Both artists received standing ovations and gave an encore to the thrilled crowd.
The event is the first of 10 planned on Broadway in the next 10 weeks, “a pilot program designed to create a working model within which Broadway theaters can safely reopen,” said organizer NY PopsUp in a statement.
One participant said the presentation made her “smile so much” behind the mask.
“I think I was smiling every second, just feeling, being in a room with other people and having a shared human experience was incredible,” said Susan Slotoroff outside the theater. “My heart was beating in my chest, you could feel the emotion, the anticipation and the positive energy in the room.”
“Broadway is the heart of New York City,” said Slotoroff, who works at Broadway Cares / Equity Fights AIDS, a nonprofit organization that raises funds for HIV / AIDS-related causes.
All 41 Broadway theaters have been closed since March 12, 2020, because of the pandemic.