Rupert Holmes’ Thumbs and played Miss Hannigan in a record-breaking run of Annie at Madison Square Garden. In 2005 her first musical Under the Bridge (book and lyrics) opened Off-Broadway. She contributed three songs to Hats!, the musical, has recorded numerous CDs and is a three-time New York Times best-selling author.
“Kathie Lee Gifford is talented, smart, and feisty, and I can’t wait to see what she does on stage at Broadway on Broadway!” says Charlotte St. Martin, Executive Director of The Broadway League. “She’s a Broadway Baby at heart, and a true Broadway fan, so we’re extra thrilled that she’s coming back this season. She can sing, she can act, she can write, she can host … so she’s the perfect headliner for this year’s concert.”
“This year’s Broadway on Broadway is a celebration of twenty years of success — and who better to help us celebrate this milestone than one of Broadway’s biggest supporters and longtime stars,” said Tim Tompkins, President of the Times Square Alliance. “Twenty years after our first Broadway on Broadway, Times Square and Broadway have become the world’s most concentrated live entertainment and theater hub, bringing the best of the stage to millions of New Yorkers and visitors every year.”
Broadway on Broadway is presented by United Airlines and The New York Times. The annual free outdoor concert at the crossroads of the world brings together stars and performances from current and upcoming Broadway productions to celebrate the beginning of the new Broadway season. Times Square will be a big block party with thousands of attendees between 46th & 47th streets between Broadway and Seventh Avenue.
A complete list of shows performing will be announced soon and additional information can be found on www.BroadwayonBroadway.com.
The Music Performance Fund is an Official Supporter. WCBD-FM 101.1 and Fresh 102.7 FM and Clear Channel Spectacolor are Official Media Partners. Additional Support is provided by Theatre Development Fund. Broadway on Broadway is co-produced by The Broadway League and The Times Square Alliance. The live event is produced by IMG Media.
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About The Broadway League
The Broadway League, founded in 1930, is the national trade association for the Broadway industry. The League’s 700-plus members include theatre owners and operators, producers, presenters, and general managers in over 240 North American cities, as well as suppliers of goods and services to the theatre industry. Each year, League members bring Broadway to nearly 30 million people in New York and on tour across the U.S. and Canada. For more information, visit www.BroadwayLeague.com, or follow The Broadway League on Twitter @TheBwayLeague or on Facebook at http://www.ticketnews-on-facebook.com/BroadwayLeague.
About Times Square Alliance
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.TimesSquareNYC.org.
About United
United Airlines and United Express operate an average of 5,605 flights a day to 375 airports on six continents from our hubs in Chicago, Cleveland, Denver, Guam, Houston, Los Angeles, New York/Newark, San Francisco, Tokyo and Washington, D.C. In 2011, United carried more traffic than any other airline in the world, and operated more than two million flights carrying 142 million passengers. United is upgrading its cabins with more flat-bed seats in first and business class and more extra-legroom economy-class seating than any other airline in North America. United operates nearly 700 mainline aircraft and has orders for more than 270 new aircraft deliveries through 2022, including 50 Boeing 787 Dreamliners, 25 Airbus A350XWBs, and 100 Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft. United was rated the world’s most admired airline on FORTUNE magazine’s 2012 airline-industry list of the World’s Most Admired Companies. Readers of Global Traveler magazine have voted United’s MileagePlus program the best frequent flyer program for eight consecutive years. United is a founding member of Star Alliance, which provides service to 193 countries via 27 member airlines. More than 85,000 United employees reside in every U.S. state and in countries around the world. For more information, visit united.com or follow United on Twitter and Facebook. The common stock of United’s parent, United Continental Holdings, Inc., is traded on the NYSE under the symbol UAL.
About Clear Channel Spectacolor
Clear Channel Spectacolor is the US market leader in spectacular sign displays and a division of the world’s largest outdoor advertising company, Clear Channel Outdoor (NYSE: CCO), which has close to one million displays in over 50 countries across 5 continents. Offering innovative out-of-home marketing resources in major pedestrian destinations such as Times Square and The Las Vegas Strip, Clear Channel Spectacolor’s inventory includes: spectacular billboards, time-based video screens, wallscapes, sky murals, unique ad panels and experiential marketing events. In-house creative services and start-to-finish project management assist marketers in producing high-impact executions for a growing on-the-go audience. Spectacolor was established in 1976. More information may be found by visiting www.clearchannelspectacolor.com.
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Press Contacts:
The Broadway League:
Elisa Shevitz, [email protected], 212 703 0225
Erica Ryan, [email protected], 212 703 0221
The Times Square Alliance:
Gia Storms, [email protected], 212 452 5205
Sam Breidbart, [email protected], 212 452 5234
