Pride Month is a joyous time of year that honors and recognizes the love, strength and resilience of the LGBTQIA+ community. Here at Playbill, we have been celebrating all month long, commemorating the queer community with our exclusive Pridebills and a unique concert experience in collaboration with RiseNY and NYC Pride.
Whether you want to rejoice with a night at the theatre or out on the town, there are no shortage of options. Below, check out Playbill’s compiled list of all the NYC theatre world has to offer for this upcoming Pride weekend. From a Wicked block party to a special NYC Pride March kick-off performance from the fierce felines of Cats: The Jellicle Ball, to a festival of queer plays, indulge in these many opportunities to uplift LGBTQIA+ voices and artists. Happy Pride from all of us at Playbill!
Wicked’s Broadway Pride Block Party
June 26 at the Gershwin Theatre breezeway on W 51st St.
The second edition of Wicked’s theatrical Pride Block Party will commence Friday afternoon from 12-4 PM. The free celebration, hosted by Wicked’s Danny Quadrino and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee’s Kevin McHale, will include photo-ops, games, and giveaways (including some special Playbill goodies!) In addition to Wicked, participating shows include & Juliet, Aladdin, The Book of Mormon, Cats: The Jellicle Ball, Chicago, The Great Gatsby, Heated Rivalry: The Unauthorized Musical Parody, Just in Time, The Lion King, The Lost Boys, Masquerade, Maybe Happy Ending, Moulin Rouge!, Oh, Mary!, Operation Mincemeat, The Outsiders, The Play that Goes Wrong, The Rocky Horror Show, Schmigadoon!, SIX on Broadway, Stranger Things: The First Shadow, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York), and more.
National Queer Theater’s Criminal Queerness Festival
June 10-27 at HERE Arts Center
This Obie Award-winning festival showcases new, groundbreaking works developed by artists from countries where queerness is punished or censored. The Criminal Queerness Festival strives to challenge Western norms and inspire global change through elevation of NYC’s queer, immigrant, and refugee voices. The final play, Syrian Soap written and performed by Syrian artist/clown E. Zaalan, runs this weekend.
The Tank’s PrideFest
PrideFest, curated by Max Mooney, presents theatrical works by queer artists that address themes of joy, beauty, and resistance. Although the month is almost over, there are still a great handful of performances running this weekend, including Masha + 3, a retelling of Chekhov’s Three Sisters through the lens of a Black gay man in 2020, and Manaqueen, a romp featuring two drag queens versus two evil mannequins who try to foil their plans to rob a department store.
Summer on the Hudson’s Speak Up! Festival
June 27 at W 70th St. (Pier i)
Produced by minds behind Opera on Tap, Shakespearean Cabaret, and SlayFest, Speak Up! features dance, comedy, and other theatrical performances highlighting the importance of community and LGBTQIA+ representation. The festival will be held 4-7PM and is supported by Riverside Park Conservatory.
June 27 at 12th Ave. between 130th and 132nd St.
Harlem Pride’s Celebration Day honors the rich historical tapestry and identities that make up both Harlem and the queer community. The jubilee goes from 12-6 PM, featuring a series of special guest speakers and a large-scale stage show performed by established LGBTQIA+ artists and musicians.
June 27 in Times Square
It’s a battle of the bars! Six LGBTQIA+ bars from around the city will be represented through a series of DJ and drag performances in Times Square. Performers include Jacklynn Hyde, Venus Mystique, Reese Havoc, Hanukah Lewinsky, Jasmine Rice LaBeija, Mo’Riah, and Marti G Cummings. The event begins at 3 PM.
June 27 at Campos Community Garden
This free theatrical event, presented by Blunt Theatrical Company, tells the tale of ancient rituals; the fairies and creatures are in protest of “monsters that kill beautiful things.” This performance combines aspects of musical theatre, opera, and ballet.
June 27 at 16 E 46th St.
This immersive cabaret experience, created by Jason Williams in partnership with NYC Pride and produced by Supernova, invites guests into an intimate world that meshes dance, vocals, visual art and other theatrical elements together in celebration of queer joy and freedom.
Silent Disco at Lincoln Center’s Summer for the City
Dance the night away at the Pride-themed Silent Disco, as part of Lincoln Center’s free Summer for the City festival. DJ Bill Coleman will spin a set celebrating dance, pop, and disco.
June 28 starting at 26th St. and 5th Ave
Cats: The Jellicle Ball brings ballroom glitz, glamour, and opulence to the NYC Pride March with a special performance at noon to kick-off the annual celebration. The world’s largest, longest-running Pride parade began as a demonstration honoring the Stonewall Riots—the march annually walks past the national landmark. This year’s grand marshals are actor Dominique Jackson (Pose), drag performer Peppermint (RuPaul’s Drag Race), New York City subway announcer Bernie Wagenblast, actor/producer Bowen Yang (Titaníque), and Gays Against Guns.