He Fifth Annual Broadway & Ballet Hero Awards To Honor Lillias White And Housing Works

HIV Experience Resources Organization (HERO) will present The Fifth Annual Broadway & Ballet HERO Awards on October 22nd at 8pm at Stage 48, 605 West 48th Street, honoring Tony, Emmy, Drama Desk and People's Choice Award winner Lillias White, Housing Works/HIV Law Project,and break-out star from Head Over Heels,Bonnie Milliganfor Outstanding Broadway Debut. The event benefits HERO - HIV Experience Resources Organization, a 501c-3 volunteer based charitable organization that promotes safe sex practices and provides resources to people newly diagnosed and living with HIV. To be hosted by Ben Cameron, the Broadway and Ballet HERO Awards features 14 spectacular performances by stars from the worlds of Broadway and Ballet that will perform together.

The event is not just about raising much-needed funds for HERO, it also showcases the amazing talents of the New York City Broadway and dance community. The entire evening's entertainment consists of world premieres of dance pieces set to a wide variety of musical genres. While the artists who perform each year are primarily from the Broadway and ballet worlds, the works they create for the Awards run the gamut of styles from downtown contemporary, to modern, and everything in between. 2018 performances include: Sharon Catherine Brown(Dreamgirlsand Head Over Heels), Ruby Lewis(Paramour), Bonnie Milligan(Head Over Heels), Swedish International Dancer and Opera Star, Oscar Pierrou Linden, Broadway Star Michael Cusumano(An American In Paris, ABT Chicago), ABT Stars, Sean Stewart,Jose Sabastianand Duncan Lyle,Morgan Stinnett(soloist with Connecticut Ballet, member of Ajkun Ballet Company), Michael Apuzzo(Paul Taylor Dance Company), Seeley Stephens (Top 50 Finalist American Idol), Evan Lacombe(The Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall), Luis Villabon(A Chorus Line), Travis Nesbitt(Alter Boys), The Boy Band Project, Opening Number performed and choreographed by Evan Lacombeand the finale number choreographed and performed by Madeline Rodrigue, with dancers and Alumni from Pace University and many more!

We also seek to represent the diversity of our city in terms of the race, ethnicity, and sexuality of the artists who generously share their creative vision each year. Some of the highlights of past events include; Tony Award Winner and Grammy nominated Melba Mooresinging a medley from the Broadway Musical Hair with the entire cast of Broadway and Ballet, Tony Award Winner Donna McKechniesinging "What I did for Love", ABT Principle Dancer Marcelo Gomesperformed "Sinatra Suite", James Whitesideand Cassandra Trenary performed an original piece, "Wall Flower", New York City Principle Dancer Stephen Hannadancing to "If I Only Had a Brain" with vocals by Broadway and Film Star, Michael-Leon Wooley, Attila Joey Csikiand Tobin Del Cuoreperformed a duet by Lar Lubovitch called "Concerto 622," a legendary piece of choreography that was created during the AIDS epidemic and Garen Scribner("An American In Paris") who created and performed a new ballet solo and received the first John Adams HERO Award for best Broadway debut.

Housing Works is a New York City based non-profit fighting the twin crises of AIDS and homelessness. Housing Works also operates the HIV Law Projectthat provides free legal services to residents of New York City who are living with HIV. The HERO Partnership Award was previously presented to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, The Actors Fund,GMHCand The JED Foundation.

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Awards were previously presented to NYC Ballet principal dancer, Stephen Hanna in 2015, ABT principal dancer, Marcelo Gomesin 2016 and ABT principal dancer, James Whiteside in 2017. The Broadway HERO Award has been presented to Broadway Legend, Rachelle Rak, Tony Award Winner, Jerry Mitchell, Tony Award Winner, Donna McKechnie, and Tony Award Winner, Melba Moore. All past awardees are being invited back to participate or perform.

Tickets are on sale at www.hivhero.org. General admission is $30. VIP Premium Seating will be $100. Highlight videos from the past four years can be seen at https://youtu.be/iztNfglqxvs.