Newtown, CT (Top40 Charts/ CineMedia Promotions) Broadway Records announces the release of "From Broadway With Love: A Benefit Concert For
Sandy Hook" on DVD (February 4th), Blu-Ray (February 18th), as a two-CD set (February 4th) and as two volumes digitally via iTunes (February 7th). Broadway Records will donate 100% of its profits from the CD, DVD and Blu-ray to support the Newtown-Sandy Hook community via the Newtown-Sandy Hook Community Foundation.
"From Broadway With Love: A Benefit Concert For
Sandy Hook" was a concert of healing for the Newtown community where composers, musicians and more than 100 stars of Broadway came together with over 300 students from several Newtown dance groups, the
Sandy Hook Elementary School 3rd and 4th grades (2012/2013 school year) and the Newtown High School Chamber Choir (2012/2013 school year).
A one-hour version of "From Broadway With Love: A Benefit Concert For
Sandy Hook" aired on local PBS affiliates in the New York City Tri-State area. The concert, which took place on January 28, 2013, at the Palace Theater in Waterbury, Connecticut, was recorded and will be released in its entirety on DVD and as a two-CD set on Tuesday, February 4th. The Blu-ray edition of the concert will be released on February 18th. Both the DVD and Blu-ray contain 9 special features on the making of the concert and behind the scenes footage.
The deluxe CD release includes 68 pages of photos from the concert and essays from the creative team. The iTunes edition of the album will be released in 2 volumes on Friday, February 7th. The CD, DVD and Blu-ray can all be purchased on Amazon.com.
The concert features renowned Broadway performers including Brian Stokes Mitchell (Ragtime, Tony Award winner: Kiss Me Kate, 3-time Tony Award nominee),
Linda Eder (Jekyll & Hyde), Stephen Schwartz (6-time Tony Award nominee including Wicked, Pippin and Godspell), Micky Dolenz (Aida, member of The Monkees), Marc Shaiman (Tony Award winner: Hairspray, TV's SMASH), Michael Cerveris (Tony Award winner: Assassins, 4-time Tony Award nominee including Evita and Sweeney Todd), Frank Wildhorn (Tony Award nominee: Bonnie & Clyde and Civil War, Jekyll & Hyde),
Nikki Blonsky (Golden
Globe nominee: Hairspray movie), Alan Muraoka (Pacific Overtures, TV's Sesame Street),
Robin de Jesus (Tony Award nominee: La Cage Aux Folles and In The Heights), Ashley Blanchet (Annie, Memphis), Capathia Jenkins (Newsies, Caroline, Or Change), Christine Ebersole (Tony Award winner: Grey Gardens), Paul Scott Goodman (Rooms, Bright
Lights Big City), Philip Boykin (Tony Award nominee: The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess), Richard Kind (The Producers, TV's Mad About You),
Brett Boles, Mary Testa (Guys and Dolls, Xanadu), Julia Murney (Wicked, Lennon),
Janet Metz (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Falsettoland) along with Muppets and cast members from Sesame Street as well as members from various casts of Million Dollar Quartet: Lance Guest, Erik Hayden, Randy Redd, Dan Mills,
Victoria Matlock, featuring Lee Rocker of the Stray Cats and members of the Broadway and touring casts of Sister Act.
Brett Boles, author of the musical Foreverman, and Broadway producer Van Dean, both from the Newtown area, are the original conceivers of the benefit concert. It all started with a Facebook message on December 16th, 2 days after the tragedy, from Brett, the emerging musical theater writer, to Van, the Tony Award-winning producer, after meeting at a theater industry event. "After
Brett suggested the notion of a benefit concert to me, I immediately posted a note on my Facebook page looking for volunteers. Within a few hours I had 100 responses and knew that this would become something very special," noted Dean. Six weeks and seven hundred volunteers later, the concert took place at the Palace Theater in Waterbury, CT thanks to the generosity of the volunteers and sponsors who provided the theater, transportation, lighting and sound equipment, set elements, food and the majority of the other resources needed to put on the show. "The outpouring of love and support from the Broadway community was incredibly heartwarming, and everyone was looking for a way they could use their talents to bring something positive to the community. From Broadway With Love provided them with the perfect outlet to do so."
Michael Kostel (Emmy Award winner) and Van Dean/The Broadway Consortium (Tony Award winner) are executive producers of the DVD and Blu-ray. Bob Conover (Emmy Award winner) directed the filmed version of the concert and the special features. Jeffrey McLaughlin, of Chelsea Post, edited the 108 minute concert video, Firelight Media Group, LLC provided the post production DVD and Blu-ray authoring and Michael Croiter, of Yellow Sound Label, mixed the concert and produced the CD.
The benefit concert was directed by Michael Unger and was produced by Van Dean and Kenny
Howard of The Broadway Consortium, Jennifer Isaacson, Ken Mahoney, Sarahbeth Grossman, Bethney Ruggiero, Michael A. Alden, Rob Hinderliter, Yvette Kojic, Dale Badway, Mike Kostel, Dominick LaRuffa, Jr. and Meredith Lucio. Jeffrey Saver (End Of The Rainbow, Sister Act, Chicago) served as music director and conducted a 40 piece orchestra consisting of many top Broadway musicians. Librettist
David Thompson (The Scottsboro Boys, Steel Pier, Chicago) helped the creative team shape the evening. Cindi Rush Casting acted as Casting Consultant. Tom Bussey served as Technical Supervisor, Tom McPhillips and Mike Rhoads as Scenic Designers,
David Agress as Lighting Designer, Kristin Fiebig as Costume Designer, John Petrafesa as Sound Designer and
David Bengali as Projection Designer. Zoya Kachadurian served as Production Stage Manager.
