On April 27, 2026, the New York Pops held their 43rd Birthday Gala at the Stern Perelman Auditorium of Carnegie Hall. This year’s gala honored the contributions of leading Broadway composer and lyricist, Stephen Schwartz, who has written for some of the most memorable and cherished musical plays and films within recent decades.
In celebrating Schwartz, a number of stunning Broadway stars and exciting singers came together for a program of works drawing from his musicals and movies.
Following an entrancing overture of excerpts from Schwartz’s various works, opening the program was Telly Leung, singing ‘All Good Gifts’ from the Biblical blockbuster ‘Godspell.’ An alum of Broadway’s 2011 production of the musical, Leung’s rendition carried great warmth throughout as the affectionate verse crested into a fitting and energetic, rejoicing quality. Leung and orchestra were joined by a charming choir in the form of the kids of Camp Broadway, entering the auditorium at Reineke’s introduction to bolster the chorus with their young voices.
After this, the kids of Camp Broadway remained as the staged was entered by Shoshana Bean for ‘Bless the People,’ from the same musical. Bean’s cool yet expressive tones played well off the youthful texture of the choir as they navigated the jazzy, drum-led passages of this song, before things kicked into a powerful celebration of faith as they repped the chorus of ‘Bless, the Lord, my soul!”
Following the ‘Godspell’ was ‘Corner of the Sky’ from ‘Pippin,’ sung by Ben Platt. I was very taken with his balance of a grounded, conversational phrasing while sustaining a highly affectionate vibrato. These qualities played beautifully to the sense of wonder at each natural thing, and the personal lack of belonging which built to a powerful and hopeful resolution.
Next up was Titus Burgess, singing ‘Meadowlark’ from ‘The Baker’s Wife.’ While there were moments where I feel like the amplification worked against the softness of his diction in the verse, his rendition was nonetheless as expressive as it was delightful to listen to as Burgess and the orchestra built to a huge sustained outpouring. Once it took off the ground, this number was truly stunning to watch fly as Burgess brought things to a powerful close.
Following this came Mary Testa, with “It’s an Art’ from Schwartz’s 1978 collaborative musical ‘Working.’ Taking up the jaunty vamp with a sarcastic verve, Testa’s rendition truly entertaining as she related the feelings and talents of a waitress who takes her pride in her work to comedic heights. Listing off her experiences with power, timing, and comedic sense, Testa’s rendition was a humorous highlight of the evening.
After this was Lindsey Mendez, singing ‘Stranger to the Rain’ from ‘Children of Eden.’ This tender song of self-reliance and consolation was finely delivered by Mendez. As her voice swelled with confidence, she soared with a touching strength as Mendez related Yonah’s decision to be left behind in the Flood.
A true delight came in the form of ‘Colors of the Wind’ from ‘Pocahontas,’ sung by none other than Judy Kuhn. Rising from the simple verse, Kuhn was nothing short of enchanting as she reveled in the natural imagery of the text, her voice building to exultant heights. Despite the opulent surroundings of the venue, Kuhn beautifully evoked and seemed to inhabit the landscape and sights she sang of, effortlessly taking the audience along on her journey.
Continuing in Schwartz’s work with Disney was Kyle Dean Massey, singing ‘Out There’ from ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame.’ Opening with a wounded, confined delivery, Massey unfolded with great magnetism as he excitedly outlined the sights and scenes longed for by Quasimodo.
After this, Reineke introduced Aisha Jackson and Jasmine Amy Rogers, to sing ‘When You Believe’ from the DreamWorks film ‘The Prince of Egypt.’ Taking up the somber, flute-led introduction with a soulful beauty, Jackson illuminated the phrases of self-possibility well before Rogers joined her to make a stunning compliment for this powerful duet.
A change in the roster came in the absence of Paulo Szot this evening, who was unable to make it due to sudden illness. Filling in for Szot on one day’s notice was Emmett O’Hanlon, whom I had the recent pleasure of seeing in the role of Curly for Orchestra of St. Luke’s concert performance of ‘Oklahoma!’ O’Hanlon’s selection ‘You Didn’t Know Her,’ from Schwartz’s opera ‘Séance on a Wet Afternoon,” was affectionate and nostalgic as he mused on the better yesteryear of Bill Foster, being made to kidnap a child so his wife can solve the abduction. While his delivery favored a more classical approach, his rich timbre nonetheless carried a palpable and beautiful ache, qualities which joined to evoke the feel of Broadway’s Golden Age through this relatively-modern selection.
Bringing things into a fun, unhinged energy was Sherie Rene Scott, singing ‘This is Not the Way’ from Schwartz’s 2024 musical ‘The Queen of Versailles.’ This driving number sees Jackie Siegal refute the recent troubles faced by her and her husband in their quest to build a palatial home of their own, with Scott’s charming, delusional fervor leading the orchestra and audience alike into her vision.
The program also featured a number of selections from Schwartz’s Broadway phenomenon, ‘Wicked.’ Following excerpts performed by the young artists of the Kids On Stage program, was the song ‘Popular,’ sung by Brittney Johnson. Her rendition had much humor and charm, lending the necessary undercurrent of arrogance which really fleshed out this sweet and slightly-controlling number. Closing out this section was Mary Kate Morissey, with ‘Defying Gravity.’ Elphaba’s Act 1 showcase was delivered with sensational energy as Morissey transitioned from the fragility of the verse into phrases of stunning resolve which truly soared in the space of the auditorium. Her rock-star rendition was fittingly a show-stopper, complete with standing ovation, and in a program with so much to enjoy, was undoubtedly one of the high points of the evening.
At this point in the evening, the stage was turned over to none other than Stephen Schwartz. “listening to these songs as they went by me tonight, I realized that a lot of my songs are these strange mixtures of hope and defiance. We’re going through a pretty tough time in country right now, so I thought I would play a combination of two songs that contain hope and defiance. One is from the movie of ‘Wicked,’ and the other is from ‘Godspell.’”
Joining Schwartz at the piano was singer Michael McCorry Rose, opening this medley with ‘No Place Like Home,’ before transitioning into ‘Beautiful City.’ The disconsolate yearning of the initial ‘Wicked’ material was met with a hopeful refutation by the image of a promised land from the ‘Godspell’ section, returning full-circle to the first piece to powerfully and emotionally close out this captivating medley.
Bringing the evening to a simple, yet profoundly-beautiful close was ‘For Good’ from ‘Wicked,’ sung by Johnson and Morrissey as Glinda and Elphaba, respectively. Reflecting throughout the program on the impact the works of Schwartz have had on the artists, and audiences worldwide, there was something truly special brought to their rendition as they sang phrases like “because I knew you, I have been changed for good.”
Monday’s gala concert was a highly-stunning affair, celebrating one of Broadway and film’s leading composers with great joy, humor, and sentiment. With proceeds from the gala and subsequent dinner at the nearby Mandarin Oriental Hotel at Columbus Circle going to fund the New York Pop’s artistic endeavors, their 43rd birthday was undoubtedly a successful one, and here’s to many more.