Wait in the Wings Launches Nonprofit; Will Host First Broadway History Harvest

 Wait in the Wings, the renowned YouTube channel known for preserving and sharing the untold stories of theater history, is proud to announce the launch of its official partner nonprofit, Friends of Wait in the Wings, a newly established 501(c)(3) organization.  

Since 2019, Wait in the Wings has produced free-to-access documentaries exploring everything from the history of the Phantom of the Opera chandelier to the construction of the Audrey II puppets from Little Shop of Horrors. Most recently, they pieced together the complex histories of cult-hit musical Ride the Cyclone and the original 1988 Broadway run of the musical CHESS. 

Their new 501(C)3 partner, Friends of Wait in the Wings advances the educational mission of Wait in the Wings by providing support through fundraising, volunteer opportunities, and programs that make it possible to create new media highlighting the history of theater. 

“For the past three years we’ve been looking for a way to take our mission out from behind the computer screen and into the real world,” Wait in the Wings founder and host Brendon Henderson stated. “With how temporary theatre is, so much of its history is misplaced, thrown in the trash, or simply forgotten. Through this new nonprofit, we’ll finally be able to change that.” 

The organization will host its inaugural event, the Broadway History Harvest, on Saturday, September 20, from 9am–3pm at the Laurie Beechman Theatre in New York City. This free community event invites the theater community to bring in their personal treasures (including ticket stubs, photos, props, costumes, and merchandise) for digitization. The items will be included in a new free online archive, available to fans, educators, and researchers worldwide. All items brought to the event will be carefully digitized on-site and returned immediately to their owners. Spots should be reserved in advance online at givebutter.com/BroadwayHarvest2025; walk-in availability cannot be guaranteed. 

Julianna Whalen Henderson, Board Chair of Friends of Wait in the Wings, shared: “What has always brought history to life for me are the personal stories. With the Broadway History Harvest, we have a chance to preserve memories like a photo of your first time attending a Broadway show, the vase your flowers came in the night of your Broadway debut, props, costumes, and more, so they can educate and inspire future generations.”

Stay tuned with BroadwayWorld for exciting ongoing collaborations with Wait in the Wings!

About Wait in the Wings 

WAIT IN THE WINGS is a YouTube documentary series dedicated to preserving and sharing the history of Broadway shows. With 150,000+ subscribers and over 18 million views, Founder and Director Brendon Henderson shares the history of shows from Spider-Man Turn Off The Dark to Hadestown. They were recently honored to be one of twenty creators invited by YouTube to advocate for the Congressional Creators Caucus in Washington D.C. Youtube: www.youtube.com/WaitInTheWings; Instagram: @WaitWings 

About Friends of Wait in the Wings 

FRIENDS OF WAIT IN THE WINGS, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, furthers the educational mission of Wait in the Wings by supporting fundraising, volunteer opportunities, and events that create media, digital archives, exhibitions, and resources for educators and students that share the history of theater. 

Friends of Wait in the Wings is led by a devoted board of directors and committees composed of artists, philanthropists, advocates, and storytellers, all committed to building a diverse and equitable theatrical community while preserving theater history. Support with a tax-deductible contribution: givebutter.com/givewitw.