FREEDOM RIDERS World Premiere Recording to be Released

If you've followed the New York Theatre Festival circuit the last five years, or you've seen the viral social media rehearsal footage of high notes and harmonic excellence on TikTok, chances are you've been patiently waiting for the FREEDOM RIDERS: The Civil Rights Musical to come out with an album that we can finally listen to on repeat! Thanks to Broadway Records and New York Theatre Barn Records, the wait is over.

Richard Allen and Taran Gray, the creators of the award-winning FREEDOM RIDERS: The Civil Rights Musical will be releasing the 18-song world premiere recording in its entirety on November 19th.

"This is a dream come true for us." Richard Allen says, "both Taran and I grew up listening to musical soundtracks. It was a pillar of our theater community growing up to be able to experience a show in this way when a ticketed performance wasn't readily available. It's how we fell in love with so many productions."

Allen and Gray's FREEDOM RIDERS: The Civil Rights Musical tells the true story of the college age activists who boldly challenge the legality and optics of the Jim Crow Laws in 1961 by riding buses in mixed groups through the South; a soaring portrait of the fearless voices who used nonviolent direct action to initiate change. The show won the 2016 Beta Award at the New York Musical Festival. The show returned to the festival the following year and took home the award for "Outstanding Music" as well as a special honors award for "Social Impact and Relevance". The 2017 Festival production was visited by Congressman John Lewis who said of the show, "extremely accurate. It brought tears to my eyes."

Allen and Gray, the writers of Freedom Riders: The Civil Rights Musical with Rep. John Lewis at the 2016 NYMF production.

"We're honored to carry the legacy of the freedom riders forward with this musical." Taran Gray explains, "Shows like Hamilton do so much to elevate the history of a movement. This one is absolutely worth elevating and we've met with many of the original freedom riders to make sure this story is a true account of history."

Broadway and TV veteran Anthony Chatmon in the studio recording "Put Here For" from Freedom Riders: The Civil Rights Musical album.

The 18-song world premiere recording features a stunning 15 person ensemble including Brynn Williams (The SpongeBob Musical / Bye Bye Birdie / 13) playing Diane Nash, Anthony Chatmon II (Hadestown, Be More Chill) as John Lewis, Deon'te Goodman (Hamilton) as Bernard Lafayette, and Payson Lewis ("The Sing-Off," NBC) as John Siegenthaler.

The rest of the superb ensemble includes Jennifer Sun Bell (Comfort Women), Kevin "Blax" Burroughs (In The Heights), Aja Downing (Legendary), Eboni Muse (Hairspray), Patrick Ortiz (West Side Story / Tarzan) , Scott Redmond (Oklahoma!), Erin Vaderhyde (Legally Blonde the Musical), and Joy Yandell (Jersey Boys).

The album will be released digitally on all streaming services November 19th in partnership with Broadway Records and New York Theatre Barn Records. More information available at www.BroadwayRecords.com.