BroadwayCon is a fan convention dedicated to Broadway theater, musical theater and live stage entertainment. The event is held in New York City and is produced by Mischief Management. It was created by Melissa Anelli, Stephanie Dornhelm and actor Anthony Rapp, with Playbill as a presenting partner.
BroadwayCon combines fan-convention programming with theater-industry events, including panels, performances, workshops, sing-alongs, fan meetups, autograph sessions, photo opportunities and a marketplace. It has featured Broadway performers, writers, directors, producers, designers, choreographers, casting directors, musicians and theater journalists, as well as programming for theater fans and people interested in theater careers.
Origins BroadwayCon grew out of Anelli and Dornhelm's work organizing fan conventions, including LeakyCon and GeekyCon, and Rapp's connection to the fan culture around Rent. Anelli had been a fan of Rent and had seen the show more than 50 times. She met Rapp, who originated the role of Mark Cohen in the musical, outside the Nederlander Theatre during the show's original Broadway run, and later remained connected to him and other fans through online Rent fan communities.
According to The New York Times, Anelli and Dornhelm discussed the possibility of a Broadway-focused fan convention while texting during the Tony Awards and later approached Rapp, who agreed to help develop the event. The Wall Street Journal reported that Rapp's involvement helped connect the organizers to the Broadway community as they planned the first convention. In a 2015 interview with Playbill, Rapp said BroadwayCon was intended as a fan-centered event rather than an industry-directed convention.
Format and recurring programming BroadwayCon programming has included panels, performances, theater-industry discussions, fan meetups, workshops, autograph and photo sessions, cosplay, games, a marketplace and social events. Recurring or repeated programming has included BroadwayCon First Look, Show Spotlights, the Star To Be talent competition, the Cosplay Contest, BroadwayCon Feud, trivia events, sing-alongs and BroadwayCon Industry Day.
The event has been described as emphasizing direct interaction between theater artists and fans. Before the first convention, The New York Times reported that BroadwayCon did not follow the pay-for-autographs-and-photographs model common at some other fan conventions, and instead emphasized workshops, sing-alongs and panels. In a 2016 recap, Backstage described the inaugural event as a gathering where fans and theater artists collectively celebrated Broadway fandom, while Rapp called it "a celebration and an opportunity for our community to come together".
In addition to show previews and fan events, BroadwayCon programming has addressed topics such as accessibility, diversity and representation, mental health, stage management, theater criticism, marketing, audience development, playwriting and careers in the theater industry.
History
2016 inaugural convention The first BroadwayCon was held January 22–24, 2016, at the New York Hilton Midtown. Before the event, The New York Times described it as a theater-themed variation on Comic-Con International, reflecting the growing visibility of Broadway fan culture online and on social media. The newspaper reported that nearly 80 percent of registrants were female, 75 percent were from outside New York state and 50 percent were age 30 or younger. The Wall Street Journal reported that about 5,000 people attended the convention from around the world, while other outlets reported attendance of nearly 6,000.
The first BroadwayCon coincided with the January 2016 blizzard, which shut down Broadway performances on Saturday, January 23. BroadwayCon continued at the hotel despite the weather, though some scheduled celebrity appearances were canceled because of travel delays. Organizers responded by adding a "Broadway Party Line", in which Rapp, theater columnist Michael Riedel and Playbill editor-in-chief Blake Ross called Broadway figures including Patti LuPone, Joel Grey, Audra McDonald, Betty Buckley and Laura Benanti by speakerphone and FaceTime.
Programming at the inaugural convention included fan meetups, panels, workshops, sing-alongs, a marketplace and MainStage events. A Rent reunion was held for the musical's 20th anniversary, with original cast members and creative team members including Rapp, Adam Pascal, Daphne Rubin-Vega, choreographer Marlies Yearby, conductor Tim Weil and casting director Bernard Telsey participating in a panel titled "10,514,880 Minutes: Measuring 20 Years of Rent".
The convention also included a Hamilton panel featuring Lin-Manuel Miranda, Leslie Odom Jr., Phillipa Soo, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Daveed Diggs, Jonathan Groff and Christopher Jackson. The Wall Street Journal reported that the panel drew more than half of the convention's enrollment. Other 2016 programming included panels or events connected to Fun Home, Waitress, Fiddler on the Roof, The King and I, Something Rotten!, Spring Awakening, The Phantom of the Opera and Les Misérables.
The opening MainStage program included an original musical about the creation of BroadwayCon, with performers including Rob McClure and Ann Harada. NewYorkTheater.me reported that the event featured about 36 hours of programming across three days, including meetups, sing-alongs, panel discussions, signings and celebrity appearances. At the close of the convention, Rapp told attendees that the event would return the following year.
2017 expansion to Javits Center BroadwayCon's second convention was held January 27–29, 2017, at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City. After the 2016 event sold out the New York Hilton Midtown, organizers moved the convention to a larger venue, with Reuters reporting that attendance was expected to increase from about 5,000 people in 2016 to as many as 6,000 attendees on each of the three days in 2017. The move also allowed BroadwayCon to expand to two stages, including a 5,000-seat MainStage, along with additional programming rooms, exhibits and marketplace space.
