This review originally ran June 13, 2022, in conjunction with the film’s world premiere at the Tribeca Festival.
Theater buffs who couldn’t snag a seat at this year’s Tony Awards will find some solace in “Broadway Rising,” a heartfelt tribute to all the shows that were shuttered between 2020 and 2021.
It does initially seem as though the film might suffer from a touch of solipsism, as actors talk expansively about centering their feelings during a period that wrought so much suffering across the globe. But director Amy Rice (“By the People”) wisely expands the story beyond the stage stars, making the impactful case that behind the bright lights lies an entire ecosystem essential to the city.