Date Announced for BMA Gala, Richard Jay-Alexander Named Honorary Chair

Executive Director, Connor Deane announced today that the third annual BROADWAY SINGS gala would be held on Monday, November 27 at the historic Westport Country Playhouse. Broadway Method Academy is a non-profit musical theater-training program where young artists are linked with working Broadway professionals, both in the classroom and on-stage. The academy serves at resident conservatory to Westport Country Playhouse.

Deane says incredible talents from Broadway and beyond will team up with students of Broadway Method Academy to present a one-night only concert raising funds to support the diverse programming at the academy. It was also announced today that Broadway legend, Richard Jay-Alexander would serve as the honorary chairperson for the 2017 gala. The nonprofit, that trains young artists in musical theater, bestows the honorary chairperson to an individual who exemplifies outstanding artistic achievement and embodies the Broadway Method Academy mission of supporting the next generation of artists.

The evening will begin with a cocktail hour and silent auction followed by a performance from the Broadway & BMA performers. Tickets will become available in the coming weeks via the Westport Country Playhouse box office.

Meet The Honorary Chair:

Richard Jay-Alexander celebrates 42 years in show business, having moved to New York City in the fall of 1975. He started as an actor/singer/ dancer and made his Broadway debut in the Luis Valdez play "Zoot Suit" which opened at the Winter Garden Theatre in 1979. He was also in the Original Broadway Cast of Amadeus alongside Ian McKellen and Tim Curry, and worked on Song and Dance with Bernadette Peters and the revival of OLIVER! with Ron Moody and Patti LuPone.

He is widely known for his 12 years working with Cameron Mackintosh, as Executive Director of his North American Company and staged eleven productions of Les Miserables, as well as serving as Executive Producer for The Phantom of the Opera, Miss Saigon, Five Guys Named Moe, and Stephen Sondheim's Putting it Together, which starred Julie Andrews, presented at The Manhattan Theater Club.

He entered the recording industry via cast albums and has worked with some of the greatest artists in the world today, both in the studio and on concert stages. Those artists include Barbra Streisand, Bette Midler, Ricky Martin, Lea Salonga, Bernadette Peters, Kristin Chenoweth, Betty Buckley, Johnny Mathis, Il Divo, Il Volo, Lea Michele, Norm Lewis, Brian Stokes- Mitchell, Deborah Voigt, and the late Polly Bergen among them. Richard has also done a number of television commercials, music videos, film work, awards shows, benefits and PBS specials, working in just about every venue in the world, including Carnegie Hall, Royal Albert Hall, Sydney Opera House and endless nightclubs, concert halls and stadiums. He proudly serves on the Executive Board of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids and is passionate about animals, especially adoption and no-kill shelters.

He now makes Miami Beach his full-time home and spent 40 years in NYC. Richard is of Latin descent (his Mom was Cuban and his Dad Spanish American) He is directing the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame, LA MUSA Awards, founded by Desmond Child and Rudy Perez, this year celebrating their 5th Anniversary, which is being filmed and will be televised later this season. Richard also co-directed (with Ms. Streisand), Barbra's recent tour: THE MUSIC ... THE MEM'RIES ... THE MAGIC, which was filmed in Miami at the American Airlines Arena and will be available for streaming on NETFLIX later this year. On December 4th, he is directing the York Theatre's annual Oscar Hammerstein Award Gala, this year being presented to Tom Jones & Harvey Schmidt (THE FANTASTICKS, I DO! I DO! 110 IN THE SHADE).

Mr. Jay-Alexander is very flattered to have been asked by BMA's Executive Director, Connor Deane, to participate in this year's Benefit Concert and wants to thank The Board of Directors. Richard first met Connor at St. Louis's MUNY, where he was part of his cast of LES MISERABLES, while still in college.

Photo Credit: Bruce Glikas