Once a year, Broadway fans get together for a weekend of fun at BroadwayCon. The team works extremely hard to put together amazing programming all for the fans. Panels, concerts, mainstage programs, autograph and photobooth sessions, and many more activities fill the weekend. Although the entire weekend is a highlight, here are the top five moments from BroadwayCon 2017 that made us wanting more.
5. Singalongs
As someone who has been to BroadwayCon for both years so far, the singalongs have to be one of my favorite parts. There are different themes of singalongs where they play all of the favorites. Everyone rushes to the stage in the front to grab the mic and sing along. There is something that makes you so happy about being in a room with a bunch of fellow Broadway fans belting songs off the top of your lungs for 50 minutes straight. This is most likely the reason why I left the con with no voice.
4. Broadway First Look
The line for Broadway First Look was longer than the line for opening ceremonies this year. Everyone at con was dying to see it. Although they had the first look last year, it only included a few shows. This year, they brought in performers from a ton of new shows opening this season to perform. Amélie, Anastasia, Bandstand, Come From Away and Significant Other were a few of the many shows that performed this year. I personally was waiting the entirety of con for Broadway First Look for Bandstand. I am so excited for that show to come to Broadway and I was ecstatic to see the very first performance ever of a new song from the show.
3. Lesli Margherita Variety Hour
Lesli's variety hour happened this year all thanks to "Blizzard Con" last year in which Lesli ended up singlehandedly running BroadwayCon 2016. The beginning of her variety hour included video appearances from Broadway stars such as Alex Brightman, Ana Villafañe, Kara Lindsay, James Monroe Iglehart, and many more. She started off by singing a few songs. Then gave us a look at her "new musical" Star Wars Das Musical with the help of some of her Broadway friends. I loved every second of her variety hour. Give her two hours next year!
2. Meeting Broadway Stars
Who doesn't love getting to meet their favorite Broadway stars?! BroadwayCon is the best time to get to meet some of your favorites. Many stars had signings at the Broadway Records & Drama Book Shop booths at the marketplace. I got to have Al Silber from Fiddler On The Roof sign a copy of Masterclass in which she performed in years ago. I got to see some cast members from the Newsies Tours helping raise money at the BCEFA booth. The photo-booth and autograph sessions are always big at the con. They have some of Broadway's biggest stars lined up for the opportunity to meet fans through an online lottery. This year I got the chance to have a photo-booth session with Andrew and Celia Keenan Bolger. I even got to meet Beth Malone because she was just casually hanging around the market place after a panel. She was so down-to-earth and was willing to meet every fan waiting there for her. That's what Broadway is about.
Beth Malone and I
1. Cosplay
Cosplay is hands down the best thing at BroadwayCon. It is so awesome getting to see everyone's amazing costumes. They put so much hard work into them and they all look amazing. This year I dressed up as Katherine Plumber from Newsies (which I worked on for over a year), Gloria from On Your Feet and Wendy from Peter Pan/ Finding Neverland. My friend and I's Gloria costumes were a hit on Saturday. We were stopped by so many people to either take a picture with us or tell us how awesome our costumes were. I loved getting to see everyone showing support for their favorite shows by dressing up as their favorite character. They even had a cosplay fashion show in which fans got to show off their best cosplay on the main stage.
My friend Shannon and I (dressed as Gloria Estefan from On Your Feet) with Nyssa who had the most amazing Mrs. Wormwood (Matilda) cosplay. SO. SPOT. ON.
Here's to even more amazing memories next year at BroadwayCon 2018!
