A bevy of Broadway’s brightest stars – from icons Jennifer Holliday and Andrea Martin to show-stopping newcomers Tom Francis and Jasmine Amy Rogers – lit up the Al Hirschfeld Theatre on April 28, 2025, at the inaugural Broadway Dream Roles. 

The lineup brought to life the characters they’ve always longed to play through spectacular performances and heartfelt storytelling.

Broadway Dream Roles delivered an electrifying mix of Broadway favorites – Erich Bergen, Liz Callaway, 2024 Jimmy Award winner Damson Chola Jr., Tom Francis, Jennifer Holliday, Lesli Margherita, Andrea Martin, Jimin Moon, Zachary Noah Piser and Jasmine Amy Rogers – in a revealing, exhilarating and inspiring concert, which opened with a special performance by The Broadway Boys.

“Broadway is built on dreams, and it’s been magical to see our industry’s best bring those dreams to life at this inaugural event,” said Danny Whitman, executive director of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. “The evening also symbolizes the collective dreams made possible by everyone in that room – from the stars onstage to the teams behind the scenes and our dedicated donors in the audience – as they provide lifesaving meals and medication to people in need across the country with their unwavering commitment.”

Kara Young hosted the standing-room-only event, welcoming Broadway Cares supporters to an unforgettable evening. Young led a cast of Broadway’s best and a four-piece band with her signature warmth and wit – even sharing her own dream role, the zany and delightful Mrs. Lovett from Sweeney Todd.

A lover of old movies, Jennifer Holliday fell for Rosalind Russell’s portrayal of Auntie Mame when she first saw it nearly 30 years ago. After hearing Jerry Herman’s musical take on the character, she was hooked. In that moment, it became her dream role. Today, Holliday has a deeper appreciation for Mame, having experienced some of the same hardships and struggles. She brought a depth of wisdom and powerhouse vocals to the soul-stirring “If He Walked Into My Life.”

Raised on rock bands like AC/DC, Guns N’ Roses and Led Zeppelin, Tom Francis didn’t realize musical theater could sound like the music he loved until he heard Rent. It opened a whole new world of musical theater for him. As a fellow guitarist, Francis feels a connection to Roger and dreams of one day playing the role on Broadway. He brought that kinship to life with a moving rendition of “One Song Glory.”

One of legendary comedian Andrea Martin’s first auditions after arriving in New York City was for the role of Lucy in You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, but her career took a turn into film and television. Playing the role remained a dream just out of Andrea’s reach. On the Dream Roles stage – joined by Sirius XM Radio’s Seth Rudetsky on the piano – she finally stepped into Lucy’s shoes with a charming performance of “Schroeder.”

Lesli Margherita saw Miss Piggy play King George at Disney World and thought, “I, too, could be that pig.” Campaigning for the part since she heard Lin-Manuel Miranda’s openness to gender-bending the roles and empowered by the character’s unhinged nature, Margherita took the stage in a blinged-out king costume, delivering a riotous rendition of “You’ll Be Back.”

Though he starred as Bob Gaudio in the national tour, Las Vegas and film versions of Jersey Boys, Erich Bergen has always felt cosmically connected to the front-and-center charisma of Frankie Valli. He recalled standing behind the character of Frankie onstage, dreaming to one day step into that spotlight. Despite his towering height, Bergen embodied Valli’s 5’2” stature for the night with a rousing rendition of the classic “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You.”

After plucking a “Musical Theater Anthologies for Tenors” book off the shelf for his first semi-professional audition, Zachary Noah Piser was instantly drawn to Stephen Schwartz’s Pippin. Since then, he’s been hungry to perform the role and score, and at Dream Roles he delivered a captivating rendition of “Morning Glow.”

Liz Callaway auditioned to be Bernadette Peters’ standby in Song and Dance but didn’t get the gig. She later discovered that Peters called out of the show on October 19, 1985 – the very day of Callaway’s wedding. Grateful now that she didn’t land the job, Callaway finally stepped into the dream role of Emma with a stunning take on “Tell Me on a Sunday.”

Rising star Jimin Moon didn’t have a pop song prepared for a college audition, so they were asked to sing the first thing that came to mind. They picked “Gotta Catch ’Em All,” the beloved theme from Pokémon. After discovering there had once been a short-lived stage adaptation, Moon became obsessed with the idea of starring in a Pokémon musical. At Dream Roles, they finally had the chance to perform the song on a Broadway stage.

Damson Chola Jr., named best actor last year at the Jimmy Awards for high school students, has always been captivated by the journey of Colehouse Walker Jr. in Ragtime. He found the character’s transformation – from proud and charismatic to broken by the loss of love – deeply moving and painfully human. Chola brought Colehouse’s heartache and resolve to a powerful performance of “Make Them Hear You.”

Jasmine Amy Rogers, who’s drawn raves this spring for her Broadway debut as Betty Boop, closed the show with a moving performance of Broadway Cares’ mobilizing anthem, “Help is On The Way,” written by David Friedman.

The show opened with an inspiring take on “Any Dream Will Do” from Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, performed by The Broadway Boys, a collection of male singers from across the main stem. Performing at Dream Roles were Brad Greer, Omar Lopez-Cepero, Jesse Nager, Adam Roberts, Vishal Vaidya and Michael Williams. 

The evening also included a hilarious special appearance from the cast of Operation Mincemeat – David Cumming, Claire-Marie Hall, Natasha Hodgson, Jak Malone and Zoë Roberts. Broadway Cares Executive Director Danny Whitman delivered a special award to Justin Wirick, longtime ensemble member in the Wicked – Munchkinland tour who has led the company past the $7 million milestone in Red Bucket fundraising.

The evening was created as an invitation-only performance for Broadway Cares’ major supporters – including Visionary Circle and Angels Circle members, the NextGen Network and the Colleen Dewhurst Legacy Society – who receive access as a special benefit of their annual support. A limited number of tickets also were made available to the public.

Broadway Cares’ Visionary Circle and Angels Circle members provide essential support for those affected by HIV/AIDS and other life-threatening illnesses across the country with their annual contribution of $1,000 or more. Members of the NextGen Network are young professionals committed to making an impact, and the Colleen Dewhurst Legacy Society is the planned giving program, recognizing those who have included Broadway Cares in their estate plan or will. These benefactors receive exclusive invitations to in-person and virtual events and VIP status at some of Broadway Cares most high-profile events, as well as a host of other benefits. For information about furthering your impact with Broadway Cares, contact Brian Marshall, senior development officer, at marshall@broadwaycares.org.

The evening was directed by Kristin Newhouse, joined by Will Van Dyke as music supervisor and orchestrator. Jennifer Rogers served as production stage manager. The evening featured sound design by Craig Cassidy and lighting design by Katy Atwell. Hair and makeup was by Justen Brosnen. 

Broadway Dream Roles was supported by annual corporate sponsors The New York Times and United Airlines, the official airlines of Broadway Cares.

Photos by Rebecca Michelson
Video by Bardo Arts; edited by Josh Drake

Event program