Mary-Mitchell Campbell & ASTEP = The Perfect Holiday Concert at Joe's Pub
By: Robert Diamond Dec. 06, 2013
Anyone who knows Mary-Mitchell Campbell knows her passion for music and certainly, by now, knows of her passion for ASTEP - Artists Striving To End Poverty, of which she is the Founder and Executive Director.
On Monday, December 16th at 9:30 p.m., the organization will present their 5th Annual New York City Christmas Concert. It has been conceived and produced by Lynne Shankel of CRY-BABY and ALTAR BOYZ fame. She will also serve as Musical Director.
The cast will include a host of Broadway favorites, including Sierra Boggess ( PHANTOM, LES MIZ, THE LITTLE MERMAID), Andy Karl (ROCKY, LEGALLY BLONDE), Derek Klena (CARRIE, DOGFIGHT), Telly Leung (GODSPELL, GLEE), Orfeh (LEGALLY BLONDE, SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER), Sally Wilfert (ASSASSINS, THE ADVENTURES OF Tom Sawyer), David Josefsberg (THE WEDDING SINGER, GREASE), and others.
This annual Holiday presentation is the bedrock of a Sh-K-Boom/Ghostlight recording entitled New York City Christmas, which is available online and will be available for sale at Joe's Pub.
You can expect some great seasonal music and lots of fresh takes on holiday classics, enjoying a wonderful evening and contributing to a more than worthy cause.
The musicians rounding out the evening are Shankel on piano, Joe Mowatt on drums/percussion, Randy Landau on bass, Summer Boggess on cello, Max Mosten on violin, Cliff Lyons and Scott Kreitzer on saxophone and Peter Calo and Michael Aarons on guitar.
This will be no ordinary benefit, as ALL proceeds from ticket sales and CD sales go directly to supporting ASTEP's mission, which connects performing and visual artists with the underserved youth in our own country, as well as across the globe in an effort to help break the cycle of poverty.
I first had the opportunity to work with Mary-Mitchell Campbell about 18 months ago, when putting together Kristin Chenoweth's World Tour. We had never worked together, but whenever anybody spoke to me about her, you couldn't say her name without someone going on about her passion for ASTEP and about how fully devoted she is. And there is no bigger truth than that!
I visited the ASTEP office because I wanted to get personally involved and hope to help them achieve some basic essentials such as donated airfares, sponsorships, grants, etc. because all costs are currently paid out from money's earned from events such as this.
To meet Mary-Mitchell, work with her (which is a treat) and learn more and more about this organization, it is dizzyingly beautiful and truthful and makes it easy to give from your heart.
Here are some informative and heartwarming links about ASTEP:
Come enjoy the Holiday spirit, see some great talent and hear some fantastic voices at Joe's Pub on December 16th at 9:30. Click here for tickets joespub.com .
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