Broadway To Go

Bailey Hanks, Hunter Parrish, Kerry Ellis, Ace Young, Derek Keeling, and the boys of Billy Elliot are among the first-timers at the annual Broadway on Broadway concert.

By Joseph Marzullo,Brian Scott Lipton • Sep 15, 2008 • New York

On Sunday, the annual Broadway on Broadway concert, signaling the kick-off to the 2008-2009 season, was held in Times Square. Drew Lachey, who just played his final performance as Patsy in Monty Python's Spamalot, hosted the show, while radio personality and actress (and soon-to-be TheaterMania contributor) Valerie Smaldone was the show's announcer.

The show was full of first-timers to the event, including Spring Awakening's new leading man (and star of TV's Weeds) Hunter Parrish.

The adorable Bailey Hanks, who gained the role of Legally Blonde's Elle Woods via MTV, belted out "So Much Better."

British theater star Kerry Ellis showed off her pipes on "The Wizard and I" from the megahit Wicked.

Derek Keeling, who plays Danny Zuko in the revival of Grease, led the show's cast in a spirited rendition of "Greased Lighting."

Here's former American Idol contestant Ace Young, who recently joined Grease in the role of Kenickie.

Kiri Kulish, David Alvarez, and Trent Kowalik -- who will rotate in the title role of Billy Elliot -- were on hand for the event.

Christy Carlson Romano, last on Broadway in Beauty and the Beast, will return to the Great White Way as Kate Monster in Avenue Q later this month.

Here's quite a quartet: John Leguizamo, who will headline the revival of David Mamet's American Buffalo, Tony Award-winning composer Charles Strouse, Tony winner Bebe Neuwirth, and Charlotte St. Martin, executive director of the Broadway League.

Broadway favorites James Barbour, currently starring as Sydney Carton in A Tale of Two Cities, and Carolee Carmello, who plays Donna Sheridan in Mamma Mia!, caught up at the concert.

Jeffry Denman, Meredith Patterson, Kerry O'Malley, and Stephen Bogardus will soon brighten up Broadway as the stars of Irving Berlin's White Christmas.

Xanadu's terrific trio of stars, Tony Roberts, Kerry Butler, and Cheyenne Jackson, are a welcome addition to any show!

The always hilarious Beth Leavel, who recently took over the role of Frau Blucher in Young Frankenstein, performed her big number "He Vas My Boyfriend."

Gypsy's Alison Fraser, Lisa Rohinsky, Marilyn Caskey, and Leonora Nemetz have lots of talent, but still showed "You Gotta Get a Gimmick" to get applause.

Finally, here's the beautiful star of The Little Mermaid, Sierra Boggess, who sang the show-stopping "Part of Your World."