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Get ready for a week of incredible New York talent for a great cause.
Every night this week, 26 musical-theater artists will perform original songs about the current state of our city—covering everything from the ongoing pandemic to the clarion calls for racial justice and social change—for a chance at winning a brand-new songwriting challenge called Songs for Our City.
Times Square Alliance is presenting the virtual concert series, in partnership with Time Out’s Love Local Campaign, which will begin each evening this week at 7:05pm, starting today.
Every night, a different slate of singer-songwriters will perform their works and immediately afterward, home voters decide which artist will proceed to the finals on Sunday. The judges—Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’s Tituss Burgess, Broadway composer Andrew Lippa, Six creators Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss and Time Out’s very own Adam Feldman—will determine which artist wins it all on Sunday night. The series will be hosted by Broadway Buskers host and curator Ben Cameron.
Not only will the Time Square Alliance provide cash prizes for finalists and stipends for all participating songwriters, the concerts will also raise funds for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS’ COVID-19 Emergency Assistance Fund, as well as the Broadway Advocacy Coalition, in support of their ongoing efforts to help Broadway heal, listen and become an anti-racist and equitable community.
"The world is pulling us all in such extreme directions! One thing we consistently turn to in times of great adversity is music," said Tituss Burgess. "I’m eager to hear what has been brewing in the souls of these composers and I can’t wait for the world at large to be introduced to a new wave of creatives that will share unique lyrical and sonic perspectives!"
"Listen. If you listen, you can learn. If you learn, you can change. If you change, you can be more human," said Andrew Lippa. "These actions apply to songwriting as much as they apply to living. Let’s all listen, learn, and change our way into a better future. With open hearts and open ears."
Tune in each night at TSQ.org/Songs, the Times Square Alliance's YouTube and Facebook page, or on Time Out’s Facebook page immediately following the collective applause for essential workers in NYC. The full schedule and list of performers is as follows:
- Monday, June 15: Jaime Cepero, Donnie Kehr, Rob Rokicki, Jennifer Sánchez and Mike Wartella
- Tuesday, June 16: John Arthur Greene, John Krause, Janet Krupin and Heath Saunders
- Wednesday, June 17: F. Michael Haynie, Anthony Norman, Alice Ripley and Starbird & the Phoenix
- Thursday, June 18: Lauren Elder, Max Sangerman, Dru Serkes and Ethan Slater
- Friday, June 19: Marcus Paul James, Molly and the Memphis Thunder, Alexander Sage Oyen and Tim Young
- Saturday, June 20: Leslie Becker, Drew Gasparini, Will Taylor, Will Van Dyke & Jeff Talbott and Joel Waggoner
- Sunday, June 21: Finale
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