Black Broadway to Present a Mental Health Benefit Concert

Singers and musicians from the Black Broadway community will sing inspirational cover songs from their upcoming album: Darkness RISING. The concert benefits BLK HLTH, an organization which focuses on the wellness of the Black community. The concert will be held at The Triad NYC on Monday, April 2nd at 7pm. Tickets can be purchased at triadnyc.com. The Triad is located at 158 W. 72nd St. (2 drink minimum)

The concert will include music from the musical theatre, pop, R&B, and Gospel genres. Audiences will enjoy familiar songs like "Waving Through a Window" (DEAR EVAN HANSEN), Lin Manuel Miranda's "How Far I'll Go" (MOANA), Kesha's "Praying", classics like Tracy Chapman's "Fast Car", and other songs from the Darkness RISING album.

The Darkness RISING cast includes soloists: Juson Williams (THE WIZ), Stephen Scott Wormley (BLACK NATIVITY OFF-BROADWAY), Jo'Nathan Michael (BELLA: AN AMERICAN TALL TALE), Nattalyee Randall (DREAMGIRLS at Portland Center Stage), Terance Reddick (LES MISERABLES BROADWAY), Cedrina Shari (BONEY M), Sidney Dupont (BEAUTIFUL: THE Carole King MUSICAL), Collin Howard (DREAMGIRLS at Ivoryton Playhouse), Ashley Ware Jenkins (THE LION KING BROADWAY), Tamala Baldwin (SMOKEY JOE'S CAFÉ at Greenbrier Valley Theater), Anita Welch (AVENUE Q NATIONAL TOUR), Kris Roberts (BEAUTIFUL: THE Carole King MUSICAL, and Carlita Victoria (Darkness RISING Creator, THE COLOR PURPLE at WPPAC).

The ensemble includes Vlad Dorson (CHOIR BOY at GableStage), Valton Jackson (HAIR at Dallas Theatre Center), James Roberts (HAIR NATIONAL TOUR), Danielle Jackman (SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER CHICAGO), Ashley Jeudy (SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER at Ivoryton Playhouse), Shy Palmer, Tatianna Mott (AVENUE Q at Smithtown PAC), Nicholette Shorts (PHOENIX RISING: GIRLS & THE SECRETS WE KEEP), Sheniqua Denise Trotman (DREAMGIRLS at Ivoryton Playhouse), Skylar Gamble (HAIRSPRAY at La Comedia), David Kaverman (MOTOWN THE MUSICAL NATIONAL TOUR), Wesley Barnes (SCOTTSBORO BOYS at Phoenix Theatre), and Jura Davis (JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR at North Carolina Theatre).

• The 25+ cast includes Black artists from the NYC theatre community, under the musical direction of David Rowen of David Rowen Creative.
• The concert features a 4-piece band: David Rowen: Piano, Ian Jesse: Bass, Mark 'Lace' Gibbs: Guitar, and Kahlil Kwame Bell on Drums. Our musicians have toured with Erykah Badu, Common, Prince, Havoc of Mobb Deep and more.

Darkness RISING is a mental health project with the goal of inspiring conversations about mental health in the Black community in an effort to tell our stories and #Erasethestigma. The project was created as a way of dealing with Carlita's personal struggles with Anxiety and PTSD. African Americans are 20 percent more likely to have serious psychological distress than other Americans. The project includes an album to be released on Spotify in Spring 2018, a visual album, and a live concert. For more info: carlitavictoria.com/darknessrising. To donate: gofundme.com/darknessrising. Promo videos: YouTube.com/c/CarlitaVictoria. Follow: @darknessrisingproject