Chita Rivera, Tituss Burgess, Kathleen Turner, and More at Broadway Backwards

Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS hosted its 2016 Broadway Backwards on March 21 at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre.

Broadway Backwards is an annual celebration where gays and lesbians experience their stories as told through the great songs of musical theater. The evening is produced by Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and benefits BC/EFA and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center of New York. Last year’s sold-out 10th anniversary celebration featured a 66-person cast of Broadway and screen stars backed by a live 13-piece orchestra. It raised a record $466,717.

The company included Broadway icon Chita Rivera (The Visit), Tony nominees Stephanie J. Block (The Mystery of Edwin Drood) and Tony Sheldon (Priscilla Queen of the Desert), Danielle Brooks (The Color Purple), Laura Michelle Kelly (Finding Neverland), Nick Adams (Priscilla Queen of the Desert), Josh Grisetti (It Shoulda Been You), Eddie Korbich (A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder), Karen Mason (Hairspray), and Kenita R. Miller (Xanadu). Tony winner Julie White, a longtime supporter of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, hosted this year’s 11th edition.

Tituss Burgess (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), Len Cariou (Sweeney Todd, Broadway and the Bard), Andre De Shields (Gotta Dance), Beth Malone (Fun Home), Lesli Margherita (Dames at Sea), Ken Page (Cats), Telly Leung (Allegiance), Brad Oscar (Something Rotten!), Krysta Rodriguez (Spring Awakening), Emily Skinner (Side Show), Ricky Ubeda (On the Town), Treat Williams (Follies), Tony Yazbeck (Finding Neverland), and Broadway trio Apollo Link were also on hand for the show.

Broadway Backwards creator Robert Bartley will direct the show, with Mary-Mitchell Campbell as music supervisor and Tim Rosser as music director. Bartley, Al Blackstone, David Bushman, and Adam Roberts will choreograph. Chris DeCamillis serves as production stage manager, Paul Miller is lighting designer, and Matt Kilgore is costume designer.