New York’s Broadway, The Great White Way, has officially opened its 2007-2008 season with the annual Broadway-on-Broadway Celebration.  The free concert extravaganza played host to the most important aspect of every Broadway Show: The Fan.

Live from Times Square, "Broadway-on-Broadway!"

The event was hosted by Lance Bass, from the pop boy band, N’Sync’s who is appearing in the hit play Hairspray. Lance was joined by over 200 Broadway performers who presented a potpourri of Broadway Show tunes to the over-flow crowd. The 2007 Broadway-on-Broadway line-up was produced by the League of American Theaters and Producers and The Times Square Alliance.

Broadway-on-Broadway Host Lance Bass performs for the crowd.

The event was dedicated to the fans of Broadway with a Broadway’s Biggest Fan contest. The three semi-finalists chosen from thousands of entries were seated in cabaret style on the stage behind the performers. The finalists were treated to a weekend in New York, the show of their choice and a chance a being chosen “Broadway’s Biggest Fan.”  Although the crowd choice for a winner was Ryan Haddad of Ohio, each contestant had a storied history of love for the New York Theater.

Disney's "The Lion King" still roars and soon "The Little Mermaid" will sing her way into our hearts!

The upcoming season has all the ingredients necessary to create a landmark season of theater.  Spectacular performances are a guarantee from the longest running shows to the newest season openers as Hollywood celebrities return to face the challenges of the theater.

From the French Revolution to Prohibition Chicago to the Jersey Shore the Theater offers a treat for everyone!

Chazz Palminteri, star of A Bronx Tale and a veteran of over fifty films was on hand to announce that A Bronx Tale is returing to the Great White Way. Mr. Palminteri, who portrays 18 characters in his one man show, also credited his good friend, Robert De Niro for helping make his vision a reality. A hometown favorite, Mr. Palminteri,’s A Bronx Tale directed by Jerry Zaks, opens October 25 at the Walter Kerr Theater, 219 West 48th Street, and runs through February 10, 2008. 

Chazz Palminteri stars in the hit "A Bronx Tale."

The Broadway stage also welcomes such well-known actors as Annette Bening, F. Murray Abraham, Hank Azaria, Claire Danes, Harvey Fierstein, Jennifer Garner, Kevin Kline, Nathan Lane, Phylicia Rashad, and S. Epatha Merkerson to name a few.

The cast of Mary Poppins pose for a group shot after their live performance.

Twenty ensemble casts performed hits from their shows, including, Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious from Disney’s Mary Poppins, For Now from Avenue Q, One by One  from the Disney adaptation of The Lion King.  The Wizard and I from the hit play Wicked and When You’re Good to Mama, from the tony award winning Chicago. The revival of Jerome Robbins’ A Chorus Line presented I Can Do That.

Oprah Winfrey's, "A Color Purple" provides an unforgettable experience.

The girls hit the stage with Bend & Snap, from Legally Blonde, and Dancing Queen from Mama Mia. Oprah Winfrey’s The Color Purple took us to the juke joint with Push Da Button. As We Stumble Along from The Drowsy Chaperone. All I ask of You, from the Broadway classic, The Phantom of the Opera.  The Jersey Boys crooned, Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You.

Debra Monk and the cast of Curtains perform live.

Why we like Spelling, from The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Find Your Grail from Monty Python’s Spamalot, Out Tonight from Rent,  Dreamed A Dream from Les Miserables.  It’s a Business from the play Curtains and from the hit Hairspray, You can’t stop the Beat with MC Lance Bass.  Summer Nights from Grease brought down the house and led to the finale.

A blizzard of confetti showers the crowd as the Broadway season officially opens!

Frank Sinatra’s, New York, New York was performed by the entire ensemble cast as a blizzard of confetti came raining down from high above the cross roads of the world kicking of another widely anticipated Broadway season.

For theaters, times and locations, http://www.nytheatre.com

Live photos courtesy of http://www.broadwayworld.com

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