On June 28 and June 29, Playbill will host our third annual Playbill Pride event in Times Square. Presented by Playbill and the Times Square Alliance, the must-attend event is set to feature performances from Broadway stars, a nighttime disco dance party, and more. The weekend will close June 30 as the Playbill Pride Float returns to the NYC Pride March, with supporting partner Heritage of Pride.
To celebrate this year's Pride celebration, we asked this year's Pride participants, LGBTQIA+ community members and allies alike, to reflect on what Pride means to them. Read answers, from those who will appear at the Broadway Pride Block Party June 28, below. Learn more about Playbill Pride here.
PJ Adzima (The Book of Mormon)
What does Pride mean to you?
Pride to me is the radiant joy of being exactly who you are. It is the profound and life-saving self-love that comes from living authentically.
Why is it important for you to be part of Pride in Times Square this year?
It is important for me to be a part of Pride in Times Square this year because now more than ever, it is vital to vocally support the LGBTQIA+ community. It has never been more important to raise your voice in opposition to those that wish this celebration to not happen, and this community to not exist. As an ally, it is an honor to support and celebrate the queer community.
Kazz Alexander (Co-Chair, NYC Pride)
What does Pride mean to you?
Pride is still the place where we think about what liberation means for everyone. In history, most groups have been marginalized at some point—and this month gives us an opportunity to reflect on how far we've come—but also collaborate on how we create safe spaces for the queer, the marginalized and the unheard in the here and now. Pride always reminds us that our collective freedom is at stake.
Why is it important for you to be part of Pride in Times Square this year?
Times Square is a reflection of the art, the fabric, the character of New York City. It is our pleasure to welcome everyone to New York at our most vibrant, yet vigilant season, and to celebrate pride at its epicenter is epic. This year at Pride, we convene with a sense of urgency—a call for action intertwined with our annual hallmark celebration. It's not just party—it is a protest—so we can meet here, sharer enthusiasm and carry our message forward.
David Bedella (& Juliet)
What does Pride mean to you?
The celebration of Pride, in my opinion, is an opportunity to remember and celebrate the many people who worked for the freedoms we enjoy today. And if I could get the children of today to look up from their cell phones long enough, I would encourage them to ask questions and engage in conversations that would foster an appreciation of what it took to arrive in the world of freedoms, hard won yet so easily taken for granted.
Why is it important for you to be part of Pride in Times Square this year?
This year, I find myself performing on Broadway for the first time in 25 years. What better place to celebrate Pride in NY than performing with my peers in Time Square.
Ali Louis Bourzgui (The Who’s Tommy)
What does Pride mean to you?
Pride is a moment for people to recognize the beauty of accepting themselves fully in all that they are and celebrating and supporting others around them in all that they are. It’s a moment to recognize that no one has the right to tell you what to do with your body or control who you’re allowed to love. It’s a time to express that there is nothing but beauty and liberation in queerness.
Lauren Boyd (Hamilton)
Why is it important for you to be part of Pride in Times Square this year?
I think it's important to be a part of Pride Times Square because... Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Jonathan Butler-Duplessis (Hamilton)
What does Pride mean to you?
A time to celebrate some of my closest friends.
Why is it important for you to be part of Pride in Times Square this year?
Because it's where the people I care for invited me to be, so that's where I belong.
Trevor Braun (The Play That Goes Wrong)
What does Pride mean to you?
Pride means living my life authentically. It means living out loud for the scared little boy who hid himself away for years. It means dusting off the clothes hiding in my closet and wearing them without shame. Pride means getting to be me.
Why is it important for you to be part of Pride in Times Square this year?
It is important for me to be a part of Pride in Times Square cause nothing says “representing my show” like strutting my stuff next to the giant hot dog art installation. Cue the confetti!
Morgan Ashley Bryant (Little Shop of Horrors)
What does Pride mean to you?
