The morning will begin with an appearance on NBC's "The Today Show," where the chorus will offer a tune from the new holiday CD, "Great Joy! A Gospel Christmas." The disc, which was recently released on the Sh-K Boom label, features such classics as "O Holy Night," "Joy to the World," "Little Drummer Boy," "What Child Is This?" and "Some Children See Him." At 7 PM, the choir will take part in the previously announced benefit concert for the Actors' Fund of America at the New Amsterdam Theatre, home of the Disney hit The Lion King. A host of theatre stars will join the choir for the one-night-only concert — Great Joy! A Holiday Celebration From Broadway — which will also include original pieces by Terrence McNally, David Henry Hwang and John Guare. As of press time, those celebs scheduled to take part in the evening include Matthew Broderick, Norbert Leo Butz, Mario Cantone, Gavin Creel, Edie Falco, Richard Kind, Eartha Kitt, Norm Lewis, Patti LuPone, Bebe Neuwirth, Elizabeth Parkinson, Rosie Perez, Billy Porter, Phylicia Rashad, Roger Rees, Alice Ripley, Sherie Rene Scott, Brooke Shields and Stanley Tucci. For ticket information, visit www.actorsfund.org.
The Broadway Inspirational Voices was founded by its current director, Big River's Michael McElroy, who composed one of the new recording's tracks, "A Christmas Wish." For more information visit www.broadwayinspirationalvoices.com.