Formerly Homeless Youth to Perform With Rita Harvey, Natalie Toro And More

Homeless youth striving to turn their lives around will get a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to perform with Broadway stars at Covenant House's A Night of Broadway Stars gala on Thursday, June 2nd on the stage of Frederick P. Rose Hall, Home of Jazz at Lincoln Center. A Night of Broadway Stars starts at 6:00 pm with a cocktail reception. The show begins at 7:30 pm, followed by a dessert reception with the stars.

Presented by Goldman Sachs, Brian Cashman, the General Manager of the New York Yankees, will be given the Covenant House Beacon of Hope Award honoring his support of the homeless young people who get life-saving help at the shelter for homeless and runaway youth.

"ANight of Broadway Stars gives our kids a chance to show their talent, their courage and their goodness," says Kevin Ryan, President of Covenant House. "After a very tough start in life, they have found the strength to get off the streets. We are thrilled that Brian Cashman has joined our efforts and wants to make Covenant House his field of dreams, a place where kids can rise up and reach their potential."

"We talk about courage so often in sports," says Cashman. "But it's the kids who survive the streets and turn their lives around at Covenant House who show real courage. It's an honor to get to know the young people at Covenant House and to be part of this powerful movement to save their lives."

A Night of Broadway Stars will include a full revue of performances by some of Broadway's greatest performers, including Rita Harvey from Phantom of the Opera, Natalie Toro from Les Miserables, Capathia Jenkins from Dreamgirls and Danni Zolli from Jesus Christ Superstar. The show will be hosted by renowned composer/lyricist Neil Berg, whose credits include the Prince and the Pauper, Grumpy Old Men and The Twelve.

This inspirational and powerful evening of entertainment will also feature a show-stopping performance by young people being helped by the Covenant House New York crisis shelter. All proceeds raised by A Night of Broadway Stars will benefit the homeless young people served by Covenant House.

Also receiving the Covenant House Beacon of Hope Award for his service to homeless youth is Paul Danforth, who helped build CAA ports, a sports division within Creative Artist Agency. "Paul has been an incredible gift to our kids as a member of our board, traveling internationally to our sites to learn the issues and be part of real solutions to the problems our kids face," says Ryan.

"For the kids being trafficked by pimps or starving on street corners, the issue remains the same in good times and bad...Does anybody care?" says Ryan. "This event is an opportunity for compassionate people to stand side by side with our kids and let them know we care."

For ticket information, contact Molly Ladd at (212) 727-4153 or email her at mladd@covenanthouse.org.

Founded in 1972, Covenant House is the largest privately funded agency in the Americas helping homeless kids, providing 24/7 crisis care and ongoing support at 21 facilities, www.NINELINE.org, Covenant House NINELINE (1-800-999-9999) and www.covenanthouse.org

Photo Credit: Genevieve Rafter-Keddy