Opening Night at the Bowl: The Best of Broadway
Sat / June 20, 2026 - 8:00PM
Help us kick off the Bowl season in grand style on opening night with stars Halle Bailey, Darren Criss, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Lea Salonga, and more.
Glittering stars of the stage and screen, including Halle Bailey (The Little Mermaid, The Color Purple) along with Tony winners Darren Criss (Little Shop of Horrors, Maybe Happy Ending), Renée Elise Goldsberry (Hamilton, The Color Purple), Brian Stokes Mitchell (Kiss Me Kate, Ragtime), and Lea Salonga (Miss Saigon, Les Misérables), take the Bowl stage for a spectacular season kickoff with a salute to Broadway.
We’ll celebrate the timeless melodies and breathtaking artistry of the American musical, from heartstring-tugging ballads to razzle-dazzle songs with dancers. Featuring the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, conductor Thomas Wilkins, and musicians of YOLA (Youth Orchestra Los Angeles), the evening will be capped by a fireworks display to rival Broadway’s biggest and brightest marquees!
PERFORMANCE WITH FIREWORKS
VIP Packages and Sponsorship Opportunities Available Now!
All opening night patron packages include admission to the VIP preconcert reception, gourmet dinner and wine served at your box, and prominent recognition in the Opening Night program.
Proceeds from Hollywood Bowl Opening Night support the LA Phil’s programs that enrich youth through music and the performing arts.
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Salonga has been performing since she was a child and at the age of seven she had already made her debut in the musical “The King and I”. Through her childhood she performed in many other musicals such as “Annie”, “Fiddler on the Roof”, and “Paper Moon”. At the age of nine she released her debut album called “Small Voice”. Due to the success of the album she was given her own variety show labeled “Love, Lea”. In 1988 she released her second studio album called “Lea”, which did exceptionally well in the Philippines with two singles reaching the No. 1 spot on the Philippine Top 40 chart. The album also showcased Salonga’s talents as an R&B performer.
In 1989 Salonga earned the coveted role of Kim in the musical “Miss Saigon”. The musical was so successful in London that it was moved to Broadway in 1991 with Salonga continuing her performance as Kim. Her performance was critically lauded and earned her an Oliver, Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and the Theatre World Awards. In 1993 Salonga returned to Broadway to play the role of Eponine in the musical “Les Miserables”. That same year Salonga performed the song “A Whole New World” at the Academy Awards, which was a song she sang in the Disney movie “Aladdin”. The song won an Academy Award for Best Original Song. In 1993 Salonga released her self-titled album, which was her first album to be released internationally. The album was released through Atlantic Records, which made her the first Filipino singer to be signed to an international record label. The album did well on the music charts and contained the singles “Vision of You”, “Every Time We Fall”, and “We Could Be in Love”.
Throughout the mid 90s Salonga continued to perform in musicals and films. In 1998 she provided the singing voice in the popular Disney movie “Mulan”. In 1999 she released the album “Lea…In Love”, which contained elements of easy listening, jazz, and R&B. The album did well on the charts and produced the singles “Even If”, “Friend of Mine”, and “Reachin’ Out”. That same year she released the album “By Heart”, which reached the No. 1 position in the Philippines on both the pop and R&B/Soul albums chart. In 2002 Salonga returned to Broadway to perform in the musical “Flower Drum Song”, which garnered her much critical acclaim.
In 2005 Salonga embarked on her first US tour, which made stops in all the major cities and included a sold out performance at Carnegie Hall. In 2007 Salonga released her first studio album in seven years called “Inspired”. The album contained a selection of some of Salonga’s favorite songs such as “To Hear You Say You Love Me”, “Who Are You”, and “Two Words”. Throughout the late 2000s Salonga continued to perform in musicals such as “Cinderella” as well as appear in film and television. In 2013 Salonga joined the television program “The Voice of the Philippines” as one of the coaches. Salonga’s career has showed her immense talents in film, theater, and music. She has received many awards for her work and has pleased many audiences with her musical performances.
I was lucky enough to see Darren Criss for free(!) live at a festival in my neighborhood, a few years ago right at the start of Glee fame. I've been a fan since A Very Potter Musical and was excited, but I wasn't expecting such a great, varied performance. The repertoire ranged from Disney covers to jazz standards to covers made famous on Glee to his original music (which for me was the best part). Darren switched from guitar to piano and back; there was something for everyone.
It's got to be said that Darren is super sweet and charming, and is one of the more gracious musicians I've had the pleasure of seeing. He may be a star at this point, but he was down to earth and humble, and that was nice. He's also - as should be obvious from his theater and TV performances - got a ton of presence and had the whole crowd under his thumb whether getting everyone dancing or talking seriously about society.
At this particular performance we also got the treat of having Lauren Lopez (Draco in AVPM, among other more recent credits) up on stage to sing "Granger Danger". This made this super special but not unique - inviting Starkid and Glee costars to join in is a recurring feature of his concerts and is very possible if you're going to see him.
Would absolutely recommend, and if you can get to see him with a stand-up general admission sort of venue so much the better.
Lea Salonga is a musical legend and an absolute inspiration. It was an honour to hear her perform as well as something of a childhood dream come true. Born and bred in the 90s, I grew up watching Disney and hearing Lea Salonga voice childhood heroes Mulan and Princess Jasmine (Aladdin), the latter of which won an Oscar for Best Song. Lea Salonga was the first Filipino artist to be signed to an international record label and one of the best-selling Filipino artists of all time, having sold over five million copies of her albums worldwide. She famously portrayed Eponine in musical Les Miserables and has appeared all over Broadway. A real life Disney princess, Salonga has a powerful and beautiful voice. She was born to perform on stage and has been doing so all her life: her voice was made for an audience and the range she can produce is just utterly incredible. Unlike watching many artists today, a Lea Salonga performance is all about the voice. Not about gaudy costumes, bright lights and flashy dancers. But about her and her awe-inspiring, powerful and gorgeous vocals. Singing a set comprising primarily of love songs, it was like watching Disney come to life. Magical.
Bigger than life. Becomes the character he plays. Concert varied in types of songs, pace and pieces. And soooo easy on the eyes. No costumes needed. Did the whole concert in a suit but I never noticed I was so taken in. He has remarkable skill and talent...projects to the last row. Clear diction with every song. Fun and funny.