The 2000-2001 theatre season kicks off on Sunday, Sept. 9, with the tenth annual "Broadway on Broadway" concert in Times Square. As many as 50,000 people are expected to attend this preview of new shows and celebration of currently-running musicals.

Brooke Shields, who starred in Grease! and currently plays Sally Bowles in the Roundabout's revival of Cabaret, will host the event, to be staged at 43rd and 44th Streets in Manhattan.

Theatre's increasingly sophisticated profile will be boosted by coverage of the gala by local television station WNBC. Last year, NBC broadcast the event live and scored a 3.0 rating/8 share, meaning some 508,000 New York viewers saw the annual Times Square preview.

This year, NBC will tape the event and show a one-hour highlights reel on Monday night, Sept. 10, 7-8 PM (EST), to be broadcast in New York and on various national station affiliates.

As for the show itself, performances will include "Lullaby of Broadway" from 42nd Street, "My White Knight" warbled by The Music Man's Rebecca Luker; "Run Freedom Run" from the Urinetown ensemble, and the comic rouser from Aida, "Strongest Suit." Idina Menzel, soon to take over for Taylor Dayne as Amneris, will here get her first taste of doing the role in front of an audience. Also on the concert bill will be the Blast! cast, Kiss Me, Kate's Burke Moses and Carolee Carmello. The Sept. 9 event is produced by the Times Square Business Improvement District and sponosred by the League of American Theatres and Producers.

Tunes showcased at last year's "Broadway on Broadway" concert included:

• Cheryl Ladd and Patrick Cassidy
“Anything You Can Do...” from Annie Get Your Gun

• Lea Thompson
“Cabaret” from Cabaret

• Betty Buckley
“Memory” from Cats

• Jasmine Guy and Charlotte D’Amboise
“My Own Best Friend” from Chicago

• Claudia Shear, Bob Stillman and Tom Riis Farrell
“Dirty Blonde” from Dirty Blonde

•Shannon Lewis, Ken Alan, and Byron Easley
“I Gotcha” from Fosse

•Sebastian Bach
“This is the Moment” from Jekyll & Hyde

•Brian Stokes Mitchell and Marin Mazzie
“So In Love” from Kiss Me, Kate

• J. Mark McVey
“Bring Him Home” from Les Misérables

•Melinda Chua and Michael Flanigan
“Last Night of the World” from Miss Saigon

• Rebecca Luker and Quartet
“Lida Rose/Dream of Now” from The Music Man

• Howard McGillin
“The Music of the Night” from The Phantom Of The Opera

• Trey Ellett and Manley Pope
“What You Own” from RENT

• Margaret Motsage, Brian Kennedy and chorus
“Endless Journey” from Riverdance

• Paige Price and Orfeh
“Nights on Broadway” from Saturday Night Fever

• James Barbour and Marla Schaffel
"Secret Soul" from Jane Eyre

• Ann Hampton Callaway
“Blues in the Night” from Swing!

For information on call The Broadway Line at (888) BROADWAY or visit the Times Square Visitors Center at 1560 Broadway between 46 & 47 Streets.