Newton, CT (Top40 Charts) "From Broadway With Love: A Benefit Concert For
Sandy Hook" will take place 7:00 pm on January 28, 2013, at the Palace Theater in Waterbury, Connecticut. The evening will be a concert of love and healing for the Newtown community from the composers, musicians and more than 100 stars of Broadway together with over 100 students from several Newtown dance groups and the Newtown High School Chamber Choir. All proceeds and donations will go directly to United Way of Western Connecticut's
Sandy Hook School Support Fund.
Renowned Broadway performers scheduled to appear include Brian Stokes Mitchell (Tony Award winner: Kiss Me Kate, 3-time Tony Award nominee),
Linda Eder (Jekyll & Hyde), Stephen Schwartz (6-time Tony Award nominee including Wicked 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), Christine Ebersole (Tony Award winner: Grey Gardens), Frank Wildhorn (Tony Award nominee: Bonnie & Clyde and Civil War, Jekyll & Hyde), Philip Boykin (Tony Award nominee: The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess), Richard Kind (The Producers, TV's Mad About You),
Nikki Blonsky (Golden
Globe nominee: Hairspray movie), Alan Muraoka (Pacific Overtures, TV's Sesame Street), Jan
Maxwell (5-time Tony Award nominee including Follies),
Robin de Jesus (Tony Award nominee: La Cage Aux Folles and In The Heights), Mary Testa (Guys and Dolls, Xanadu), Julia Murney (Wicked, Lennon), Capathia Jenkins (Newsies, Caroline, Or Change),
Janet Metz (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Falsettoland) as well as members from various casts of Million Dollar Quartet: Lance Guest, Erik Hayden, Randy Redd, Dan Mills,
Victoria Matlock and featuring Lee Rocker of the Stray Cats as well as members of the touring cast of Sister Act and Muppets and cast members from Sesame Street.
The concert event will also feature 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, Janine DiVita, Nicolas Dromard, Demi Fragale, Brian Golub, Carly
Robyn Green, Dale Hensley, 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.
Also incorporated into the evening will be some very special video greetings from shows currently running on Broadway as well as Oscar® nominee
Anne Hathaway plus Ricki Lake, Marissa Jaret Winokur and more surprises.
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 from Brett, the emerging musical theater writer, to Van, the Tony Award-winning producer he had previously met 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. "The outpouring of love and support from the Broadway community has been 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 provides them with the perfect outlet to do so."
The benefit concert will be directed by Michael Unger with certain segments directed by Jeff Calhoun and Stephen Nachamie and is 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 and Meredith Lucio. Jeffrey Saver (End Of The Rainbow) is music directing and conducting an orchestra consisting of many top Broadway musicians. Librettist
David Thompson (The Scottsboro Boys, Steel Pier, Chicago) is helping the creative team shape the evening. Cindi Rush Casting is on board as Casting Consultant. Tom Bussey is Technical Supervisor, Tom McPhillips and Mike Rhoads are Scenic Designers,
David Agress is Lighting Designer, Kristin Fiebig is Costume Designer, John Petrafesa is Sound Designer and
David Bengali is Projection Designer. Zoya Kachadurian is Production Stage Manager.
From Broadway With Love provides a free night of entertainment for the impacted families, first responders, and the
Sandy Hook Elementary community. The Palace Theatre seats approximately 2,600 and a limited number of tickets will be on sale to the public beginning January 7th, 2013 at 10:00 am. These tickets range from $50 to $250. To purchase tickets or make a tax-deductible donation, please visit our website at https://www.FromBroadwayWithLove.org. Contact Ken Mahoney at 914-419-3762 or
[email protected] for information on how be become a corporate sponsor.
This benefit event is made possible, in part, by the generous donations from many companies and individuals including Bermuda Limousine International, production glue, llc, Strategic Event Design, the Palace Theater of Waterbury, PRG, World Stage, All
Mobile Video, Atomic Rental, Atomic Design, Department of Events (D.O.E), Sound Associates, Shaboo Productions, Consulting for a Cause, Nola Studios, Ripley Grier Studios, Yellow Sound Lab, Rapid Press, One
Dream Sound, Anthony Augliera Moving & Storage, Rose Brand, LampLust, The Silent Orchestra, St Regis Deer Valley Utah, Springworks, Big Y World Class Market, Pret a Manger, Russian Standard Vodka and more. Please see https://www.FromBroadwayWithLove.org for a full list.
