Foster And Van Cappelle Join Public Theatre, HAIR, BC/EFA And Broadway Impact Hosted Central Park Equality Rally 8/28

The New York Theater Community's Mobilization Rally for Equality, being organized by The Public Theater, the cast of HAIR, Broadway Impact and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS (BC/EFA), has added more noteworthy participants to its line-up.

Tony Award-winning actress Sutton Foster and Alan Van Cappelle (Executive Director, Empire State Pride Agenda) will join previously announced participants Oskar Eustis, Cleve Jones, Gavin Creel and David Stone onstage at Central Park's Delacorte Theater (enter at 81st Street and Central Park West or 79th Street and Fifth Avenue). The rally, being held in advance of October's National Equality March in Washington, D.C., will take place tomorrow, Friday, August 28, from 2:30-3:30 PM and will be open to the public.

The producers of the Tony Award-winning revival of HAIR previously announced that, in an unprecedented move, they are canceling the show's Sunday, October 11th performance so that the entire cast can join the National Equality March in Washington, D.C.

Last May, civil rights activist David Mixner called for a national march on Washington in support of equal rights for LGBT people, calling on prominent LGBT community leaders Cleve Jones and Torie Osborne to execute and organize it. Days later in Fresno, California, at a rally of approximately 5000 people from all walks of life protesting the California Supreme Court's decision to uphold Prop. 8, Cleve Jones stepped to the podium and committed to Mixner's plea. At that moment Jones' organization, Equality Across America, was born, along with its first mission: the National Equality March. Between now and October, Equality Across America will develop grassroots leadership in all 435 congressional districts to ensure that their message is heard loudly and clearly by elected officials all across America.

In October 1979, LGBT activists from across the country marched on Washington to fight for equal rights towards all. Exactly 30 years later a new generation of equality activists will take to the National Mall and continue that fight -- and not quit until LGBT people are granted equal protection in all matters governed by civil law in all 50 states.

For more information, visit www.BroadwayImpact.com and www.EqualityAcrossAmerica.org.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.