New York, NY – May 24, 2018 – The Broadway League is proud to announce that Alex Newell, currently starring as Asaka in Once On This Island, will host this year’s STARS IN THE ALLEY® free outdoor concert. Stars in the Alley will take place on Friday, June 1 at 1PM in Shubert Alley, between Broadway and 8th Avenue and 44th and 45th Streets.

While Alex Newell hosts this year’s festivities on stage in Shubert Alley, Alex Boniello, currently starring as Connor Murphy in Dear Evan Hansen, will serve as backstage correspondent. He will be on hand to cover the event live on The Broadway League’s Twitter (@BroadwayLeague) and Instagram (@BroadwayLeague), bringing fans both exclusive backstage access and a unique perspective on all that’s happening on stage and in the audience this year.

The celebration will also include scheduled performances and appearances by Katharine McPhee, currently starring as Jenna in Waitress; Melissa Benoist (“Supergirl”), slated to play the title role in Beautiful – The Carole King Musical; and Tyler Glenn (Neon Trees), currently starring as Charlie Price in Kinky Boots.

In addition, there will be performances and appearances by 2018 Tony Award-nominated performers including: Anthony Boyle (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two), Joshua Henry (Carousel), Hailey Kilgore (Once On This Island), Taylor Louderman (Mean Girls), and Ari’el Stachel (The Band’s Visit), as well as performances from 2018 Tony Award-nominated musicals including: Frozen, SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical, and Summer: The Donna Summer Musical.

ALEX NEWELL is thrilled to be making his Broadway debut in the revival of Once On This Island and is breaking barriers as he plays the traditionally female role Asaka, Mother of the Earth. The New York Times says “Mama Will Provide” is “sung to rattle the roof by the ferocious Alex Newell,” and Entertainment Weekly raves, “[it] is a highlight and one of the show’s most memorable and most cheered moments.” While best known for his powerful performance as Unique Adams on Fox’s “Glee,” the stage is where it all began for Newell. Some of his favorite roles include Hairspray (Motormouth Maybelle), Cinderella (Fairy Godmother), and Saturday Night Fever (Candy). Alex is also a recording artist and released his first EP, “Power,” in 2016 after signing with Atlantic Records. His music has also been featured on HBO’s Martin Scorsese series, “Vinyl.” Website: TheAlexNewell.com Twitter & Instagram: @TheAlexNewell Facebook: /TheAlexNewell.

Stars in the Alley, produced by The Broadway League and sponsored by United Airlines, is a celebration of the end of the 2017-2018 Broadway season and adds to the festivities leading up to the 2018 Tony Awards on June 10, 2018. The event will consist of performances from over 20 musicals, including shows from this past season as well as numbers from current long-running shows, all accompanied by a 12-piece live orchestra.

PARTICIPATING MUSICALS* INCLUDE:

Aladdin

Anastasia

The Band’s Visit

Beautiful - The Carole King Musical

Carousel

Chicago

Come From Away

Dear Evan Hansen

Escape to Margaritaville

Frozen

Kinky Boots

Mean Girls

Once On This Island

The Phantom of the Opera

School of Rock The Musical

SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical

Summer: The Donna Summer Musical

Waitress

Wicked

WITH ADDITIONAL APPEARANCES* FROM:

Angels in America

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two

The Play That Goes Wrong

Saint Joan

*(subject to change)

For more details about Stars in the Alley or for Broadway information in NYC as well as for shows on tour across North America and internationally, visit Broadway.org.

The concert will come just nine days before the American Theatre Wing’s 72nd Annual Tony Awards^®. The ceremony will air on the CBS Television Network on Sunday, June 10, 2018 (8:00-11:00 PM, ET/delayed PT) live from Radio City Music Hall in New York City, hosted by 2017 Tony Award Nominee Josh Groban, and 2016 Tony Award Nominee Sara Bareilles. The Tony Awards, which honor theatre professionals for distinguished achievement on Broadway, have been broadcast on CBS since 1978. The Tony Awards are presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing.  For more information on the Tony Awards, visit TonyAwards.com and Facebook.com/TheTonyAwards and follow @TheTonyAwards on Instagram and Twitter.

The event is produced by The Broadway League. United Airlines is the title sponsor of Stars in the Alley® and is the official airline of The Broadway League and the Tony Awards. Live music sponsored by The Recording Industry’s Music Performance Trust Fund and the Film Funds. The official hospitality partner is Junior’s Restaurant. The official media partner is The New York Times. Additional support is provided by The Shubert Organization and SL Green Reality Corporation.