NORTHRIDGE, CA - Members of the Broadway community are performing a benefit concert for Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School students. Two months ago, seventeen lives were lost in what's now considered one of the ten deadliest mass shootings in U.S. history. The concert, called From Broadway with Love, will help raise money for the victims and their families. It'll be held on Monday, April 16 at the BB&T Center in Sunrise, Florida.
Credit, Broadway Records
Notable performers include Hamilton's Wayne Brady, Anastasia's Christy Altomare, and Laura Bell Bundy, who originated the role of Elle Woods in the musical version of Legally Blonde. Bundy wrote in an email to SouthFlorida.com that the students are an inspiration. On social media and beyond, they're advocating for stricter gun reform laws. On March 24, thousands participated in the March for Our Lives in Washington D.C., and Parkland student Emma González spoke to the masses.
The concert on Monday is meant to do more than support and console the Parkland community. It's also emphasizing the need for change. Gun reform continues to remain a topic of heated debate. Mass shootings have become all too common in recent years, but what separates the Parkland incident from other mass shootings is how outspoken the students are. They've made it clear they won't stop demanding change until change is met. They are the future, and they're not afraid to get loud. Neither is the theatre community. When the Pulse Nightclub happened, artists and performers did what they do best: They opened a dialogue about it through their art. This concert is no different.
The concert is being produced by Van Dean, a Tony and Grammy Award-winner, and Yael Silver, who co-produced Once On This Island. 10,000 tickets were donated to the families of all MSD students and staff. Tickets are $50. All proceeds will go towards the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Victims' Fund and Shine MSD, which is an organization that supports Parkland's arts scene.
What makes the concert unique is also the fact that some of the songs were written by MSD students alongside professional composers Joe Iconic and Drew Gasparini. Parkland students will also give speeches during the concert. One of the victims of the shooting, Jaime Guttenberg, will have an entire dance performed in her honor by her fellow dance peers.
Credit, Guardian News
By Natalia Vivino
With Contributions by, The LA Times, 104.3 The Shark, and Broadway Records
Photo Credit, Broadway Records
Video Credit, Guardian News
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