Brad Hoylman News

Theater for the New City's Lower East Side Festival of the Arts, which had to be presented virtually last year, returns May 28-30, 2021 as an indoor and outdoor live audience event with an emphasis on safety. 

NY State Senator Brad Hoylman, who is currently running to be the next Manhattan Borough President, has a long history supporting the performing arts and cultural institutions in New York City. André De Shields, Judy Kuhn, Liz Calloway, Ryann Redmond, Telly Lueng, Seth Rudetsky, and more have come together signing a letter of endorsement.

While filming a virtual benefit for the York Theatre, Andre De Shields was surprised by two producers and a Senator.

Senator Brad Hoylman surprised the Tony, Grammy and Emmy Award winner André De Shields with a Senate Proclamation on Thursday April 8th, 2021 proclaiming the day “André De Shields Appreciation Day”. The surprise proclamation was arranged by producer Tom D’Angora to honor the extensive charity work Mr. De Shields has done for the community this year.

The theater community is reuniting in Times Square exactly one year to the day since Broadway shut-down for “We Will Be Back,” a special live pop-up experience and commemoration of Broadway’s “lost year.”

As rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine continues around the world, the theatre community is still anxiously awaiting news about a timeline the return of the Broadway- an industry that brings in $14 billion to New York City yearly.

Since 1978, West Bank Cafe has been one of the epicenters of New York City’s theatre community, and due to the pandemic, it is on the verge of permanently closing. With Broadway dark, tourism down, indoor dining closed, and no relief plan in sight, 2020 has created a plethora of financial problems for the beloved theater district institution. 

Members of the New York City musicians' union (AFM Local 802) announce the launch today of #SaveNYCMusicians, a campaign to share the stories of NYC musicians and ask the public for support.

Broadway for Biden's all-star virtual fundraiser In Our America: A Concert for the Soul of the Nation is now available to watch on the NowThis YouTube page and Broadway for Biden's Facebook through Wednesday, November 4. The concert originally streamed on Wednesday, October 21.

Broadway for Biden’s all-star virtual fundraiser In Our America: A Concert for the Soul of the Nation streams tonight, Wednesday, October 21 at 8:00pm EST. 

Broadway for Biden has announced updates for upcoming fundraiser In Our America: A Concert for the Soul of the Nation. The one-night only virtual event will bring Broadway together to celebrate hope and benefit the Biden Victory Fund.

More than 75 musicians joined together in front of the Ed Sullivan Theater to call out CBS and the other television networks as musicians escalated efforts to secure a fair contract, gain wage increases, broader health care coverage, and secure residuals for streaming usage.

The League of Independent Theater is calling for theatres, small businesses, and not-for-profits across NYC to join LIT on September 1st to flood social media with personal stories and images of the theatres that make up the great city of New York.

With the roster still building, Theater for the New City has currently scheduled over 150 performing arts organizations, independent artists, poets, puppeteers and film makers for its 25th annual Lower East Side Festival of the Arts, which will be mounted virtually for the first time May 22 to 24, 2020.

State Senator Brad Hoylman, who represents the Theater District, issued the following statement in response to the suspension of Broadway shows.

The de Blasio Administration today announced the launch of the IDNYC renewal campaign, new and returning benefit partners, and the IDNYC Middle School Card. With the fifth anniversary of the IDNYC program approaching and the first set of cards set to expire beginning in January 2020, the program has also introduced a new card design and a comprehensive, citywide advertising and targeted outreach campaign to promote renewals. IDNYC is the largest and most successful municipal ID program in the country with over 1.3 million cardholders.

Callen-Lorde Community Health Center, the local non-profit providing healthcare targeted to New York's Lesbian, Gay Bisexual, and Transgender communities, presented GLOW: 50 YEARS OF CALLEN-LORDE, a historic five decade anniversary party and fundraiser on Friday, May 31st.

A Museum of Broadway will launch in Times Square in 2020! The pop-up museum's unique exhibits will create rich, immersive, visual experiences that take fans on a journey from the birth of Broadway through present day - and everything in between. Visitors will be treated to a one-of-a-kind Broadway experience perfect for all ages.

Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund (TLDEF) will commemorate 16 years of service at the 2019 Trans Advocacy Awards, on Tuesday, June 11, at the Manhattan Penthouse in New York City from 6:30 to 8:30 PM.

Over 150 musicians stood together at Dante Park, directly across from Lincoln Center, to demonstrate solidarity with their colleagues on strike at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. A group of thirty brass musicians from the Metropolitan Opera, the New York Philharmonic, and the New York City Ballet performed, conducted by Joseph Alessi, Principal Trombone of the New York Philharmonic. The Local 802 AFM musicians spanned every genre from Broadway to classical to indie, and the musicians were joined by their fellow union members from Actors' Equity, American Guild of Musical Artists, IATSE Local One, IATSE Local 764, the New York City Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO, SAG-AFTRA NY, and the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society.