A special hour-long version of “From Broadway With Love: A Benefit Concert For Sandy Hook,” which took place at Palace Theater in Waterbury, on January 28, will air on public television stations CPTV and WNET/13 on Friday, July 26, at 10 p.m.
“From Broadway With Love” was a concert of healing for the Newtown community in which 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 third and fourth grades, and the Newtown High School Chamber Choir. The event was created to provide a free night of entertainment for the impacted families, first responders and members of the Sandy Hook Elementary community.
The commercial-free broadcast version of the concert will feature renowned Broadway performers including Brian Stokes Mitchell (Tony Award winner: Kiss Me Kate, three -time Tony Award nominee), Linda Eder (Jekyll & Hyde), Stephen Schwartz (six-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, four-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), and Capathia Jenkins (Newsies, Caroline, Or Change), along with Muppets and cast members from “Sesame Street.”
Brett Boles, author of the musical Foreverman, and Broadway producer Van Dean, both from the Newtown area, conceived of the benefit concert on December 16. Six weeks and 700 volunteers later, the concert took place 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.
A two-hour CD, BluRay and DVD edition of the full concert is are also set to be released in September by Broadway Records. All proceeds will benefit the Newtown-Sandy Hook community via The Newtown-Sandy Hook Community Foundation.
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About the Palace Theater
The Palace’s primary purpose is to revitalize the Greater Waterbury community through the presentation of the performing arts and educational initiatives in collaboration with area cultural and educational institutions. Its mission is to preserve and operate the historic Palace Theater as a performing arts center and community gathering place that provides a focal point of cultural activity and educational outreach for diverse audiences. For more information, visit: www.palacetheaterct.org.
The Palace Theater gratefully acknowledges support by Comcast, Webster Bank, Bank of America, City of Waterbury, CT DECD Office of Tourism, Naugatuck Savings Bank, Waterbury Hospital, Republican-American, and WATR Radio.