Photos: Inside the SHUFFLE ALONG… Reunion Concert with Audra McDonald, Billy Porter & More

Just last night, Shuffle Along, or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed returned to the stage in a concert version of the acclaimed 2016 Broadway musical, inspired by one of the most important works in American theater history. Prior to the concert, Shanta Thake, Ehrenkranz Chief Artistic Officer of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, announced from the stage that these historic concerts are being recorded for broadcast and streaming by PBS’ Great Performances, making this important artistic work accessible to audiences nationwide. The program is expected to premiere in 2027. Additional details will be announced in the coming months.

Shuffle Along made its groundbreaking debut at the 63rd Street Music Hall near San Juan Hill in 1921 and was the first Broadway hit with an all-Black cast and creative team. Blending elements of ragtime, jazz, and traditional European operetta, it helped usher in a thriving era of Black creativity tied to the Harlem Renaissance. This concert features electrifying original songs by Eubie Blake and Noble Sissle, Shuffle Along original book by F.E. Miller and Aubrey Lyles, with additional music and lyrics by Daryl Waters and George C. Wolfe, and choreography by Savion Glover. With music at its center, this concert reunites members of the star-studded 2016 Broadway cast to celebrate the brilliance, legacy, and enduring influence of Shuffle Along on Broadway and beyond.

The concerts, continuing tonight, are presented as part of the Legacies of San Juan Hill Festival, a major element of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts’ commitment to honoring and celebrating the vibrant artistry of the area around where Lincoln Center stands today. LCPA’s season programming, Lincoln Center Presents, offers hundreds of free and Choose-What-You-Pay performances all year long that connect artists and audiences, generations past and present, and artistic traditions and innovations.

The cast included: Audra McDonald, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Billy Porter, Brandon Victor Dixon, Norm Lewis, Adrienne Warren, Brooks Ashmanskas, Amber Iman, Darius de Haas, JC Montgomery, Arbender Robinson, Christian Dante White. Check out photos from inside the big night below!