Black Broadway Announces Mental Health Benefit Concert: Darkness RISING: Live 2!

Join the Black Broadway community as they perform inspirational cover songs at Darkness RISING: Live 2. The concert benefits Darkness RISING Nonprofit, an organization which focuses on mental wellness in the Black community. The event will be held at the Knitting Factory Brooklyn at 7pm (doors open at 6:30pm). Knitting Factory is located at 361 Metropolitan Ave in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The evening will incude vendors, raffle prizes, a silent auction and a full bar, and will be hosted by Broadway Black's Drew Shade. Tickets can be purchased at bkknittingfactory.com.

The cast features soloists: Brennyn Lark, (DREAMGIRLS WEST END, LES MISERABLES BROADWAY), Liisi LaFontaine (DREAMGIRLS WEST END, THE WINNER IS ABC), Allison Semmes (MOTOWN BROADWAY, BOOK OF MORMON), Gabrielle Reid (BEAUTIFUL THE MUSICAL, HAIRSPRAY BROADWAY, THE COLOR PURPLE NATIONAL TOUR), Kris Roberts (BEAUTIFUL THE MUSICAL, FAME NATIONAL TOUR), Jasmin Richardson (GETTING THE BAND BACK TOGETHER, THE BODYGUARD NATIONAL TOUR), Jonathan Michael (DREAMGIRLS INTERNATIONAL TOUR, FAME NATIONAL TOUR), Cedrina Shari (BONEY M), Anita Welch (AVENUE Q NATIONAL TOUR), Gerard Williams (JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR at North Carolina Theatre), Nattalyee Randall (ROCKTOPIA), Tamala Baldwin (DREAMGIRLS at NSMT), Darkness RISING Founder, Carlita Victoria (HAIRSPRAY at Paramount Theatre). The ensemble features Vlad Dorson, Valton Jackson (HALFTIME at Papermill Playhouse), Ashley Jeudy (SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER at IVORYTON PLAYHOUSE),Nichollette Shorts (PHOENIX RISING), Sheniqua Trotman (DREAMGIRLS at IVORYTON THEATRE), David LaMarr (LITTLE MERMAID at TUACAHN), and Tatianna Mott (AVENUE Q at SMITHTOWN PAC).

• The event will include vendors, a silent auction, a full bar, giveaways, and will feature guest speakers / Black therapists in the NYC area. Audience members will enjoy songs of hope from a range of genres: musical theatre, pop, R&B, and gospel under the musical direction of David Rowen of David Rowen Creative.

• The concert features our 4-piece band, Ian Jess (Bass), Mark 'Lace' Gibbs (Guitar), Quinton Robinson (Drums), and David Rowen (Piano/Musical Director).

• $20 In advance, $25 At the door $40 VIP includes: Wristband, free drink, premier seating, swag bag, cast meet & greet.

Darkness RISING Nonprofit is a mental health project with the goal of inspiring conversations about mental health, and helping to create access to mental health resources in the Black community in an effort to tell our stories and erase the stigma. The project was created as a means of Carlita facing her personal struggles with anxiety, depression and PTSD. African Americans are 20% more likely to have serious psychological distress than other Americans. The project includes a newly released album on iTunes, a visual album on YouTube, live concerts, and free wellness workshops.

Darkness RISING: A Mental Health Awareness Project is sponsored, in part, by the Greater New York Arts Development Fund of the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, administered by Brooklyn Arts Council (BAC) and Fractured Atlas. For more info: darknessrisingproject.org. Follow: @darknessrisingproject.