Two families will attend the Broadway musical The Pirate Queen. William Youmans, a principal in the cast, co-created Nite Out on Broadway (NOOB) with New York Disaster Interfaith Services (NYDIS). It is hoped the Nite Out idea will catch on and become a regular Broadway tradition.

The initiative, according to a statement, is "to show gratitude to the men and women who worked to clean up the wreckage at the WTC and are now suffering from serious, and often fatal maladies. The mission of NOOB is to identify the first responders who are suffering from very serious illnesses directly resulting from their work at WTC, and invite them with their family to experience a Broadway show. Understanding many of these families cannot afford to attend the theatre, the hope is that NOOB will lighten their minds and help them realize the amount of appreciation there is from the Broadway community."

The Pirate Queen cast and crew have raised funds among themselves to pay for tickets and transportation for two selected families. The families will be picked up from their home and driven in a limousine to the Hilton Theatre. They will have refreshments in the VIP Lounge, attend the show, receive a backstage tour, meet the cast, receive autographed souvenirs and be acknowledged from the cast during the curtain call.

The selected families include James La Pena, 52, who personally rescued two Port Authority Police officers from the rubble of the World Trade Center. He was a construction worker who worked many months at WTC, subsequently lost his regular job, is now a wheelchair user and suffering from respiratory illness. He and his three sons will attend The Pirate Queen on June 3. The second selected family will be announced shortly.

Visit www.thepiratequeen.com.