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PEOPLE & ARTSWednesday 23 December
Theater fans gear up for first ever fan fest BroadwayCon
MARK KENNEDY plenty of master classes led “I think and I hope it’s go-
AP Drama Writer by veterans. There will be
NEW YORK (AP) — If you’re sing-alongs, a game show ing to help people really
in midtown Manhattan late and a cabaret.
next month and see wom- The event was conceived understand why fandom
en in green makeup or folks by Melissa Anelli and
strutting around in colonial Stephanie Dornhelm, who and passion is so powerful,”
outfits, fear not. They’re at- co-founded and lead
tending the inaugural fan GeekyCon, and the origi- said Anelli. “Passion has
convention for Broadway. nal “Rent” star Anthony
The three-day Broadway- Rapp. They’ve partnered been nothing but amazing
Con — sort of like a Comic with Playbill and the con-
Con for thespians — prom- vention will be held Jan. in our world, so I’m excited
ises to connect theater fans 22-24 at the New York Hil-
with stage stars, but also ton Midtown. for the Broadway world to
wants them to leave with Although the Broadway
more than an autograph. community does have discover it.”
There will be meet-ups for gatherings throughout the
fans of Andrew Lloyd Web- year — benefit shows, a The BroadwayCon lineup is
ber or Stephen Sondheim flea market and fundrais-
and one for theater fans ing concerts — it hasn’t constantly being updated,
who have tattoos. There had a full-on convention
will be panels about sound until now. but some of the stars slated
and costume design. “Co- Enter the masterminds of
splay With the Pros” will GeekyCon, which grew to appear include Lin-Man-
features tips from Broad- from a love of Harry Potter
way costumers. The casts to one of the largest and uel Miranda and the cast
of “Rent,” ‘’Fun Home” and most recognized conven-
“Hamilton” will talk about tions for fans of fantasy of “Hamilton,” Jeremy Jor-
their shows. There will be a films, television shows and
seminar on producing and young adult books. dan, Michael Cerveris, Al-
ice Ripley, James Monroe
Iglehart, Billy Porter, Melissa
Errico, Gavin Creel, Seth
Rudetsky, Kerry Butler and
Christian Borle and Brian
d’Arcy James from “Some-
thing Rotten!”
Anelli, who was such a pas-
sionate fan of “Rent” that
she slept outside its Broad-
way home at age 16 and
The Palace Theatre marquee and billboards advertising Broad- eventually befriended
way shows are displayed in Times Square, in New York. The in-
augural BroadwayCon, a Comic Con for thespians, will be held Rapp, said BroadwayCon
at the New York Hilton Midtown from Jan. 22-24.
will attract at least two
(AP Photo/Charles Sykes)
large groups of fans.q
