Broadway Bound Kids Achieves $80,000 Fundraising at Annual Concert

On February 2nd at the main stage of City Winery NYC, Broadway Bound Kids at its fourth annual Broadway Bound Benefit: Empower State of Mind broke financial barriers to summer arts education by raising over $80,000.

The evening celebrated the city of New York and its impact on the arts and creativity, especially in arts education, with performances by Kate Baldwin (Chicago The Musical), Olivia Donalson (Six), Kelsey Kimmel (Hell's Kitchen), Storm Lever (Six), Daniel Quadrino (Wicked), Jacob Keith Watson (Ragtime) led by music director, Robert Frost (Cabaret). The evening started with a dance number and vocal mash-up of Madonna's Express Yourself and Lady Gaga's Born This Way sung and danced by BBK students with Broadway guest Kelsee Kimmel and the night's host, Jake McKenna. Performances ranged from a stunning Hello, Dolly! medley by Kate Baldwin to a mother and daughter duet to a fabulous SIX reunion of Olivia Donalson, Storm Lever, and Kelsey Kimmel. Songs of empowerment and belonging were sung by Jacob Keith Watson, Teaching Artists, Brandon Shaw McKnight and Nick Prez, and BBK students.

The event celebrated the second Broadway Bound Legacy awardees, The PATH Fund, Inc. (PATH), Cori Gardner and Donnie Kehr who prefaced receiving the award with a flooring performance of Billy Joel's New York State of Mind. While BBK has been a beneficiary of PATH, the foundation has also built free programs like BBK Rocks - a three-week summer rock music intensive in partnership with BBK and mentorship programs like Rockers on the Rise! To further pay tribute to New York City and the trailblazers of PATH, Danny Quadrino joined Donnie Kehr and BBK Rocks students in singing Starship's We Built This City as the audience clapped along. “The really remarkable thing about Cori and Donnie and The PATH Fund is that they don't just help artists when they shine, they help artists and arts organizations when they struggle. They help artists know that they are never alone and that they belong and that's what I call a legacy,” BBK Founder, Erin Glass, says introducing the award to PATH. “Young people deserve access to the arts – full stop. They deserve opportunity and people who truly believe in them. So over the years, I've watched BBK change lives. It's not just by teaching performance or building confidence, it's a sense of belonging”, Gardner remarks in her acceptance speech. 

BBK seniors and participants in the newest free program Bridge to Higher Education, a two-week college prep workshop, GG and Mel sang a duet of David Guetta and Sia's Titanium after speaking about their experience with BBK. The two young performers became best friends after starring in BBK's production of Frozen Jr. as Anna and Elsa and have become inseparable since. “Every year they're encouraging talent but they're guaranteeing you transformation, community, and – the word of the evening – belonging. I'm so astounded by how much BBK has grown and that so many kids can go on receiving education for free – like I have – and coming out with a priceless experience and forever family,” GG says. 

The evening concluded with BBK students in Broadway Bound Workshop — one of the branches of the free Community Theater Ensemble programs — performing the New York anthem, Empire State of Mind by Alicia Keys. Exceeding their goal to over $80,000, the most they've raised at an annual Benefit, will open up even more opportunities for BBK as the funds will go towards expanding vital programs and implementing new programming to over 2,000 students in nearly 50 schools across all five boroughs with a roster of over 50 Teaching Artists from pre-K tap/ballet to full high school musicals. After persevering through financial losses in 2025, the future of BBK and its students looks promising after the fourth annual Benefit. Executive Director, Lizzie McGuire remarks, “Being a part of a community, one that embraces acceptance, creativity, optimism, joy — I think that's what's going to help offset this wildness in these challenging times. And community makes a difference.”