Mark Stuart Dance Theatre Celebrates 10th Anniversary Gala With Special Guests

Mark Stuart Dance Theatre (MSDT) will celebrate their 10th anniversary gala, honoring 10 years of art inspiring change, on Sunday, September 16, 2018 at 5pm at New York Live Arts Theater (219 W 19th St).

The gala will include a performance of When Change Comes: A Movement Forward, which is playing a limited tour in September of 2018. Featuring special performances from Abigail Breslin (Academy Award nominee, Little Miss Sunshine), "American Idol" alum Jerome Bell, and singer/songwriter Matt Cusson (John Lennon Songwriting Award winner, "One of Those Nights" & "Leaving L.A."), and more, this one-night event marks a decade of MSDT's physically stunning and emotionally compelling storytelling making bold statements about our society. A portion of the proceeds from the Gala will go directly to benefit March for Our Lives.

"We need to reach a point in our nation where we are willing to have these difficult conversations in order to move forward," said Brendan Duff, Co-Founder of March For Our Lives. "Time and time again the arts have mirrored the struggles we face every day, offering both outlets and solutions in search of progress. The March For Our Lives movement has showed us that the only way to achieve the change we seek is through understanding and common ground. When Change Comes brings light to these intense issues that, by seeing each other as people rather than polarizing ideas, we can overcome."

Philadelphia tour dates have also been added for When Change Comes with the Philadelphia Theatre Company at Suzanne Roberts Theatre (480 S Broad St, Philadelphia, PA) from September 20-30. Performance dates and times are:

• Thursday, September 20 at 8pm
• Friday, September 21 at 8pm
• Sunday, September 23 at 3pm
• Friday, September 28 at 8pm
• Saturday, September 29 at 2pm and 8pm
• Sunday, September 30 at 3pm

Founded by Award winning choreographer Mark Stuart, the company's vision is simple: "What if a small group of people choose a moment in time to come together and make a difference? A moment to see beyond, to see within, and to see each other?" When Change Comes is the ultimate realization of that vision...

Tickets for the Philadelphia engagement are $25-45, with student tickets priced at $10, and available by visiting https://myptc.philadelphiatheatrecompany.org/single/SYOS.aspx?p=57469. Valid student ID must be presented at will call for student tickets. Tickets for the gala are $150 each and are available by visiting https://newyorklivearts.org/event/when-change-comes/.

Mark Stuart believes that there's magic within all of us. Within you. He can't wait to see what you do with it... Stuart most recently served as the associate choreographer of Bandstand on Broadway (Tony Award for Best Choreography). As producing artistic director of Mark Stuart Dance Theatre, he created, directed, and choreographed the award nominated Off-Broadway dance-musical STANDARD TIME: When Change Comes. Stuart's award-winning choreography and performances have been featured on Broadway, in films, commercials, and in print. Film/TV: ABC's "Dirty Dancing" (assistant choreographer), Hail Caesar; Broadway: Bandstand (assistant choreographer), Women on The Verge of a Nervous Breakdown; Print: Italian Vogue (choreographer). Visit MarkStuartDanceTheatre.org

Jerome Bell. Texas native Jerome Bell is an international recording artist who has performed all over the world headlining in his own show on both land and at sea, and has performed as an opening act for various artists on the MTV TRL Tour featuring Destiny's Child. He was also seen by million as a semi-finalist on "American Idol" (Season 10), as well as performing in the cast of Hairspray on the 66th Annual Tony Awards.

Matt Cusson is an award-winning singer/songwriter who continues to wow audiences all over the world. Born and raised in The Berkshires in Massachusetts, he has worked with many of world's biggest artists in the form of songwriting, arranging, performing, and producing, such as James Taylor, Stevie Wonder, Christina Aguilera, Megan Hilty, The Roots, CeeLo Green, mentor Brian McKnight and many, many others. Matt's debut album released in 2009 was receive with rave reviews and won many songwriter and performance awards including, The John Lennon Songwriting Contests biggest award, "The Maxell Song of The Year," a Billboard Songwriting Award, and several others. Matt currently is also the winner of the 2017 John Lennon Songwriting Award for Best R&B song for "Leaving L.A." His 2012 Christmas EP is one of the most played each December on Surius XM. Some of Matt's TV performances include "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," "The View," "Christmas in Rockefeller Center," "Live with Kelly and Michael," "Live with Regis and Kelly," "The Rachael Ray Show," and was often the One Man House Band on VH1's "Big Morning Buzz Live." He is currently cowriting and producing a theme song for NASA, writing and producing the theme song for the latest documentary on Lady Diana entitled Lady Di, and co-arranging a Christmas album for film, television and Broadway actress Megan Hilty. Matt Cusson's new album, Only Human is available now!

More about When Change Comes

When Change Comes is a powerful dance musical that asks one question: Can the act of "seeing" each other without judgment or fear break the cycle of intolerance? Featuring a cast of world-renowned dancers, singers, and musicians, When Change Comes transports audiences through a century of music, movement, and human connection in the shadow of our nation's most defining moments. Using Mark Stuart Dance Theatre's explosive brand of storytelling, When Change Comes follows three love stories set against the backdrops of the Great Depression, the Civil Rights Movement, and the LGBTQIA+ Rights Movement. Danced to hit standards from the 1930's, 1960's, and the 2000's, the show features 7 dancers, 3 vocalists and a 5-piece band.

When Change Comes aims to inspire and empower audiences to create positive change in their communities. The show's format includes post-performance discussions that focus on committing small everyday acts of kindness, learning to truly "see" each other, and building empathetic dialogue about equality and tolerance. The tag line, A Movement Forward, exists as a challenge: Can we all turn seemingly small acts of kindness into a tidal wave of positive change?

Performances of When Change Comes are September 7-8 at Madison Theatre at Molloy College (1000 Hempstead Ave, Rockville Centre, NY), and September 13-16 at New York Live Arts Theater (219 W 19th St, New York City). Tickets for September 7 and 8 at Madison Theater are $35-45, with student tickets priced at $10, and available by visiting http://madisontheatreny.org/event/when-change-comes/. Tickets for September 13-16 at New York Live Arts Theater are $55, with student tickets priced at $10, and are available by visiting https://newyorklivearts.org/event/when-change-comes/. Valid student ID must be presented at will call for student tickets. The performance on Sunday, September 16 at 5pm is the Mark Stuart Dance Theatre 10th Anniversary gala. Tickets for this performance will be $150 each.

Starring Jaime Verazin (Bandstand, Finding Neverland), Marc Heitzman (Bandstand, Cats), and Voltaire Wade-Greene (Hamilton), When Change Comes also features Brian Golub, Samantha Farrow, Jacob Melvin, Mary Page Nance, Connor Schwantes, Nick Silverio, and Robyn Williams.

Conceived by Stuart and Verazin, When Change Comes is directed by Stuart and brought to life through collaboration with over 75 artists from Mark Stuart Dance Theatre. Alessandra Marconi (ABC's "Dirty Dancing") serves as the associate choreographer, with Nate Hopkins (Bandstand) as music director, and Julie Duro (Paper Mill Playhouse, Brooklyn Academy Of Music) as the lighting designer.

Stuart's work has been called "Smoldering" by the New York Times, and NPR said that Standard Time "...has a real - and rare - power to it." The Citizens Voice said the show was "a smashing new musical with a heartfelt message."