For me Pride is both a time to commemorate and be grateful to our queer ancestors who fought so hard for our rights as queer people and also to celebrate the queer experience and our right to joy and love and our overall uniqueness.
Why is it important for you to be part of Pride in Times Square this year?
It’s important to me to use whatever gifts i am given to celebrate queerness, love and unity.
Tiffany Renee Thompson (Little Shop of Horrors)
What does Pride mean to you?
For me, Pride is a chance for folks who don’t feel seen all the time to be celebrated. It’s a mixed bag for some folks because there are still people who can’t openly celebrate Pride because of personal issues. But the month is a reminder that change has happened but there’s still so much to go.
Why is it important for you to be part of Pride in Times Square this year?
If for nothing else, Howard Ashman’s music deserves to always be heard during Pride. He was and still is indeed a gay icon. So many queer folks connect to his music and his legacy should always be remembered. May he continue to rest in peace.
Khadija Sankoh (Little Shop of Horrors)
What does Pride mean to you?
Pride is a time that celebrates everyone’s given right to express who they are. It’s a time to highlight a group of people who for a significant amount of history were treated differently because of who and how they love others.
Why is it important for you to be part of Pride in Times Square this year?
Being a part of Pride in Times Square is incredibly special. It will be an event to bring people together in the theater community to celebrate and uplift the queer community!
Anthony Chatmon II (The Play That Goes Wrong)
What does Pride mean to you?
Pride to me means standing strong and visible in a world where LGBTQ+ rights are constantly under threat. With the recent wave of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation and backlash against our community, celebrating Pride is more important than ever. It's a time to honor the progress we've made, remember the struggles we've overcome, and reaffirm our commitment to fighting for equality and acceptance for everyone, everywhere.
Why is it important for you to be part of Pride in Times Square this year?
Pride in Times Square is my chance to represent The Play That Goes Wrong while avoiding the temptation of raiding Krispy Kreme—because let’s face it, my waistline can’t handle both pride and doughnuts.
Gilbert Domally (The Lion King)
What does Pride mean to you?
Pride means being able to live fully and freely!
Why is it important for you to be part of Pride in Times Square this year?
It’s important for me to be part of Pride this year because I want to celebrate my right to live and love!
Devin Cortez (Empire)
What does Pride mean to you?
Pride means visibility for our community and the ability to be proud of who we are. To create inclusive and diverse spaces on Broadway and beyond!
Why is it important for you to be part of Pride in Times Square this year?
Being a part of Pride in Times Square this year is so important to get to share with our Broadway colleagues and community as well as celebrate who we are at a time when defending our rights and visibility is as pivotal as ever.
Chris French (The Play That Goes Wrong)
What does Pride mean to you?
Pride means feeling free to live out loud and be my most authentic self. I live proudly all year round, but Pride month is especially meaningful because we get to decide what the cast watches on our giant projector in the dressing room—sports ball games out, Tony Awards red carpet in!
Why is it important for you to be part of Pride in Times Square this year?
Being at Pride in Times Square is important to me because I'm hoping to finally steal the spotlight from the Naked Cowboy and prove that sequins and sass are where it's at!
Gianna Harris (Hell’s Kitchen)
What does Pride mean to you?
Pride means community to me! It is a place of self-expression and acceptance, where people can come and be authentically themselves. It allows individuals to find others who share similar experiences and struggles, fostering support and a sense of belonging. Pride is also about remembering those who came before us and celebrating their courage. It’s about building a place of freedom where everyone can be exactly who they are.
Why is it important for you to be part of Pride in Times Square this year?
Pride is important to me as a queer person because it’s where many, including myself, feel most seen and heard. It serves as a refuge for those who don’t receive the necessary support regarding their identity. It is crucial that we continue to create and maintain these spaces, not only during Pride Month but all year round!
Samantha Gershman (Water For Elephants)
What does Pride mean to you?
Pride means acceptance to me. It means feeling safe to live as my unapologetic self. It means stepping into my light and taking complete joy in doing so. It means honoring difference.
