CHITA AND DAVID LIGHT BROADWAY'S HOLIDAY TREE Written by Terry Maloney (Opposite Photo - David Hyde Pierce and Chita Rivera)

On a bitterly cold Wednesday evening, Broadway stars Chita Rivera and David Hyde Pierce provided star power at the lighting of the 2005 Broadway Holiday Tree in Duffy Square. Ms. Rivera stars in A Dancer's Life and Mr. Hyde Pierce co-stars in the Tony Award-winning show Spamalot.

The 20-foot tall all-inclusive tree (which looks suspiciously like a Christmas tree) is decorated with silver ornaments each bearing the name of a current Broadway or off-Broadway production. "The Rockefeller Center tree is taller, the Linclon Center tree is taller but we have Chita Rivera!," declared Mr. Hyde Pierce to the applause of a small but hearty audience of tourists and media. He also asked the crowd to remember those members of the Broadway community who died during the past year.

Sixth Grade Class from the
Professional Performing Arts School

Welcoming remarks were made by Victoria Bailey of Theatre Development Fund, Barbara Janowitz of The League of American Theatres and Producers, and Tim Tompkins of Times Square Alliance, who promised "It will be 30 degrees warmer in Times Square on New Year's Eve!"

An adorable group of youngsters from the Professional Performing Arts School's sixth grade class performed "Good Cheer," followed by the high point of the frigid evening, the pushing of the button (or pulling of the switch) by the two stars, illuminating the tree to the cheers and applause of the crowd who, no doubt, welcomed the opportunity to warm their hands with hard, fast clapping. Ms. Rivera and Mr. Hyde Pierce then waved and quickly departed to the warm confines of their respective theatres.

The cute boys from the off-Broadway show Altar Boyz performed the very amusing "What Christmas Is" from the Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS recording "Carols For A Cure," then joined with that other adorable group, the sixth graders from PPAS, for the finale of "Jingle Bell Rock" as the by-now quite numb audience was urged to join in, lyrics provided on the program for those too young or too old to know the words.

It's a very lovely tree, although rather outshone by the thousands of neon lights and dwarfed by the tall buildings of the Times Square area. Nevertheless, it's an important part of the New York holiday scene and one major step towards getting us cynical New Yorkers into a festive Christmas/Hannukah/Kwanza mood.

Seasons Greetings to all (as the all-inclusive holiday cards say!)