New York, NY (September 21, 2020) – The Actors Fund, the national human services organization that provides a safety net for performing arts and entertainment professionals, and Brave Hearts for Broadway present Let Us Entertain You, a very special video event that will bring together a performance from frontline and essential workers to support The Fund, give back to the theater industry and celebrate the performing arts. This unforgettable event will be available to stream on Wednesday, September 23 at 7:00pm ET on Playbill.com. It will be free to watch with donations encouraged at www.actorsfund.org/BraveHearts. Watch the trailer here.
Michael E. Merritt, a registered nurse, playwright and producer, united over 120 people from 11 different countries to support and uplift theater professionals across the globe by organizing “The Frontline Choir and Friends,” a company made up of frontline workers, a dance group and theater professionals. “The Frontline Choir” will sing and dance to original songs written especially for this event by Matt Cusson, Terron Brooks, Elisa Nicholas and Andrew David Sotomayor. The event is choreographed by Kathleen Brazie and John Scott. All donations will go directly to The Actors Fund.
Dominica’s own marie-claire (Marie-Claire Giraud) will be performing in the evening’s festivities. The Bronx-based classical singer works as an essential worker with the Parks and Recreation Department of New York City.
In addition to the Frontline workers and theater professionals, the video will feature cameos from Broadway and Hollywood stars thanking the frontline workers for their efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic, including Jelani Alladin, Annaleigh Ashford, Shoshana Bean, Annette Bening, Alexandra Billings, Jim Caruso, Kristin Chenoweth, Harvey Fierstein, Mandy Gonzalez, Ann Harada, Ruthie Henshall, Judy Kuhn, Linda Lavin, Andrea Martin, Laurie Metcalf, Jessie Mueller, Bebe Neuwirth, Bernadette Peters, Conrad Ricamora, Chita Rivera, Lea Salonga, Stephen Schwartz, Brian Stokes Mitchell and Allyson Tucker, with special performances by Billy Porter, Megan Hilty and Brian Gallagher, Lorna Luft, Leap of Dance Academy, Najeeb Sabour, Winnie Churchill and many more.
To learn more about marie-claire visit www.marieclaireplus.com.
ABOUT BRAVE HEARTS FOR BROADWAY
Brave Hearts for Broadway, in support of The Actors Fund, is an organization focused on uniting healthcare workers to help meet the urgent needs of theater workers affected by COVID-19. For more information, please visit www.braveheartsforbroadway.org
ABOUT THE ACTORS FUND
The Actors Fund is a national human services organization that fosters stability and resiliency and provides a safety net for performing arts and entertainment professionals over their lifespan. Through offices in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, The Fund serves everyone in film, theater, television, music, opera, radio and dance with programs including social services and emergency financial assistance, health care and insurance counseling, housing, and secondary employment and training services. Visit www.actorsfund.org.
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