Why is it important for you to be part of Pride in Times Square this year?
It’s important to me to be part of Pride in Times Square this year because all it takes is one brave soul, one human, to step up and out; and hopefully others will take comfort in feeling safe enough to do the same—knowing they are completely and unconditionally loved and supported.
Jennifer Geller (Hamilton)
What does Pride mean to you?
Pride means celebrating everyone in this community and knowing that we are here for each other to love and support one another.
Why is it important for you to be part of Pride in Times Square this year?
It’s important for me to be part of Pride Times Square because this is my home and my community, and I’m proud to be a part of it and to share this love and joy.
Bianca Leigh (Oh, Mary!)
What does Pride mean to you?
For me, Pride is about LGBTQ+ people having a place at the table; it’s about being unapologetically open about who we are as we engage with the wider world. And to celebrate!
Why is it important for you to be part of Pride in Times Square this year?
It’s especially important this year—there is a growing effort to push us out of public life altogether. In the past I’ve been guilty of thinking, “Alright, already. We’re here, we’re queer; now can we go have a nice quiet brunch somewhere?” But visibility is imperative right now. Our haters want to push us back into the closet, if not under a rock. At Playbill Pride, we will push back against that, with love, performance, and glamour. And, as Justin Vivian Bond says, “Glamour is resistance.”
Storm Lever (Six The Musical)
What does Pride mean to you?
To celebrate Pride is an act of love and celebration. It’s living out loud without fear of being judged.
Why is it important for you to be part of Pride in Times Square this year?
I’m so excited to sing a song that uplifts the importance of unapologetic self-expression for my beautiful LGBTQIA+ community!
James Monroe Iglehart (A Wonderful World)
What does Pride mean to you?
Pride is very special to me. It’s a time to celebrate freedom. Freedom to be who you truly are, who you were born to be and remember those who fought for that freedom.
Why is it important for you to be part of Pride in Times Square this year?
It’s important to be a part of this celebration because I want to support my friends and family. It gives me a chance to give back to those who have given so much to me. In my family it was hard to come out but for those that did they were the ones that always supported this dream of mine. So performing here is my way of saying thank you for being there, so I will definitely be there for them!
Corey Mach (Merrily We Roll Along)
What does Pride mean to you?
Pride, for me, is about saying no to shame; saying no to that tiny (but ever-present) voice developed during childhood that tries to convince you that authenticity makes you seem weak.
Why is it important for you to be part of Pride in Times Square this year?
My husband and I just celebrated our very first wedding anniversary, so this year is more Pride-filled than ever! I will be forever grateful to the millions of LGTBQ trailblazers who came before us and paved the way for our love to be legally recognized.
Thayne Jasperson (Hamilton)
What does Pride mean to you?
Pride for me means living life freely; confident and peaceful with who we are.
Why is it important for you to be part of Pride in Times Square this year?
To perform at Pride in Times Square is a celebration towards the freedom to BE, after all of the fighters who stood strong so that we could. 💜
Kiana Kabeary (Empire)
What does Pride mean to you?
Pride to me is celebrating and elevating everyone who feels as if they don’t belong because of who they love!
Why is it important for you to be part of Pride in Times Square this year?
It’s important to be a part of pride in Times Square because everyone can feel like an outcast sometimes and this is a great opportunity to celebrate everyone and provide a safe space!
Rob Madge (Pride Host and My Son’s A Queer)
What does Pride mean to you?
Pride is every day for me. It lasts beyond the month of June and it’s vital that we always fiercely and proudly celebrate the queer community, this month and the other 11 of the year!
Why is it important for you to be part of Pride in Times Square this year?
Pride is a protest and there’s no finer way to demonstrate that than in New York. To be in the heart of this city, whose rich history of building and uplifting the queer community is unparalleled, is momentous for me and I’m very humbled to be part of it.
