Lin-Manuel Miranda, Tom Kitt, and BRING IT ON Team Set for Amber Charter School Fundraiser to Honor Luis A. Miranda, Jr, 10/4

Tony and Grammy Award winner Lin-Manuel Miranda, along with Tony Award winners Tom Kitt, Jeff Whitty, Alex Lacamoire, Amanda Green and other Members of The creative team behind the hit new Broadway show Bring It On: The Musical will be featured guests at an upcoming fundraiser for Amber Charter School. The event, to be held today, October 4th, will honor the school's founder - and Lin-Manuel's father - Luis A. Miranda, Jr. Guests will attend a pre-show reception at Trattoria Dopo Teatro, followed by a special performance of Bring It On: The Musical at the St. James Theater. Funds raised at the benefit will support direct academic intervention for Amber's young students in an Upper Manhattan district which has traditionally faced tough challenges with literacy and learning achievement.

Luis Miranda, one of New York City's most respected community leaders, founded Amber Charter School in 2000 and served as its board chair until 2011. Today Amber serves 435 students from kindergarten through 5th grade. The school, based on E. 106th St. in the heart of East Harlem, El Barrio, serves an overwhelmingly low-income student body from Harlem and the Bronx.

The creators of "Bring It On" have joined with the Amber community to honor Luis for his tireless efforts on behalf of the school over the past twelve years. Said Lin-Manuel Miranda, who co-wrote Bring It On's music and lyrics, "I am so proud of my dad, and of all that Amber Charter has been achieving in the community for over a decade. I'm inspired by the central role that arts programming plays in the school's curriculum. My dad has been a dedicated advocate for the school for so long, and Amber Charter's success is a testament not only to him, but to the rest of the board, the faculty, the students and their families. It's a great thing to celebrate."

Amber's head of school, Dr. Vasthi Acosta, stated, "We are elated that the Bring It On creative team is supporting our school. And we are truly filled with gratitude for all Luis Miranda has done over the past 12 years to make Amber a nurturing and academically rigorous environment for our students."

Luis A. Miranda Jr. is managing partner of the MirRam Group, one of New York City's leading government and public affairs consulting firms. His long career in public service has included running the Mayor's Office of Hispanic Affairs under Mayor Koch, chairing the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation under Mayor Giuliani, founding the Hispanic Federation, helping to elect Hillary Rodham Clinton and Charles Schumer to the U.S. Senate, and serving on more than a dozen non-profit Boards in the city and nationally.

"Bring It On: The Musical" began previews on Broadway on July 12, 2012 and opened on August 1st. The production has earned critical acclaim, with the Huffington Post calling it a "dazzling new musical" and The New York Times raving about the show's "breathtaking displays of human fireworks."

Amber's October 4th event includes a reception from 5:00 pm to 6:30 pm at Dopo Teatro, located at 125 W.44th Street, with the show beginning at 7:00 pm at the nearby St. James Theater. Tickets to the benefit are now available for purchase online here: http://amberonbroadway.ezregister.com/

Photo Credit: Walter McBride / Retna Ltd.

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