Broadway in South Africa Brings its South African Students to NYC 10/17

To further fulfill it commitment to creating cross-cultural exchange through the power of art, Broadway in South Africa (BSA) hosts a group of its South African students on their first trip outside of South Africa. Along with taking classes that parallel the BSA curriculum during their visit, they will make presentations and perform alongside their BSA teachers, other Broadway artists and featured guests at the organization's fourth annual gala on Monday, October 17, 2011, at 7:30 pm in the Manhattan Center's Grand Ballroom, located at 311 West 34th Street.

A portion of the evening with be interactive, allowing guests to experience what a BSA workshop entails. Hugo Boss will again present this year's event, whose honoree will be Keep A Child Alive, an organization founded by Leigh Blake and Grammy Award winner Alicia Keys that's dedicated to providing lifesaving AIDS treatment, care, nutrition, support services and love to children and families affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa and India. BSA has worked at Keep A Child Alive sites throughout South Africa since 2009.

In keeping with the organization's tradition of honoring its students' voices through song, the
gala will present world-premiere pieces based on their essays and prose written in classes
conducted by BSA teaching artists during workshops held in townships surrounding Cape Town,
Johannesburg and Durban. The original music written for this year's gala was chosen through
the first-ever BSA Songwriters Project. Songwriters selected for the evening include Declan
Bennett, Sean Bradford, Joey Contreras, Jared Dembrowski, Rick Elice, Faye Greenberg, David
Lawrence, Michael Lluberes, Annie Pasqua, Jenna Pasqua, Alan Schmuckler, Pebe Sebert and
Will Van Dyke.

Featured guests include Dancing With The Stars finalist and N'SYNC star Lance Bass, theater
producer and last years honoree Michel Butler, actor Ryan Kwanten of HBO's True Blood and
New York Yankees pitcher David Robertson.

Performers and presenters include Broadway Inspirational Voices, Rosie's Broadway Kids,
Declan Bennett (American Idiot), Andrew Keenan Bolger (Mary Poppins), Sean Bradford (The
Lion King), Lilli Cooper (Spring Awakening), Emma Hunton (Spring Awakening), Frankie
James Grande (Mamma Mia!), Jeremy Gumbs (The Scottsboro Boys), Adam Kantor (Avenue Q),
Chelsea Krombach (Promises Promises), Rachel Potter (The Addams Family), songwriter Katie
Thompson, Lisa Nicole Wilkerson (The Lion King), as well as Samantha Jonas, one of BSA's
most outstanding South African students.

The event chair is Ward H. Simmons, VP of Marketing and PR at Hugo Boss. Additional
sponsors include C2 Imaging, Conde Nast, Design Compendium, Hearst Publishing, Mary
Giuliani Catering, Montecasino, Paper Boy Productions, Robinson's Prime Reserve, South
African Airways, Southern Sun Hotels, Stella Artois and Tequila Avion.
A limited number of individual balcony seats can be purchased for $25 by visiting
www.broadwayinsouthafrica.org. For information regarding floor seating, VIP and/or
sponsorship opportunities please contact Broadway in South Africa 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.

To post a comment, you must register and login.