2025 Tony winner Nicole Scherzinger went back to her roots June 22 to give back (to all her wonderful gays out there in the dark) at this year's edition of Broadway Bares at the Hammerstein Ballroom. The Sunset Blvd. star made a surprise performance, becoming a Pussycat Doll again to perform the group's "Buttons."
Watch the special performance above.
Entitled Broadway Bares: Come Out, Come Out, the Wizard of Oz-themed fundraiser also featured appearances by Tony winner Andr茅 De Shields (Hadestown), 2025 Tony nominee Tom Francis (Sunset Boulevard), history-making Some Like It Hot Tony winner J. Harrison Ghee (Some Like It Hot), Bradley Gibson (The Lion King), Olivier winner Lesli Margherita (Gypsy), history-making Shucked Tony winner Alex Newell, and RuPaul鈥檚 Drag Race star Peppermint (Head Over Heels).
Leading the production numbers were more than 200 dancers, including Ehizoje Azeke, Tony d'Alelio (Gypsy), Michael Graceffa (Death Becomes Her), Brandon Gray (Amazon Prime鈥檚 脡迟辞颈濒别), Amber Jackson (The Wiz), recording artist Mila Jam, Tyler Jimenez (Frozen), Kolton Krouse (Death Becomes Her), Amy Laviolette (Funny Girl), Mark Mackillop (national tour of Anastasia), Samantha Pollino (The Great Gatsby), Michael Pugliese, MiMi Scardulla (Cabaret), Jaquez Sims (Bad Cinderella), and Preston Taylor (The Great Gatsby).
Kellen Stancil, a Broadway Bares veteran and resident dance supervisor for the national tour of The Lion King, returned to direct after overseeing last year's Bares. Joining Stancil as associate director was veteran Broadway Bares performer Paula DeLuise with Savannah Joy Cobb as assistant director. Tony winner Jerry Mitchell and Nick Kenkel, a longtime Bares director and performer, are executive producers.
The choreographers helping create the numbers for this iteration of the annual event included Stancil, DeLuise, Cobb, Mike Baerga, Marie Rose Baramo, Phil Colgan, Armando Farfan Jr., Billy Griffin, Reed Luplau, Sarah Meahl, Justice Moore, Rachelle Rak, Michael Anthony Sylvester, and Marcus Williams.
鈥淚'm overflowing with excitement to return to direct Broadway Bares for a second year鈥攊t鈥檚 an incredible honor to celebrate this iconic legacy while unleashing fresh, jaw-dropping thrills and sizzling seduction like never before,鈥� said Stancil in a previous statement. 鈥淚鈥檝e been a dancer, then choreographer, and now director of Bares for more than a decade. When you鈥檙e on that stage, feeling the audience鈥檚 energy, sharing work from a stellar lineup of choreographers and making a lifesaving difference鈥攖here鈥檚 nothing else like it.鈥�
Broadway Bares was created in 1992 by Tony-winning choreographer Mitchell, during his younger years as a Broadway dancer. Looking for a way to raise awareness and money for those living with HIV/AIDS, Mitchell and six of his friends danced atop a New York City bar and raised $8,000. Last year鈥檚 edition took in a record $2.26 million, bringing Bares鈥� lifetime total to more than $28 million for Broadway Cares.
Broadway Cares is one of the nation鈥檚 leading industry-based, nonprofit AIDS fundraising and grant-making organizations. By drawing upon the talents, resources, and generosity of the American theatre community, since 1988 Broadway Cares has awarded more than $300 million for essential services for people with HIV/AIDS and other critical illnesses across the United States.
Tickets for Broadway Bares start at $75. There are also VIP tickets, which offer unlimited specialty cocktails, reserved seating, a backstage tour, and a special ticket includes an invitation to a private cocktail party hosted by Mitchell. Visit .
