Broadway Impact


Broadway Impact is an organization of theater industry professionals fighting for marriage equality in the United States. It was founded in December 2008 by Tony-winner Gavin Creel, Tony-nominated Rory O'Malley, and Jenny Kanelos. It is a 5013 charity.
It is the only grassroots organization to mobilize the theater community nationwide in support of marriage equality. Their mission statement reads: "Whether you're gay, straight, or somewhere in between, we believe that you should be able to marry the person you love."

Events and activism

It produced a 3,000-piece letter writing campaign in support of the Marriage Equality Act.
In 2009, held a rally in midtown featuring speeches and/or performances from Cheyenne Jackson, Cynthia Nixon, Kristin Davis, Audra McDonald, David Hyde Pierce, then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg, New York State Senator Tom Duane, and State Assemblyman Daniel O'Donnell.
They also organized a free bus trip for 1,400 volunteers to go to the National Equality March.
In 2010, they threw a celebration when Proposition 8 was ruled unconstitutional that included Hunter Bell, Heidi Blickenstaff and Susan Blackwell from Title of Show, cast members from La Cage aux Folles and Memphis. The evening also included a Question & Answer section with Richard Socarides.
In 2011, Hair held a "Be-In" performance benefit, and additionally celebrated the recent victory for marriage equality in New York state - that as of July 24 at 9pm, gay couples could officially get married. Several same-sex couples from the Broadway community got married onstage at the St. James Theatre immediately following the performance.
In 2014, they held and "All Love Is Equal" recital.

Founding

Rory O'Malley, Gavin Creel and Jenny Kanelos were at Westway Diner, talking as Proposition 8 was being passed. They said they wanted to do something, so they went to various LGBT organizations, asking them what would be the best thing they could do with a mobilized theater community. With organizations giving no clear direction, they started their own.
O'Malley explained, "We knew there was a rally against marriage equality happening in May of 2009... and we said, 'Well, we have to do something in response,' so we walked into Tom Viola's office, and we told him this: 'We have to do something.' He said, 'Okay, well, we'll need a stage. We'll need this, this, this…' We , 'Oh, God.'"