Broadway’s Gershwin Theatre was on fire this year, and the spark? Adam Lambert. The cabaret icon and Queen frontman delivered a show-stopping performance of “Acid Queen” from The Who’s Tommy during the 2025 edition of Broadway Backwards, leaving the audience breathless and begging for more.
Lambert didn’t just sing the song—he became it, channeling Tina Turner’s fierce energy through a dazzling, high-octane performance that electrified the entire theater. His rendition was bold, raw, and unforgettable, making it one of the standout moments of the evening. (Watch the full performance above.)
Held on March 10 at the Gershwin Theatre—home to Wicked—Broadway Backwards 2025 shattered fundraising records, bringing in a remarkable $1,111,788 for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center in New York City. This year’s total surpassed the 2024 record by over $194,000.
The night was a dazzling celebration of LGBTQIA+ voices through reimagined Broadway classics. Tony nominee Jenn Colella (Suffs) returned to host the concert for her fifth year, steering an all-star lineup through a night of bold performances and heartfelt moments.
The stage was lit with talent including:
Bobby Conte (The Who’s Tommy)
Lorna Courtney (& Juliet)
Nikki Renée Daniels (Once Upon a Mattress)
Eden Espinosa (Lempicka)
J. Harrison Ghee (Some Like It Hot)
Sydney James Harcourt (Cats)
Dorian Harewood (The Notebook)
Conrad Ricamora (Oh, Mary!)
Ryan Vasquez (The Notebook)
Tituss Burgess (Oh, Mary!)
Len Cariou (Sweeney Todd)
Kelli O’Hara (Days of Wine and Roses)
…and many more.
Broadway Backwards began in 2006 as a small grassroots concert at The Center. Since then, it has become one of Broadway’s most cherished annual events, raising over $7.9 million to date for life-saving programs supporting people living with HIV/AIDS and other serious illnesses.
The 2025 production was helmed by creator Robert Bartley, who returned as director and choreographer, with music supervision by Ted Arthur and Mary-Mitchell Campbell. Nicholas Connors and Nick Wilders served as music directors, with Amanda LaMotte and Adam Roberts choreographing.
Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS continues to be one of the nation’s leading industry-based nonprofits, having raised more than $300 million since 1988 to provide vital services to those in need across the U.S.
But for many in the audience, what they’ll remember most is this: Adam Lambert, onstage, transforming a rock anthem into a queer theatrical triumph—and redefining what it means to bring the house down.
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