Cynthia Erivo Celebrates the New Year in Song with Next at The Kennedy Center.

Cynthia Erivo performing at The Kennedy Center. Photo Credit: Scott Buchmann

This New Year’s Eve, join enchanting star of the stage and screen, Cynthia Erivo, for a musical celebration that hits all the right notes. Since bursting onto the scene in her breakthrough role in “The Color Purple,” which earned her a Tony as well as an Emmy and Grammy, Erivo continues to prove herself as a force to be reckoned with, captivating audiences with her powerhouse performances and musical prowess. The evening features a collection of deeply personal songs that helped to shape Erivo’s career and artistic sensibility and span a wide range of genres, from showtunes to hip-hop. Joining Oscar-nominated Erivo are Tony, Grammy, and Emmy Award–winning actor and recording artist, Ben Platt (Parade, Dear Evan Hansen), and Tony, Drama Desk Award, and Outer Critics Circle Award winner, Joaquina Kalukango (Paradise Square, Slave Play), in a joyous celebration perfect for ringing in the New Year, under the direction of Emmy-Award Winning music director and producer Rickey Minor.

NEXT AT THE KENNEDY CENTER - SEASON 2 Cynthia Erivo & Friends: A New Year’s Eve Celebration Joaquina Kalukango, Cynthia Erivo, and Ben Platt.

Throughout the concert special, Erivo takes the audience on a musical journey through a diverse repertoire which traverses various genres, including Broadway, Motown, Soul, Rock, Folk, Blues, and R&B, and shares her personal reflections and stories behind the music. Throughout the evening, friends Platt and Kalukango join her, bringing their powerful voices and favorite songs to the Kennedy Center stage. In a dynamic showcase of the breadth and range of Erivo’s artistry, viewers will be treated to a celebration of music in its purest form in an uplifting performance that will leave audiences inspired and ready to embrace the possibilities of the year ahead.

Erivo has starred in “Harriet”, “Genius: Aretha,” “Luther: The Fallen Sun,” and is set to star as Elphaba in the upcoming John M. Chu film adaptation of the hit musical “WICKED.” Erivo also starred in, executive produced, and co-wrote and sang a feature song for her upcoming film “Drift,” which premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival and will be released this February. 

NEXT AT THE KENNEDY CENTER “Cynthia Erivo & Friends: A New Year’s Eve Celebration” premieres Sunday, Dec. 31 at 8-9 p.m. ET on PBS (check local listings), PBS.org, and the PBS App.