The 2017 convention included panels, performances, interviews, workshops, sing-alongs, autograph and photo sessions, fan meetups, a marketplace, a cabaret and a talent competition. Scheduled guests included Chita Rivera, Joel Grey, Josh Groban, Kelli O'Hara, Cynthia Nixon, Jonathan Groff, Jeremy Jordan, Laura Osnes, Christopher Jackson and Okieriete Onaodowan. Programming highlights included a 20th-anniversary panel for The Lion King with Julie Taymor and Disney Theatrical Group president Thomas Schumacher, a panel for Dear Evan Hansen featuring Ben Platt, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, and BroadwayCon First Look previews of spring 2017 productions including Amélie, Anastasia, Bandstand, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Come from Away, Indecent, Miss Saigon, Significant Other, Sunday in the Park with George and The Play That Goes Wrong.
Fan-centered programming also expanded in 2017. The Wall Street Journal reported that Hamilton fandom was one of the most visible parts of the convention, with a fan meetup becoming a sing-along and attendees appearing in Hamilton-inspired costumes. The convention also introduced the BroadwayCon Star To Be talent competition, which was held on the MainStage and judged by LaChanze, Anthony Rapp and casting director Tara Rubin. Iyana Colby was named the first winner.
Actors' Equity dispute One week before the 2017 convention, the Actors' Equity Association placed BroadwayCon on its "do not work" list and instructed members not to perform or rehearse for the event until an agreement was reached. The dispute concerned payment terms for BroadwayCon appearances after the 2016 convention. The New York Times reported that the issue involved about two hours of MainStage performance time and 10 Equity performers.
Melissa Anelli said at the time that BroadwayCon wanted to comply with Equity rules and was seeking a solution, while Rapp said discussions with the union had been positive. In December 2017, BroadwayCon and Actors' Equity reached a three-year agreement that set standard contracts for Equity members and added provisions for shorter convention appearances. Broadway News reported that the agreement increased weekly minimum salaries for actors and stage managers while tailoring parts of the contract to appearances lasting less than an hour.
2018 convention The third BroadwayCon was held January 26–28, 2018, at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City. The convention was produced by Mischief Management and again featured panels, performances, interviews, workshops and sing-alongs. The convention was preceded by BroadwayCon Industry Day on January 25, 2018, at the Crowne Plaza Times Square Manhattan. Curated by Situation, the one-day program was designed for theater professionals and focused on Broadway fan engagement, with panels on audience development, technology, fan communities and leadership.
BroadwayCon announced more than 160 hours of original programming for 2018, including fan-led meetups, workshops, Show Spotlights, BroadwayCon First Look and a lottery system for free autograph and photo opportunities. Programming highlights included a 10th-anniversary reunion for In the Heights, Show Spotlights for Dear Evan Hansen, SpongeBob SquarePants, Come from Away, Frozen and The Band's Visit, and BroadwayCon First Look previews of productions including Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, The Prom, Escape to Margaritaville and Children of a Lesser God.
The In the Heights reunion featured Lin-Manuel Miranda, Quiara Alegría Hudes, Christopher Jackson, Karen Olivo, Mandy Gonzalez, Olga Merediz and Javier Muñoz, with Luis Miranda moderating. Other 2018 programming included a Broadway accessibility panel, a cosplay fashion show, the second BroadwayCon Star To Be competition, the BroadwayCon Blizzard Party Line and a program celebrating the work of Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty.
2019 convention The fourth BroadwayCon was held January 11–13, 2019, at the New York Hilton Midtown, with additional events at the Ziegfeld Ballroom. The convention returned to the Hilton, where the inaugural BroadwayCon had been held in 2016, after two years at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. The New York Times reported that the 2019 convention offered nearly 200 hours of sessions and drew an estimated 7,000 attendees over three days.
BroadwayCon Industry Day returned for its second year on January 11, 2019. Curated by Situation Interactive, the industry-focused program was designed for theater professionals and included sessions on fan engagement, digital content, accessibility, marketing, branding, social media, audience loyalty and storytelling.
The 2019 schedule included fan-led meetups, workshops, show spotlights, a cabaret, R&H Goes Pop!, BroadwayCon First Look and free autograph and photograph opportunities distributed through a lottery system. Show-specific programming included sessions for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Mean Girls, The Cher Show, The Prom, Be More Chill, Come from Away, Dear Evan Hansen and My Fair Lady. Other programming included Disney Theatrical's 25th-anniversary panel, a 20th-anniversary reunion for You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, the BroadwayCon Cosplay Contest, BroadwayCon Jukebox, BroadwayCon Blizzard Party Line and the BroadwayCon YouTube Send-Off Party.
BroadwayCon First Look previewed upcoming Broadway productions including Hadestown, Kiss Me, Kate, Tootsie and Beetlejuice. The 2019 BroadwayCon Star To Be competition, held in partnership with the Broadway League Foundation, featured 10 finalist acts; 2018 Jimmy Award winners Andrew Barth Feldman and Reneé Rapp performed during the competition while the judges deliberated.
2020 convention