Song List:
1. Seasons of Love (Robin De Jesus, Ashley Blanchet and From Broadway With Love Chorus)
2.
Sandy Hook School Song (Sandy Hook Elementary School 3rd and 4th Grade Students)
3. Beautiful City (Stephen Schwartz)
4. Defying Gravity (Julia Murney with Stephen Schwartz on piano)
5. On The Atchison, Topeka and The
Santa Fe (Christine Ebersole)
6. Funny/The Duck Joke (Janet Metz & Richard Kind)
7. I Wan'na Be Like You (Richard Kind)
8. Ol' Man River (Phillip Boykin with Jeffrey Saver at the piano)
9. Still (Brett Boles, From Broadway With Love Chorus)
10. When You're Good to Mama (Mary Testa)
11. Finishing the Hat (Michael Cerveris)
12. Sunday (Michael Cerveris, Newtown High School Chamber Choir and From Broadway With Love Chorus)
13. Somewhere (Newtown High School Chamber Choir)
14. Raise Your Voice (members of the Broadway and Touring Cast of Sister Act)
15. Just One Person (Sesame Street Performers & From Broadway With Love Chorus)
16. Blue
Suede Shoes (Broadway cast members from Million Dollar Quartet featuring Lee Rocker on Bass)
17. I Hear You Knockin' (Broadway cast members from Million Dollar Quartet featuring Lee Rocker on Bass)
18. Brown Eyed Handsome Man (Broadway cast members from Million Dollar Quartet featuring Lee Rocker on Bass)
19. I'm A Believer (Micky Dolenz & From Broadway With Love Chorus)
20. Good Morning Baltimore (Nikki Blonsky & From Broadway With Love Chorus with Marc Shaiman at the piano)
21. You Can't Stop the Beat (Nikki Blonsky, Brooke Tansley, Micky Dolenz, Capathia Jenkins & From Broadway With Love Chorus with Marc Shaiman at the piano)
22. Sing (Paul Scott Goodman & From Broadway With Love Chorus)
23. The Impossible
Dream (Brian Stokes Mitchell)
24. Finding
Wonderland (Capathia Jenkins & From Broadway With Love Chorus with Frank Wildhorn at the piano)
25. If I Had My Way (Linda Eder & From Broadway With Love Chorus with Frank Wildhorn at the piano)
26. One Voice (From Broadway With Love Company &
Sandy Hook Elementary School 3rd and 4th Grade Students)
The concert event also featured a stellar Broadway ensemble consisting of Krystle Adams,
Lindsay Aster, Rachel Baker,
Leslie Becker, Mimi Bessette, Ashley Blanchet, Katie Branden, Corey Brunish, Billy Casey, Mark Chmiel, Andrew Clark,
Aaron James Darr, Willie Dee,
Hannah Rose DeFlumeri, Demi Fragale, Brian Golub, Carly
Robyn Green, Curtis Howard, Anthony Johnson, Missy Keene, Richard Koons, Kyshawn Lane, Tony Lawson, K.C. Leiber,
Danny Lindgren, Jaygee Macapugay, Rhyn McLemore, Mark Bradley Miller,
Thomas Ortiz, Allie Parris,
Annie Pasqua, Jenna Pasqua, Jennifer Prescott,
Aaron Riesebeck, Emma Ritchie, Brian Charles Rooney,
Gabrielle Ruiz, Roland Rusinek, Krista Severeid, Cory Stonebrook, Erin Sullivan, Stewart Tabler, Tiffany Trainer, Price Waldman, Jamie Westberry and Chris Woods as well as Pas de Deux dancers: K.C. Fredericks and
Shanna Heverly.
This benefit concert was made possible, in part, by the generous donations from many companies and individuals including All
Mobile Video, Chelsea Post, Atomic Design, Bermuda Limousine International, The Palace Theater of Waterbury CT, PRG, production glue llc, Atomic Rental, Ken & Trish Mahoney, Sound Associates, Strategic Event Design, WorldStage, Consulting for a Cause, Evolution Industries, Department of Events (D.O.E), Mahoney Asset Management, One
Dream Sound, Record Plant, Shaboo Productions, St Regis Deer Valley Utah, Sterling Affair Catering, New York Yankees, Yellow Sound Lab, Anthony Augliera Moving & Storage, Best Trails & Travel, Bernard &
Sarah Boisseau/Bernard's Restaurant of Ridgefield, Broadway Records, Crowne Plaza of Southbury, Marriott Courtyard of Waterbury CT, Rapid Press, Rose Brand, Michael Ashendorf and Travel Techsperts, Chemtura Corporation, CP Communications,
Julie Manfredi, Bonnie O'Sullivan, Marcus Miller,
National Football League, Lynn Negron/Weenie Lynn's, Pret a Manger, Printech NYC, Russian Standard Vodka, The Ardian Group and Jeff Shelton, Tasty Chicken of Brooklyn, The Silent Orchestra, Big Y, Carroll Music, Coca Cola Refreshments USA, LampLust, Nola Studios, Ripley Grier Studios, Springworks, Haley Swindal, Vita Coco Coconut Water, Waterbury School Arts Management D.O.E, Tickets.com, Big Y, SpotLight Awards, Pepsi-Cola of Bristol, Tasty Bagels of Brooklyn, Crystal Rock®, Entrees & Encores, RM Bradley, Delta Air Lines, Hornblower Cruises, Bedlam Theatre Company, Contemporary Services Corporation, Show Lighting Corp, Holy Cross High School, Litchfield Piano Works, Diversified Building Services, Waterbury Arts
Magnet School, YoCrunch Yogurt Company, Domick and Pia, Spice, Diorio's, Dottie's, and LG Electronics.
Please see https://www.FromBroadwayWithLove.org for more information.