Isabelle McCalla (Water For Elephants)
What does Pride mean to you?
Pride is celebrating every facet of your being that makes an individual unique, be it sexuality, gender, race, or dietary restrictions! The multiplicity of humans in this world is infinite and thank God for that! This world would be too boring if we all liked the same things and behaved the same way. It turns out we all CAN co-exist without harming each other. So let's celebrate love and lift each other up!
Why is it important for you to be part of Pride in Times Square this year?
When I came out as bisexual, my friends in the theatre community were the first to lift me up and make me feel valid. I want to pass on that encouragement to others. As we're in the midst of a tense election year where the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals are on the ballot, there is no better time to gather with my Broadway community and celebrate and uplift each other, by doing what we do best: SING! With our voices and joy, we can send a message to people all over the city and country to say we're not going anywhere.
Johanna Moise (Hamilton)
What does Pride mean to you?
Pride means showing up as your complete self and existing as you are. No holding back of your love and your light, life is too short for that.
Why is it important for you to be part of Pride in Times Square this year?
Being a part of Pride in Times Square is important to me because with each year comes newer understanding and confidence in myself and I really enjoy being even a small part of the huge celebration of love and light each year!
JJ Niemann (Back to the Future)
What does Pride mean to you?
Letting your true unique authentic self shine; and being unapologetically yourself.
Why is it important for you to be part of Pride in Times Square this year?
The theatre community is one of the first places that I felt I could be my true authentic self, and it provided a safe space for me as I figured out who I was and navigated my identity. It feels so special to be a part of Playbill Pride and celebrating with this community that’s so special to me!
Samantha Pauly (The Great Gatsby)
What does Pride mean to you?
Pride means living unapologetically as your truest self. It's still hard for me to do this, but I'm continuously inspired by those around me who are able to live this way.
Why is it important for you to be part of Pride in Times Square this year?
This will be my first year being a part of Pride in Times Square, and as a queer woman who is still discovering things about herself, I feel very honored to be included. I also feel proud to be there representing a show (The Great Gatsby) and a character (Jordan Baker) who I have tried to fully pour myself into, including my own sexual identity.
Noah J. Ricketts (The Great Gatsby)
What does Pride mean to you?
For me, Pride is a time for reflection and celebration. I think It’s important to reflect upon our dark history while honoring the change makers who made Pride possible. Our queer ancestors carved out a better existence for LGBTQ+ people…and taking the time to celebrate what makes us special is extremely important.
Why is it important for you to be part of Pride in Times Square this year?
I grew up in Kentucky where I didn’t have access to positive queer experiences. I looked to all of the events happening New York City as a beacon of hope. Celebrating Pride in Times Square shows young queer kids everywhere that a better life is possible.
Dee Roscioli (Titanique)
What does Pride mean to you?
Pride is showing up for my friends and family in the LGBTQIA+ Community, whether that’s to listen, to empathize or to take action.
Why is it important for you to be part of Pride in Times Square this year?
If you’re a theatre actor Times Square is your home. So being invited to celebrate my family there is like having a giant house party, except it’s outside and like my house is REALLY big.
James Scully (Oh, Mary!)
What does Pride mean to you?
To me Pride means not just learning to be at peace with your identity, but actively celebrating it as a strength. A conduit to community and art and purpose. Being queer used to feel like a corner I was backed into, a situation I would just learn to make the best of. But every year when I celebrate Pride surrounded by the chosen family I love so much, I am reminded that I am so lucky to be exactly who and where I am.
Why is it important for you to be part of Pride in Times Square this year?
As a new member of the Broadway Community, making my debut in Oh, Mary!, it was important to me to immediately connect that experience and accomplishment with the community that means so much to me. I wouldn’t be in Oh, Mary! if I hadn’t learned to celebrate the truest version of myself and I would not be where I am today without the love and support of the queer people in my life. This dream I’ve had since I was 3 years old is coming to fruition because of this weird quirk I’ve tried to suppress and hide. And it’s so wonderful that I just HAVE to celebrate it in the most magical place in the world: Times Square.
