Ripley, DeHaas, Jones, et al. Set for BSA Benefit, 10/4

Grammy Award winners Desmond Child and Julie Gold join New York songwriters in creating world-premier works to be performed by Broadway stars, like Tony-Award winner Alice Ripley and Ariana Grande (Nickelodeon's Victorious), to celebrate, raise awareness and funding for Broadway in South Africa (BSA), at its third annual benefit concert.  It will take place on Monday, October 4, 2010, at 7:30 pm in the Manhattan Center's Grand Ballroom, located at 311 West 34th Street.  This year's honoree is producer Michael Butler, one of the most successful theatrical producers, lauded for bringing HAIR to Broadway in 1968, and an active proponent of youth creating positive global social change.

Slated to perform are Tony Award winner Alice Ripley (Next to Normal), Nickelodeon's Ariana Grande (13), Sean Bradford (The Scottsboro Boys), Darius DeHaas (Children of Eden), Brandon Victor Dixon (The Color Purple), Frankie James Grande (Mamma Mia!), Emma Hunton (Spring Awakening), Rebecca Naomi Jones (American Idiot), Adam Kantor (Next to Normal), Morgan Karr (Spring Awakening), Jose Llana (Flower Drum Song), Tracy McDowell (Rent), Christopher Spaulding (Curtains) and Lisa Nicole Wilkerson (The Lion King).  Shea Sullivan will choreograph and perform a tap piece set to live African drums.  The evening will be directed by Jen Bender (The Lion King) with music direction by Brad Haak (Mary Poppins).
 
Along with Desmond Child and Julie Gold, BSA has commissioned songwriters Drew Gasparini, Marcy Heisler, Joe Iconis, Kait Kerrigan, Peter Lerman, Brian Lowdermilk, Jordan Mann, Catherine Porter, Jeremy Schonfeld and Jeff Thomson to create songs based on essays and letters written by children BSA teaching artists instruct, during workshops conducted in townships surrounding Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban.

The concert event chair is Ward H. Simmons, Senior Director of PR and Marketing for Hugo Boss, a sponsor of the evening.  Other sponsors include Design Compendium, Rockin' the Big Apple and La Pomme.

Individual tickets can be purchased for $100 and $25 by visiting www.ticketmaster.com. VIP and sponsorship opportunities are available by contacting BSA at info@broadwayinsouthafrica.org. 
Broadway in South Africa aims to develop cross-cultural exchange between youth in need and artists who seek to use their talents for change.  The organization's philosophy is that all children deserve the opportunity to explore their own creative potential, and build life skills necessary to develop productive lives.  For further information visit www.broadwayinsouthafrica.org.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.