Hip-Hop Improv Show 'Freestyle Love Supreme' Returns To Broadway
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The hip-hop improvisational "Freestyle Love Supreme" officially opened on Broadway on Tuesday.
The show keeps audiences on the edge of their seats and performers on their toes.
As CBS2's Cory James reports, there was excitement at the Booth Theatre, where the audience was ready to expect the unexpected.
Among those taking the stage was "In The Heights" and "Hamilton" creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, who co-created "Freestyle Love Supreme" more than 17 years ago in the basement of the Drama Book Shop.
"What I think 'Freestyle Love Supreme' is uniquely suited to do is meet folks where they are," he said. "Our show is completely improvised and does whatever the audience wants. They're our last collaborator, so it's been weirdly cathartic, these previews, because we're dealing with real stuff that the audience is throwing at us, but then ... it's live theater at its livest because we don't know what we're going to say."
Actor Chris Sullivan was one of more than a dozen performers who showcased their talents Tuesday night.
The group kept practicing at a time when the future of Broadway was uncertain.
"We were still jamming over Zoom," performer Kaila Mullady said.
"There's nothing that compares to this," performer Daveed Diggs said.
"Every single night with this show is exciting," performer Andrew Bancroft said.
"Everyone is engaged. Everyone bringing their best, even the audience," performer Tarik Davis said.
A number of those audience members contributed to the sketches and raps by giving the performers suggestions on what should be mixed into the music, improv and comedy of the two-decade-old show.
"I think I've seen it seven times since previews started," Middlesex, New Jersey, resident Katie Figura said. "It's so funny.
"It's an hour and a half, no intermission, and you're in and you're out, and I've seen this four different times, and every single time, it's different," CBS Mornings co-host Gayle King said.
No doubt, the feeling of this night was different for many who did not know when they would live this moment again.
"Being back on Broadway, being here and having audiences come see us ... it's like the biggest honor you could have," co-creator and performer Anthony Veneziale said.
"Freestyle Love Supreme" was honored with a special Tony Award this year for its run during the 2019-2020 Broadway season.
The show runs through Jan. 2.
