Celebration of Ahrens and Flaherty Announced for BroadwayCon; Casts of SPONGEBOB and THE BAND'S VISIT

BroadwayCon has announced a new panel, Journey to the Island: A Celebration of Ahrens and Flaherty. Featuring Lynn Ahrens, Anastasia's Christy Altomare, and Once On This Island's Hailey Kilgore, this panel will discuss the strong female characters that anchor both Anastasia and Once On This Island, as well as performances by Christy Altomare and Alex Newell.

The cast and creatives for two BroadwayCon Show Spotlights have also been announced. The SpongeBob SquarePants Show Spotlight will feature stars Ethan Slater (SpongeBob SquarePants), Gavin Lee (Squidward Tentacles), and Danny Skinner (Patrick Star), as well as Tina Landau (Conceiver/Director) and Tom Kitt (Music Supervision, Orchestrations & Arrangements), and will be moderated by Dave Quinn. The Band's Visit Show Spotlight will include cast members George Abud (Camal), Etai Benson (Papi), Jonathan Raviv (Sammy), and Sharone Sayegh (Anna).

BroadwayCon has also announced additional programming, including:

From Bakery to Broadway

Friday at 12 PM

Broadway shows are seen and heard, but Waitress the musical can be smelled and tasted! From pie jars available at concessions to the smell of oven-baked pie welcoming guests to the theater, Waitress transports the audience to Joe's Diner. The production features real pies developed by Waitress's very own Pie Consultant and life-like props that look good enough to eat. Discover the fun and the fury of having pastries as props from a cast member, prop master, and the baker behind the delicious world of Waitress.

Sunday Morning Church with Auntie Lesli

Sunday at 10 AM

It's Sunday morning, so come join us bright and early for Broadway Church with the one and only Lesli Margherita! This unique and unscripted moment with the Queen herself will lift your spirits, guide your path, and elevate your soul. Father Rabbi Minster Imam Auntie Lesli will share what she knows and even take some questions from her congregants during this intimate sermon. #RuleYourKingdom.

Theater People Live Show!

Sunday at 12 PM

Join host Patrick Hinds in conversation with some of his favorite guests! We'll catch up, dish, and answer YOUR questions!

The BroadwayCon 2018 programming schedule can be found at BroadwayCon.com/Schedule. A list of Special Guests attending BroadwayCon can be found at BroadwayCon.com/Guests.

About BroadwayCon

BroadwayCon is theatre's answer to comic-con, tailor made for fans. From January 26-28, 2018, join some of Broadway's biggest fans, performers, and creators from classic and current shows as we gather at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center to perform, discuss, debate, and celebrate theatre. BroadwayCon 2018 will feature panels, performances, interviews, workshops, singalongs, and more, all packed into an epic three-day weekend. Past panels have included previews from upcoming Broadway shows, conversations with the casts and creatives of this season's hits, and discussions featuring the industry's top producers and designers, not to mention the giant Opening Ceremony, nighttime concerts, and dance parties. BroadwayCon is produced by Mischief Management. The BroadwayCon Artistic Director of Headline Programming is David Alpert.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride / WM Photos