Harvey Fierstein, Jodi Picoult & More to Take Part in Bryant Park Reading Room's BOOKS ON BROADWAY Program

Bryant Park has announced the first-ever Books on Broadway program as part of the annual return of the Bryant Park Reading Room during a monumental year celebrating Bryant Park's 30th anniversary. Books on Broadway is a series dedicated to original books that have made it to the Great White Way.

The Books on Broadway program will premiere on Tuesday, May 17 from 12:30 - 1:30pm, and kick-off the summer season of events in the Reading Room. Series details can be found below. Additional line-ups will be announced later this month.

Tuesday, May 17

12:30pm

Books on Broadway

Harvey Fierstein, I Was Better Last Night: A Memoir, Funny Girl (Revised Book)

Hosted by Ilana Levine, Actress and Podcaster of Little Known Facts with Ilana Levine

Thursday, May 19

12:30pm

Books on Broadway

Macbeth with Associate Director Raz Golden

Hosted by Ilana Levine, Actress and Podcaster of Little Known Facts with Ilana Levine

Tuesday, May 24

12:30pm

Books on Broadway

Between the Lines with Jodi Picoult and daughter/co-author, Samantha van Leer

Hosted by Ilana Levine, Actress and Podcaster of Little Known Facts with Ilana Levine

Thursday, May 26

12:30pm

Books on Broadway

The Kite Runner with Actor from Broadway's The Kite Runner, Amir Arison

Hosted by Ilana Levine, Actress and Podcaster of Little Known Facts with Ilana Levine

Tuesday, June 7

12:30pm

Books on Broadway

Grease, Tell Me More, Tell Me More: Stories from the Broadway Phenomenon That Started It All

Tom Moore, Author and Director (original Broadway production)

Ken Waissman, Author and Producer (original Broadway production)

Hosted by Ilana Levine, Actress and Podcaster of Little Known Facts with Ilana Levine

The Bryant Park outdoor Reading Room is located at the 42nd Street allée - between 5th & 6th Avenues - under the London Plane trees. Because of the outdoor locale, there is ample seating for all to enjoy.

The space is defined by six specially designed carts: one cart is devoted to authors who have participated in the Bryant Park literary series and best sellers; one cart is filled to the brim with a complete "Classics" collection; one cart is dedicated to children's books; one cart carries magazines; and one cart is committed to a variety of newspapers. And what makes the Reading Room even more special is that over the course of each summer, there are dozens of programs promoting multiple themes and genres for the public to attend. From poetry to fiction, non-fiction to book clubs, writers workshops, and programs for children, it is a popular destination for bookworms and authors alike and is free to the public.

This year marks several milestones in Bryant Park's history. The park is celebrating the 30-year anniversary of its restoration and the 20-year reopening of the outdoor Reading Room in Bryant Park.

The Reading Room in Bryant Park was originally established in 1935 by the New York Public Library as a refuge for the thousands of unemployed New Yorkers during the Great Depression. The "first" Reading Room closed in 1944, only to be reopened by the Bryant Park Corporation in 2003. It is now one of the most popular amenities in Bryant Park.

The Bryant Park Reading Room has received numerous prestigious awards for demonstrating excellence, partnership, and creativity in enhancing New York City's quality of life including The New York City Neighborhood Development Achievement Award presented by the New York City Small Business Services at Gracie Mansion; and two awards from the International Downtown Association Achievement Award in the public space category.

Kinokuniya Books is a member of the Bryant Park Business Improvement District and this season's on-site retail partner. Kinokuniya works directly with the publishers to provide books for events and reports sales to the New York Times Bestseller Book List.

COVID-19 vaccinations and masks are not currently required but Bryant Park will continue to monitor and follow updated New York City and New York State COVID-19 guidelines throughout the summer as necessary. For the most current guidelines, program updates, and additional venue information and restrictions, please visit bryantpark.org. Bryant Park is situated behind the New York Public Library in Midtown Manhattan, between 40th and 42nd Streets & Fifth and Sixth Avenues. Take the B, D, F, or M train to 42nd Street/Bryant Park; or take the 7 train to 5th Avenue.

About Bryant Park

Bryant Park Corporation (BPC) is a not-for-profit, private management company founded in 1980 to renovate and operate Bryant Park in New York City. It was established by Daniel A. Biederman and Andrew Heiskell, with support from the Rockefeller Brothers Fund. BPC was formed to restore historic Bryant Park, which had suffered a severe decline in conditions in the 1970s. A 15-year agreement was signed in 1988, entrusting management and improvements to BPC. The park reopened in 1992 after four years of renovation with a budget six times the level under prior city management. It is the largest effort in the nation to apply private management backed by private funding to a public park, and it has been a success with public, press, and nearby institutions. BPC shares its management team with the 34th Street Partnership. The two companies share a management philosophy.