Kelli O'Hara And Will Chase Join Arts for Autism Concert

Tony Award winning legend Kelli O'Hara and Tony nominee and Nashville TV show superstar Will Chase will take center stage at the 4th annual Arts for Autism benefit concert at the Gershwin Theatre on Monday, June 24, 2019 at 7:30pm.

Chase joins 3-time Arts for Autism host, O'Hara, and an esteemed list of Broadway performers that have participated in the event in the past including Tony nominees Christopher Jackson (Hamilton), Stephanie J. Block (The Cher Show), Max von Essen (An American in Paris), Denée Benton (Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812), Christine Andreas (Oklahoma!), Adrienne Warren (Shuffle Along) and over 80 more.

This year's star-studded lineup is currently taking shape and includes Adam Jacobs (Aladdin), Teal Wicks (The Cher Show) and a special performance from the cast of The Cher Show, Kara Lindsay (Wicked), John Michael Dias (Jersey Boys), McKynleigh Abraham (Beautiful, The Carole King Musical), and Katie Mollison (Billy Elliot).

"You have to see Arts for Autism because it is the most beautiful experience to understand what the arts do for people that want a voice," says O'Hara, "Arts for Autism is a night when you come to find inspiration. It's a night of celebration. It's a night of education."

The show joins young performing arts students from around the country with the biggest names on Broadway to increase autism awareness and understanding and improve the lives of those living with autism. This year special guest Mickey Rowe will talk about his journey as the first actor with autism to play the lead role in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.

Artistic Director Jacque Carnahan says, "Arts for Autism is a magical night that has to be seen to be believed. The stellar Broadway talent, the young performers stepping onto a Broadway stage for the first time, the performers on the spectrum sharing their stories and inspiring all of us... there is nothing else like it. Any time you can give a young person the opportunity to use their talents to help others, it's a win-win situation and is something we hope they take with them for the rest of their lives."

Tickets are on sale now at www.ArtsForAutism.net.

Arts for Autism donates 100% of ticket sales to Autism Speaks, and to date has raised $120,000. The benefit concert is organized by Educational Travel Adventures and Believe NYC and is directed by David Alpert with music direction lead by Meg Zervoulis.

Autism Speaks is dedicated to promoting solutions, across the spectrum and throughout the life span, for the needs of individuals with autism and their families. We do this through advocacy and support; increasing understanding and acceptance of autism spectrum disorder; and advancing research into causes and better interventions for autism spectrum disorder and related conditions. We empower people with autism and their families with resources, online tools and information covering the life span.

Autism, or autism spectrum disorder, refers to a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication. We now know that there is not one autism but many subtypes, and each person with autism can have unique strengths and challenges. Most are caused by a combination of genetic and environmental influences, and many are accompanied by medical issues such as GI disorders, seizures and sleep disturbances. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates 1 in 59 children is on the autism spectrum