Bernadette Peters on the Upcoming Broadway Barks Across America Event

The newest episode of Broadway Profiles features an interview with stage legend Bernadette Peters, who co-founded Broadway Barks, an organization devoted to finding homes for shelter dogs and cats, with the late Mary Tyler Moore. An annual event featuring Broadway stars and adoptable pets typically takes place in Shubert Alley, but this has not been possible due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, Peters continues her mission of encouraging people to adopt, not shop. 

"With the pandemic, people really needed this kind of companionship," Peters told Emmy-winning anchor Tamsen Fadal. She encourages viewers to take in Broadway Barks Across America, a star-studded event that takes the mission of Broadway Barks online and allows the opportunity for those participating to get familiar with shelters (and their furry friends) throughout the country. The second annual livestream is set to premiere on Broadway.com on May 23 at 7PM ET.

The idea for Broadway Barks hit Peters back when she was in Annie Get Your Gun. "We raised the most amount of money for the Easter Bonnet and said, 'What else can we do?'" Peters recalled. "I said, 'Well, I was just at the city shelter, and I saw that there was an abundance of dogs. They really need help.'" Learn more about Broadway Barks Across America in the video below, and head here to check your local listings for Broadway Profiles. Hosted by Fadal and powered by Broadway.com, it is the only nationally syndicated weekly theater news program.