Patti LuPone, Billy Porter & More Will Join Michael McElroy and the Broadway Inspirational Voices for Holiday Concert Stream

Broadway Inspirational Voices (BIV), the Tony Award-winning choir founded and directed by Michael McElroy, is thrilled to announce its 2020 holiday concert, "A Season of Hope & Inspiration," will stream for free to a global audience on Sunday, Dec. 13 starting at 7pm (ET). The concert will feature an incredible lineup of special guests, including the Broadway luminaries Patti LuPone, Billy Porter, Leslie Odom Jr., Crystal Monee Hall, Daniel J. Watts, and Shoshana Bean. The event will stream online, and tickets (FREE and donate-what-you-can) can be reserved at BIVvoices.org starting Nov. 30.

The show will also feature appearances by Leslie Uggams, Phylicia Rashad, Debbie Allen, Audra McDonald, Gavin Creel, Vanessa Williams, Telly Leung, Karen Olivo, Montego Glover, Brian Stokes Mitchell, LaChanze, Celia Gooding, and Jeanine Tesori. Songs from holidays past will blend alongside new music created especially for this concert.

"As 2020 comes to a close, we cannot deny it has been a challenging year," said McElroy. "But BIV is passionately committed to our mission of bringing hope and inspiration during these times. Now more than ever we need this moment of unity to bring, comfort, healing, and great joy."

The Tony Award-winning actress Phylicia Rashad said the concert is an opportunity for people from around the world to come together to celebrate the holidays and to look forward to the new year.

"In this time of not always knowing which way to turn, or where to go, or how to get there, Michael McElroy's Broadway Inspirational Voices holds fast to bringing us all the gifts of "great joy,"' she said. "What a blessing!"

American Express is a Proud Partner of Broadway Inspirational Voices. A special American Express VIP Experience Package will be available exclusively for American Express Card Members.

"A Season of Hope & Inspiration" is being executive produced by Broadway Virtual.

Broadway Inspirational Voices (BIV), the 2019 Tony Award Honoree for Excellence in Theatre, was formed in 1994 by Tony-nominated Broadway performer Michael McElroy. His vision was to bring inspiration to the Broadway community during a time when the AIDS epidemic had ravaged an entire generation of artists. Over the past twenty-five years, BIV has served the Broadway community whenever needed. During the choir's first six years they annually held concerts to contribute to and support the work of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Since then they have taken part in benefits for the Actor's Fund, Phyllis Newman Women's Health Initiative, BC/EFA, and numerous other fundraisers held on Broadway stages. In 2007 BIV became a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization to make it easier to give back to the greater community in service to its mission.

Outreach programs are created for children in underserved populations, focusing on BIV's mission to provide HOPE to INSPIRE and TRANSFORM youth in need through music and the arts. Currently, BIV has annual programs with The Ronald McDonald House New York, Mosaic Preparatory School in Harlem, and the Covenant House in the heart of NYC's theater district.

In performance, BIV has graced the stages of Carnegie Hall, Radio City Music Hall, Lincoln Center, Constitution Hall in DC, and the Crystal Cathedral in Anaheim, California. In 2004, BIV was nominated for a Grammy Award for their first holiday CD: Great Joy! A Gospel Christmas. BIV has performed live with Elton John, Jennifer Nettles, Mariah Carey, Jason Mraz, Sting, Gloria Estefan, Harry Connick Jr, Patti LuPone, Eartha Kitt, Patti LaBelle, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Vanessa Williams, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Billy Porter and Heather Headley. BIV has been featured on "The Today Show", "This Week" with John Oliver, The Miss America Pageant, multiple TonyTM Awards Telecasts, "America's Got Talent", and "Late Night" with David Letterman, among others. Their web series, "Broadway Our Way", is in its third season on YouTube. Over eighty members strong, BIV's diverse membership has represented over 140 Broadway shows since its inception. For more information - and for ways to DONATE to support its ongoing outreach initiatives - go to www.BIVoices.org. You can also find them on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter at @BIVoices.

Broadway Inspirational Voices is a 501(c)3 Not-For-Profit Organization. www.BIVoices.org