At Columbus Circle, NYC: Free Thursday Broadway Performances Under the Stars

The Shops at Columbus Circle is staging a free weekly Broadway series, Broadway Under the Stars, on its second-floor stage. It runs on Thursdays from Nov. 12 through Dec. 17, with each program starting at 5pm. There is no performance on Thanksgiving.

Each evening pairs short musical performances from current and long-running shows with a Q&A with cast members, led by Broadway alum George Psomas. The setting, beneath a display of stars and lights, puts the audience much closer to the performers than a theater would.

The lineup changes weekly. Nov. 12 features Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York), Maybe Happy Ending and The Heart. Nov. 19 brings Operation Mincemeat, The Lost Boys and SIX The Musical. Dec. 3 offers The Outsiders, & Juliet and The Fantasticks. Dec. 10 has The Lion King, Aladdin and Schmigadoon!, and the series closes on Dec. 17 with Chicago, Wanted and The Book of Mormon.

Maybe Happy Ending, which has a strong following among Japanese-speaking theatergoers, appears on opening night, and the run includes both Disney favorites and Broadway standards. It works as a preview for anyone deciding which show to see in full.

The venue is at 10 Columbus Circle, directly connected to the Columbus Circle subway station. The early-evening start makes it easy to stop in after work and combine it with dinner or holiday shopping.