Espinosa, Gonzalez, Murney and Porter Set for Broadway in South Africa Concert

By Andrew Gans
August 8, 2008

A host of theatre favorites will take part in an upcoming concert at Symphony Space to benefit the new organization Broadway in South Africa.

The Oct. 6 benefit concert at the Upper West Side venue is scheduled to feature the talents of Sebastian Arcelus (Jersey Boys), Stanley Bahorek (Spelling Bee), Sean Bradford (The Lion King), Eden Espinosa (Rent), Mandy Gonzalez (In the Heights), Frankie James Grande (Mamma Mia!), Adam Kantor (Rent), Kendra Kassebaum (Wicked), Norm Lewis (The Little Mermaid), Julia Murney (Wicked), Billy Porter (Grease), Kate Shindle (Legally Blonde) and Lisa Nicole Wilkerson (The Lion King) with Gabriel Croom (The Lion King), Kenway Kua (Wicked), Ray Mercer (The Lion King), Brandon O'Neal (The Lion King), Luis Salgado (In the Heights), Rickey Tripp (In the Heights) and Phillip Turner (The Lion King) performing choreography by Dance Theater X's Charles Anderson. Show time is 7:30 PM.

The evening will also boast world-premiere songs — based on essays written by South African students — penned by Michael John LaChiusa, Henry Krieger, Bill Russell, Georgia Stitt, Jeff Blumenkrantz, Jeremy Schonfeld, Steve Marzullo, Bobby Cronin, Jonathan Reid Gealt and Adam Gwon.

Jen Bender (The Lion King) will direct the evening with music direction by Brad Haak (Mary Poppins).

The aim of Broadway in South Africa, according to press notes, is to "develop cross cultural exchanges between youth in need and professional artists who seek to use their talents for change, by way of annual workshop/performance initiatives in South Africa." The upcoming concert will help fund the January 2009 trip to South Africa.

Peter Norton Symphony Space is located in Manhattan at 2527 Broadway at 95th Street. Tickets, priced $20 (for those under 25 years of age), $60 and $100, are available by calling (212) 864-5400 or by visiting www.symphonyspace.org.

For more information go to www.broadwayinsouthafrica.com.