Celebrating 12 years of free performances on Millennium Stage,  the Kennedy Center opens its Opera  House for a free evening of performances titled Broadway Today. on Saturday, January 31st at 6 pm. The match-up of Broadway composers and stars includes Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens (Ragtime), Scott Frankel and Michael Korie (Grey Gardens), and Jeanine Tesori (Shrek the Musical). Vocalists, including Tony winner Brian Stokes Mitchell, Liz Callaway (Merrily We Roll Along, Miss Saigon, Cats), Capathia Jenkins (Caroline, or Change; Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me), and KT Sullivan, will perform alongside the composers at the piano.

Tickets are required for the event, and will be distributed in front of the Opera House starting at 4 pm. One ticket per person. The Kennedy Center advises that patrons arrive early to get in line for this 2,350 ticket giveaway. The line will start forming at 10 am outdoors on the south side of the center.

The celebration continues with a week long Millennnium Stage tribute to Broadway titled Broadway Today & Tomorrow which starts Sunday, Feb 1 and ends Saturday, Feb 7. Performances are daily at 6 pm. The series includes new works from emerging and award winning composers. On DC audiences will have their first chance to hear Leslie Kritzer (Tues, Feb 3) who replaces Natascia Diaz in Rooms a Rock Romance, which began here at MetroStage and opens next month at New World Stages in NYC.  Click here for the Millennium full schedule.