Top 10 Broadway Cast Reunion Performances
#10: Disney Broadway Leading Ladies Performance
“The View” (1997-)
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In 2019, Disney on Broadway's biggest and brightest stars reunited for a very special appearance on "The View." The performance was in celebration of the theatrical division of Disney's milestone 25th anniversary on the Great White Way. Performers like Susan Egan, Heather Headley, Caissie Levy and Patti Murin , who are known for playing some of Disney’s most fantastic leading ladies, all came out to mark the occasion. Paying tribute with a sweeping and dazzling medley from shows like "Frozen," "The Lion King," and "Mary Poppins," the performance was nothing short of magical. Sure, it was a reunion of stars from different casts rather than one cast reunion - but when the result is that powerful, why quibble?
#9: The Casts of “Kinky Boots”
Broadway.com NYC Pride (2020)
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"Everybody say yeah!" because "Kinky Boots" blew the roof right off with this epic cast reunion. To celebrate Pride 2020, "Boots" casts worldwide came together, virtually, that is. To cooperate with the COVID-19 pandemic, the socially distanced performance was recorded and then uploaded online. Singing and dancing to the uplifting and joyful number "Raise You Up," performers from Germany, Canada, South Korea and other countries ensembled to spread some joy and raise awareness. Perhaps best of all, original stars Billy Porter, Annaleigh Ashford, and Stark Sands participated, adding a special energy to it all. What a way to lift everyone's spirits during a bleak time in history.
#8: The Cast of “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee”
Actors Fund Benefit (2015)
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One of the most wholesome and laugh-out-loud musical comedies of the 2000s, “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” delighted audiences when it premiered on Broadway in 2005. Ten years later, the original cast got back together for one night only in a fundraiser for the Actors Fund’s and to honour the life of the original production’s stage manager, Andrea “Spook” Testani Gordon. Cast members portraying the quirky and loveable middle schoolers included Jesse Tyler Ferguson, who originated the role of Leaf Coneybear before his “Modern Family” fame, and Dan Fogler, later of the “Fantastic Beasts” franchise. If anything, the laughs were even more side-splitting this time around.
#7: The Cast of “Matilda the Musical”
NHS Benefit (2020)
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What started as a beloved children’s book, then an equally special movie, eventually found fame as a first-rate musical in the West End in 2011 and on Broadway in 2013. The original West End cast came together in 2020 to perform the show’s signature tune, “When I Grow Up” as a benefit for the NHS. The digital chorus featured many “grown-up” members of the original production who starred in the show as children many years ago. It’s a bittersweet moment set to a bittersweet song that reminds us all how fleeting childhood is and how magical it is once we find the time to revisit it.
#6: The Cast of “Hairspray”
“74th Tony Awards” (2021)
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After being dark for nearly two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, mid-2021 saw the triumphant return of Broadway. The delayed Tony Awards ceremony, which traditionally takes place in June each year, aired in September, coinciding with Broadway houses reopening. The original cast of 2003’s “Hairspray” was invited to open the show as a way to kick off the ceremony with the appropriate dose of high energy. Stars like Marissa Jaret Winokur and Matthew Morrison got everyone on their feet. Their rousing performance proved to everyone that no matter what comes its way, Broadway is unstoppable.
#5: Audra McDonald & Brian Stokes Mitchell
“74th Tony Awards” (2021)
Get ready for the waterworks! When vocal powerhouses Audra McDonald and Brian Stokes Mitchell reunited onstage at the 2021 Tony Awards, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. Singing their famous duet, “Wheels of a Dream” from 1998’s “Ragtime,” their performances are intensely powerful and emotional. Mitchell’s creamy baritone and MacDonald’s flawless soprano provide all the musicianship one could desire, but it’s the way they bring life and resonance to each word and phrase that melts even the coldest hearts. Nostalgic and sentimental, they gleefully smile at each other during the last few moments of their performance, which is just the icing on top of this already perfect performance.
#4: The Cast of “Hamilton”
“SomeGoodNews” (2020)
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During the COVID-19 pandemic, John Krasinski wanted to bring some much-needed optimism for the world and thus "Some Good News" was born. The web series/news program highlighted positive stories. Many episodes featured celebrity guests, and in April 2020, the original Broadway cast of "Hamilton" got together to make one of their youngest fans' dreams come true. The pandemic shut down 9-year-old Aubrey's birthday plans to see the Tony Award-winning production. So, Lin-Manuel Miranda and his fellow performers like Christopher Jackson, Leslie Odom Jr, Phillipa Soo and Daveed Diggs Zoomed in to give her a once in a lifetime performance. The ensemble also reunited a few months later on "Jimmy Fallon," proving that they aren't just a cast; they're a family.
#3: The Cast of “Spring Awakening”
“Spring Awakening: Those You've Known” (2022)
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It took 15 years and a global pandemic, but the original cast of “Spring Awakening” came back together for a benefit concert, and thankfully HBO was there to capture it. Many of the cast have gone on to blossom on Broadway and in other media, but somehow everyone was available to come back to the show that started it all. It’s safe to say Jonathan Groff’s nearly constant tears mirrored our own emotions. More than just a one-off song bringing original cast together, “Those You’ve Known” added more to the nostalgia by showing old footage and interviews in addition to concert footage. Broadway gods, if you’re listening, we would like this for every show we’ve ever loved. This is the right way to do it.
#2: Kristin Chenoweth & Idina Menzel
“74th Tony Awards” (2021)
Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth may have said goodbye “For Good” to their iconic roles in “Wicked,” but the duo has still reunited on a few occasions. And their 2021 Tony Awards Show reunion hits us right in the feels. Singing this heartfelt duet, they pay tribute to their onstage personas. Chenoweth honors Glinda in a pink dress, while Menzel sports a black dress and Emerald green earrings and nails for Elphaba. Of course, “Wicked” fans know that the duo also reunited to perform the same song for the digital segment “#OutofOz.” No matter the performance, Stephen Schwartz’s song packs a punch and, like the lyrics state, “leave a handprint” on all our hearts.
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
The Cast of “American Idiot,” PandemicFund Video (2020)
Cast Performs "21 Guns" for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS' COVID-19 Emergency Fund
The Casts of “Avenue Q,” Actors Fund Benefit (2020)
Cast Reunites Digitally with a Singalong Video to “For Now”
#1: The Cast of “Rent”
“Rent: Live” (2019)
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In 1996, the late Jonathan Larson's masterpiece, "Rent," changed musical theatre. After a legendary run on Broadway and a film adaptation and in 2019, it enjoyed a live televised performance. At the end of this special evening, the original cast got together to help bring the show back to its origins by singing one of the show's most famous numbers, "Seasons of Love.” Idina Menzel, Taye Diggs, Anthony Rapp, Jesse L. Martin and Adam Pascal all came out to pay tribute and honor the show. Rapp and Pascal stepped back into the roles of Mark and Roger yet again in 2021 to perform “What You Own” at the Tonys. Both moments were full of pure nostalgia and a reminder of the show's impact not only on theatre but culture.
