Chris Jackson, Gavin Creel, Lindsay Mendez, Celia Keenan-Bolger, Andrea Burns and More to 'STAND UP FOR FREEDOM' This Year

The New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) announced today a star-studded lineup of performers for the annual benefit concert, "Broadway Stands Up for Freedom," which will take place on Monday, July 17, 2017 at the NYU Skirball Center for the Performing Arts.

This iconic concert was created 15 years ago by aspiring musical theater actors to highlight social injustices and civil rights issues through song and spoken word.

This year, 12 songwriting teams and performers have joined forces to present brand new songs for the evening, including Tony nominee Chris Jackson (Hamilton, Moana), Tony Award winner Gavin Creel (Hello, Dolly!, Hair, The Book of Mormon), Lindsay Mendez (Significant Other, Wicked), Tony nominee Celia Keenan-Bolger (The Cherry Orchard, Les Miserables), Michael Friedman (Misery, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson), Tony nominee Adrienne Warren (Shuffle Along), Andrea Burns (On Your Feet!, In the Heights), Georgia Stitt (Little Shop of Horrors), Nathan Tysen (Amelie), musical duo Kait Kerrigan and Brian Lowdermilk, Jenni Barber (Sundays in the Park with George, Annie), Andrew Kober (Sundays in the Park with George, Les Miserables), Shaina Taub, Liana Stampur and Clinton Curtis, among others.

Kurt Crowley (music director of Hamilton), will serve as the music director, Susan Blackwell returns as host and Peter Flynn (Beauty and the Beast) and Daniel Goldstein (Godspell) return as co-directors.

In conjunction with the concert, the NYCLU launched a songwriting contest titled Songs of Freedom: Music for the People, by the People. Recognizing the unifying power of music, the NYCLU invited all talented, undiscovered and up-and-coming songwriters from across the country to express their passion for civil liberties through music. The submissions will be judged by a panel that includes members of Broadway casts and creative teams.

"Now, more than ever, we need to come together as a community to fight for the soul of our democracy," said Donna Lieberman, executive director of the NYCLU. "Protest music has connected people and sustained movements from the days of slavery through the civil rights and anti-war movements, to the resistance of today. When we 'lift every voice and sing' with the Broadway community, we strengthen our bonds, energize the movement for human rights and continue the tradition of music as a force for freedom."

Proceeds from the show will benefit the NYCLU's mission to promote and protect the civil rights and liberties of all New Yorkers. VIP tickets ($100/person for priority seat and post-show reception) and sponsorship packages can be purchased through the NYCLU website; $60 tickets can be purchased through the Skirball Center's website, by calling 212-998-4941 or in person at the Shagan Box Office located in the center's lobby at 566 LaGuardia Pl.

For more information about the show, visit www.nyclu.org/bway. For more information about the contest, visit www.nyclu.org/freedom-songs.

The New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) is one of the nation's foremost defenders of civil liberties and civil rights. Founded in 1951 as the New York affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union, we are a not-for-profit, nonpartisan organization with nine offices, including six chapters, and 155,000 members across the state. Our mission is to defend and promote the fundamental principles and values embodied in the Bill of Rights, the U.S. Constitution, and the New York Constitution, including freedom of speech and religion, and the right to privacy, equality and due process of law for all New Yorkers. For more information on how you can get involved, visit www.nyclu.org.

The Jack H. Skirball Center for the Performing Arts is the premier venue for the presentation of cultural and performing arts events for New York University and lower Manhattan. The programs of the Skirball Center reflect NYU's mission as an international center of scholarship, defined by excellence and innovation and shaped by an intellectually rich and diverse environment. A vital aspect of the Center's mission is to build young adult audiences for the future of live performance. www.nyuskirball.org.