Photos: Darren Criss, Natalie Venetia Belcon & More Perform at 'NYC Center Stage' at IPW

Earlier this month, Broadway Inbound and New York City Tourism + Conventions, the City’s official destination marketing organization and convention and visitors bureau, presented their annual "NYC Center Stage" luncheon at IPW, held this year at the McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago, Illinois. Shows participating in the Broadway Collection marketing initiative, focused on the travel industry, are invited to perform each year.

Hosted by Darren Criss, winner of Best Leading Actor in a Musical at this year’s Tony Awards® for his performance in Maybe Happy Ending, this year’s luncheon performance featured some of Broadway’s most popular, award-winning musicals. Travel professionals and press from around the world got a taste of Broadway, with performances from this year’s Tony Award-winners Death Becomes Her and Buena Vista Social Club, as well as last season’s Tony-winning The Outsiders, Hell’s Kitchen, and The Great Gatsby.

IPW is the largest annual travel tradeshow for U.S. destinations, sponsored by U.S. Travel, drawing thousands of travel buyers from around the world for three days of meetings and events. Broadway Inbound works exclusively with these travel professionals to educate them about available Broadway shows and ensure they have easy access to ticket inventory.

“We are so happy to continue partnering with NYC Tourism + Conventions to bring Broadway to life at IPW with performances from some of today’s top musicals. No trip to New York City is complete without attending a Broadway show, and both NYC and Broadway are ready to welcome travelers from across the globe,” said Bob Hofmann, Vice President of The Broadway Collection, a marketing division of The Shubert Organization focused on helping visitors to the city discover Broadway.

“As the nation’s number one point of entry, driving international travel at IPW is hugely important to New York City’s tourism industry. A warm invitation to NYC always stands, and what better way for us to welcome the world, than by showcasing theater’s very best to the global trade and media alongside our partners at Broadway Inbound?” said Julie Coker, President and CEO of New York City Tourism + Conventions.

Buena Vista Social Club, inspired by true events and the recipient of five Tony Awards this year, performed “Candela.” Tony recipients Natalie Venetia Belcon and the show’s team of musicians blew the roof off the cavernous hall. Another of this year’s Tony Award-winning musicals, Death Becomes Her, immersed the audience in performances of “Falling Apart” and “Don’t Say I Didn’t (Warn You).”

The cast from The Outsiders performed “Tulsa ‘67” and “Throwing in the Towel,” after which The Great Gatsby transported attendees into the Roaring Twenties with a performance of “Past is Catching Up to Me.” Finally, the groundbreaking Hell’s Kitchen flashed back to NYC in the 1990’s with a medley of “The River,” “Love Looks Better,” and “No One,” with a special video introduction from Alicia Keys herself.

Darren Criss, fresh off his Tony win, not only hosted the event, but he also performed a piece of the title song for the excited audience. The NYC Center Stage performance, along with Broadway Inbound’s presence at the enormous tradeshow, helps boost Broadway’s visibility with visitors from around the world, and the travel pros who book their itineraries.