Jerry Mitchell on Pride50, being honored as an LGBTQ+ icon, Broadway Bares & more

Last week, the queer community showed up and showed out at Queerty’s annual Pride50 event in New York City.

It was a rainy, muggy summer day in The Big Apple, but inside the venue at the iconic Chelsea Piers was as cool as can be with our favorite stars, activists, drag performers, and more turning up to celebrate our 50 LGBTQ+ honorees who have made a difference in the past year.

And while the crowd was filled with icons, all eyes were on one in particular: Legendary choreographer Jerry Mitchell, who was there to receive a special honor, the Pride Icon Award.

For over 30 years, Mitchell has been using his voice and smooth dance moves to inspire the theater world and beyond. His Broadway credits include The Full Monty, Hairspray, Legally Blonde, La Cage Aux Folles, and Kinky Boots (he won the Tony for Best Cinematography for the latter two shows), and counts Camp, In & Out, and Drop Dead Gorgeous, among his screen work.

In addition, Mitchell is also the founder of the annual burlesque show Broadway Bares, which has raised funds for the Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS foundation since 1992. The 2023 show, Pleasure Park—which bared a titillating amusement park theme—was a smash hit this past weekend, earning over $1.8M for the cause.

Related:

WATCH: 5 times ‘Broadway Bares’ proved that less is more

Here’s a look at some of the most scintillating and scantily clad moments from 30 years of Broadway Bares.

Talk about an icon! Clearly, this man puts in the work for our community!

With another blockbuster Broadway Bares in the books, we caught up with Mitchell to reflect on all the fun of this year’s Pride50 and talk about what it means to be considered a Pride Icon.

Watch Mitchell’s Pride50 acceptance speech below, and then scroll down to read our post-event Q&A and to see more photos from our big, gay night in NYC!

Congratulations once again on your Pride Icon Award honor! What does it mean to you to be considered an icon of pride for our community?

Icon is a BIG HONOR! I am grateful, humbled and happy live full OUT. Hopefully living up to this honor.

Over the past 30+ years, your storied career has spanned stage and screen. In regards to diversity and inclusion, what’s an example of a positive change you’ve seen in the entertainment industry that gives you hope for the future?

The young artists who are auditioning for many of my projects have a confidence that seems NEW, FRESH and more unique to their own individuality. I think i am seem a lot more individuality in general and that is a big change for me.

In what can feel like especially dark times for queer folks, how can we all be Pride Icons in our day-to-day lives for our friends and local community?

Being true to yourself and staying open to accepting others is the best way for me to find peace. Accepting yourself first goes a long way towards finding the balance in accepting others.

Do you have any specific favorite memories or moments from the Pride50 event? Was there another honoree or guest you were particularly excited to meet and chat with?

Standing on stage next to Kandy Muse! *tongue pop*

It was actually wonderful to see 2 young dancers I admire from DANCIN’ Kolton Krouse and Aydin Eyikan so powerfully Queer and successful and get to talk to them about there Broadway experiences as they just start there careers.

Now that Broadway Bares 2023 has taken its bow, what are you looking forward to next? What can you share about what’s ahead for you this year?

I have a date with Betty Boop! BOOP! The Boop-Oop-a-Doosical! by David Foster, Susan Birkenhead and Bob Martin will be coming to Broadway next season after an out of town tryout in Chicago next fall.

Related:

Jerry Mitchell on taking ‘Kinky Boots: The Musical’ to the big screen

The creator of Broadway Bares talks the power of male bonding in heels.