Talia Suskauer (Wicked)
What does Pride mean to you?
Pride, to me, means celebrating not only the freedom to love who you love, but be who you are. To stand in our singular uniqueness together, and to celebrate and uplift each other. That is what pride means to me.
Why is it important for you to be part of Pride in Times Square this year?
I think it feels really important to be a part of Pride In Times Square this year because I believe any chance to put our pride on display publicly, to show folks they aren’t alone and that they are held, uplifted, and supported, is crucial.
Jordan Tyson (The Notebook)
What does Pride mean to you?
Pride means releasing ourselves from outside expectation in an effort to get clearer on how to live our lives as honestly and voraciously as possible.
Why is it important for you to be part of Pride in Times Square this year?
As a New Yorker, I can’t believe it… but this will be my first ever time at NY Pride. It feels extra special to be here at a time when queer books are being banned, legislation is attacking queer folks, etc. I rebuke that vitriol and am here to sing about LOVE for all!
Max von Essen (Chicago)
What does Pride mean to you?
It took a long time, but for me, Pride is about living openly and proudly, no apologies. There are over 60 countries where being gay is criminalized, so I realize what a privilege it is to live in New York City surrounded by supportive friends and an incredible family. Because of that, I feel it’s my duty to be out and proud. Some kid in a state with tougher laws, or parents who have rejected them or bullies who terrorize them might look on and say, “I can make it, too. There are places I can one day be safe to live openly and proudly.” And perhaps that kid will hold on to another day. That’s reason enough.
Why is it important for you to be part of Pride in Times Square this year?
I’m just thrilled to be part of Pride in Times Square this year. To represent Chicago and this theater industry where who I am is celebrated is the best. I spent the first part of my life terrified that I’d never live a full life, never be fully accepted, so to see how the LGBTQIA+ community is embraced in this industry is something worth celebrating. Pride month and all year long!
Betty Who (Hadestown)
What does Pride mean to you?
Pride means celebrating community and otherness. What makes us different is what makes us beautiful.
Why is it important for you to be part of Pride in Times Square this year?
Coming together to celebrate and promote visibility of the intersection between the queer community and theatre community is always important. Plus, everyone is so talented!
Nikisha Williams (Hamilton)
What does Pride mean to you?
Pride means the fullest expression of oneself in a world that tries to dim your light. It is unabashed love and freedom to live exactly how you want to live and to provide a safe space so others can do the same.
Why is it important for you to be part of Pride in Times Square this year?
It’s so important to showcase support, representation, and allyship for one of the biggest audiences in the country and that’s why it’s important to me to be performing at Pride in Times Square this year.
Yola (Grammy Award Winner, Hadestown)
What does Pride mean to you?
When I think of Pride, I think of it as that and as an opportunity for all queer people and their allies. From my point of view as an ally, It’s another way to program out colonial mindsets that are binary. The culture that is created as a result, is a hive mind of cultures as rich as the tapestry of earth’s population itself. You can’t shame or assimilate yourself into joy and self-actualization, so pride to my mind is showing the full spectrum of who you are at all intersections of queerness and for the queer community (especially those that feel they’re hiding parts of themselves in plain sight) I can imagine it’s a beacon to show that it’s possible to be wholly authentic and loved. I may not be Queer, but I can empathize with that feeling to be real, fully actualized, loved, seen, understood, deprogrammed of biases and free. I only want that for everyone! For me, the more that I interact with varying cultures outside of cis-het white patriarchal systems, the better, and the more I deprogram—so Pride serves a great tradition for non queer people too! I’m always working on deprogramming colonial damage; make no mistake, the reason Pride is needed is because of colonial societal damage. This is why it’s important to me to be part of Pride as an ally. It’s a tool for deprogramming for everyone, especially in these times of disillusionment.
