‘Broadway Rising’ celebrated its world premiere at Tribeca on June 13.
The documentary tells the incredible and inspiring story of Broadway’s journey back following the pandemic and subsequent shutdown. Chronicling every phase of the lockdown period — from Broadway’s initial closing in March 2020 to the announcement that Broadway was returning in September 2021 — the documentary showcases how Broadway and the Broadway community weathered the storm and unknowns of lockdown and ultimately returned.
The feature length documentary follows individuals from all facets of the Broadway community, including stage doormen, wardrobe technicians, playwrights, producers, actors, ushers, dancers, directors, and more. The complete and thorough access to these Broadway individuals results in a powerful documentary that showcases their strength, resilience, hope, and dedication to return to the stage.
Directed by award-winning filmmaker Amy Rice and produced by Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Justin Mikita, Sam Bisbee, and Christopher Cowen, Broadway Rising’s talented creative team assembles a powerful portrait of Broadway.
“We tried to figure out what this film is,” Jesse Tyler Ferguson said prior to the screening. “And what became entirely clear to us is that it needed to be a film about the entire Broadway community — not just the actors, and directors, and producers, but the front of the house staff, the dry cleaners in the Bronx who dry-clean the costumes that we wear, the restaurants in Times Square, the ushers, the stage door security — 96,000 people lost their jobs, so it was important to tell the story of the entire microcosm of Broadway.”
The Knockturnal got the chance to speak with the documentary’s creative team, subjects, and guests at the premiere, including Broadway legend Bernadette Peters.
