Barry Manilow Shares What to Expect from His Broadway Residency!

Hey everyone, it's Richard Ridge for Broadway World. I'm here at Sardi's and I'm sitting with

the legend himself, Barry Manilow, who's returning to Broadway at the Lund Fontan Theater

from July 26th through August 17th. The fans at Broadway World are thrilled you're coming back to

Broadway. How do you feel? I'm excited. I've always been excited every time I do this and you know

every time I do it I think well that'll be the last time and then we get another shot at it and

This is great. I've always had a great time doing this. Now, you know, I'm crossing my fingers that this also will be a great time

You know, I never know. I never know. But every single time we've done it, so far we've done it three, four times, four times a Broadway run

Every single time is the best show I've ever been involved with

So we'll see what happens this time. So I understand you were at the theater yesterday at the beautiful Lund Fontaine

What's it been like being on that stage and looking out into the house where

you'll be playing? It's thrilling. It is thrilling. There's nothing like it. You

know, there are theaters that are beautiful all around the country. There's

something about these theaters in New York that nothing no one else has You right standing on the stage looking out at that theater This one has a really beautiful balcony

You know the theater. You know everything. You know everything about every theater

I didn't know about this one. This is a big theater with a big balcony. I think we'll have a great time

You know, I love these theaters because they're intimate. They're big, and yet they're intimate

and that's exactly the kind of place I love playing. What can the audiences expect with this Broadway run

I'm going to try and do every big hit that I have been lucky enough to have

You know, I've had a great catalogue of songs. Really, it's an amazing catalogue

And I never do all of them. And this time I'm just trying to do all of them

I used to do big band medleys and show tune medleys and album cuts

and the audiences that have happened to me over the last couple of years

they want to hear the songs that they grew up with or their folks played

I'm going to give it to them, all of them. I'm going to try to do all of them

I was at the theater the other day buying tickets for my family because they're thrilled that you're here

There was this big line of people. And what I loved when I looked at the line your audience is every generation And there were so many young students there And I said to them I was like you here for Barry Manilow He says no one gives back to young musicians the way Barry Manilow does

What does that mean to you? Oh, I'm so happy they knew that. That makes me feel so great that the word is out that I do things like that

It's so important to me to make sure that the young musicians get support

we just finished doing a contest. Schools send in their videos telling us why they need help in their schools

because, you know, the government doesn't support music anymore. And so they have to scramble around to get brand new instruments

So our contest was that if you tell us why you need these instruments

if you win, you get $100,000 worth of brand new instruments and band uniforms

These videos that came in would just kill you. They killed me

The teachers, the students, they're so serious about their music. It's exactly what I believed was really out there

You know, so I, of course, I have to support this. Every time you have played Broadway you walked away with some incredible accolade including the Tony Award the first time around And I know you were just shown this again but I adore Sardis and there are nothing like these So I mean when you look at this

I mean, what do you remember about getting this? I remember that I never thought I'd ever

ever get anything like this. This went to actors and singers and dancers

from the Broadway world. This did not go to a pop Jewish skinny guy

and so this was an amazing amazing thing for me it was thrilling you you tour non-stop I mean

the Vegas residency you're starting up again right yeah I like it I like it we stopped touring the way

we used to and that's why the Vegas state is so is so great because it keeps the band and the crew

working and it keeps me off the road and the show is great there too it's great beautiful color and

Everybody's happy with it. That's great. But we'll have a great time here

I'm so looking forward to it. Finally, what are you looking forward to the most

You open tomorrow night back on Broadway in one of the most glorious houses

What are you looking forward to the most? I'm looking forward to saying, hello, New York! We are thrilled to have you back

Barry, welcome. A real pleasure, my friend