Ruthie Ann Miles, George Salazar And More Added To ASTEP Benefit Line Up

Artists Striving to End Poverty's Ninth Annual New York City Christmas: A Concert to Benefit ASTEP, taking place on Monday, December 11 at 7:00 PM at Joe's Pub at The Public in New York City. Additional exclusive experiences from Mean Girls, SpongeBob SquarePants and Come From Away have been added to the special auction through Charitybuzz, which also features your personal voicemail recorded by Oscar Isaac, experiences with Hamilton, Phantom of the Opera, Bronx Tale, and so much more!

What better way to get into the holiday spirit than an evening featuring Broadway's most sought-after talent singing new and classic holiday songs...with a twist! Along with your seasonal favorites, expect fresh, original approaches - pop, soul, R&B, rock and more - many of them captured on the Sh-KBoom/Ghostlight album "New York City Christmas," available for purchase at the concert.

Conceived and produced by Drama Desk-nominated orchestrator Lynne Shankel (Allegiance, Cry-Baby, Altar Boyz), the concert will again boast an incredible line-up of artists, including Nick Blaemire (Tick Tick Boom, Godspell, Cry-Baby), Michael Buchanan (The Golden Apple, Book of Mormon), Carlos Encinias (Scandalous, Les Miserables), Becca Gottlieb (Nicholas Nickleby, Grand Theft), Chester Gregory (Motown, Sister Act, Dreamgirls, Hairspray), David Josefsberg (Honeymoon In Vegas, The Wedding Singer, Altar Boyz), Derek Klena (Anastasia, Wicked), Melody Madarasz (Mad Libs Live, The Little Mermaid (tour)), Lindsay Mendez (Wicked, Godspell, Everyday Rapture), Tony Award winner Ruthie Ann Miles (The King and I, Here Lies Love), Cheeyang Ng (K-Pop), Zachary Noah Piser (Wicked, Godspell, The Fantasticks), Lauren Pritchard (Spring Awakening), Shea Renne (Allegiance), George Salazar (Godspell, Spring Awakening, The Lightening Thief), Elizabeth Stanley (On the Town, Million Dollar Quartet, Company), and Kay Trinidad (The Little Mermaid, Bare). The concert will be directed by Jenn Rapp-Pearl (The Illusionists TOTC).

Also appearing will be musicians Shankel (Piano), Frank Pagano (Drums), Randy Landau (Bass), Peter Calo (Guitar), Eric Davis (Guitar), Summer Boggess (Cello), Victoria Patterson (Violin), Colin Brigstocke (Trumpet), Jeff Schiller (Saxophone) & Scott Kreitzer (Saxophone)

Tickets are $100.00 each for premium seats, $75.00 each for general seating. ALL proceeds from tickets to the show and album sales go to supporting ASTEP's mission to connect performing and visual artists with underserved kids, using the arts awakening their imaginations, fostering critical thinking, and helping them break the cycle of poverty. ASTEP places volunteer artists in India, South Africa, the Dominican Republic, New York and Florida and supports the efforts of ASTEP Chapters in more than a dozen communities around the U.S.

A special auction is being featured on CharityBuzz, featuring sought-after items such as:

• 2 VIP Tickets to HAMILTON on Broadway with Exclusive Backstage Tour

• 2 VIP Tickets to a preview of MEAN GIRLS on Broadway, with Exclusive Backstage Tour with Mary-Mitchell Campbell

• 2 VIP Tickets to a performance of MEAN GIRLS (post opening) on Broadway, with Exclusive Backstage Tour with Mary-Mitchell Campbell

• 2 VIP Tickets to a performance of ANASTASIA on Broadway with Exclusive Backstage Tour and Meet & Greet with Derek Klena and Christina Altomare

• And MANY MORE!

Tickets are available for purchase online through the Joe's Pub website or at the box office at The Public Theater, 425 Lafayette Street. Seating is extremely limited.

For more information about ASTEP visit www.astep.org or e-mail Katherine NolanA. Brown at katherine@asteponline.org

New York City Christmas: A Benefit Album for ASTEP, on the Sh-K-Boom/Ghostlight label, is a special labor of love created by the incomparable music director, orchestrator and arranger Lynne Shankel (Allegiance, Bare, Altar Boyz, Cry-Baby). Over the years, in several venues in Manhattan, Lynne brought together some of the best musicians and singers in the Broadway community, including Tony Nominee Raul Esparza (Company, Speed the Plow), Tony nominee Orfeh (Legally Blonde, Saturday Night Fever), Sierra Boggess (Love Never Dies, Master Class, The Little Mermaid), Chester Gregory (Sister Act, Dreamgirls, Cry-Baby), Lindsay Mendez (Wicked, Godspell, Everyday Rapture), Andy Karl (Groundhog Day, Wicked, Altar Boyz, 9 to 5), Sally Wilfert (Make Me A Song, Assassins, Tom Sawyer), recording artist Anya Singleton, David Josefsberg (The Wedding Singer, Altar Boyz), Tony nominee and "American Idol" star Constantine Maroulis (Rock of Ages), Drama Desk nominee Tyler Maynard (Altar Boyz, Mamma Mia) and many more!

The album is available for purchase through iTunes, Amazon.com, and sh-k-boom.com.

ABOUT ASTEP

ASTEP was conceived by Broadway musical director Mary-Mitchell Campbell and Juilliard students to transform the lives of youth using the most powerful tool they had - their art. Today, ASTEP connects performing and visual artists with underserved youth in the U.S. and around the world to awaken their imaginations, foster critical thinking, and help them break the cycle of poverty.

We see every day how access to the arts gives children vital skills that can be used in school and in their personal lives. They become better communicators, build their confidence to participate, and learn how to solve problems by thinking outside the box. Most importantly, the arts show each child that their voice is important. There is infinite possibility in that belief.

Our programs engage youth ages 4-21 years old through collaborations with schools and community organizations, serving a population of low-income, immigrant, migrant and refugee youth.

For information on how to get involved or to donate, please visit www.astep.org.

ASTEP BOARD OF DIRECTORS

FOUNDER: Mary-Mitchell Campbell CHAIR: Thomas Fitzgerald VICE CHAIR: Jaimie Mayer SECRETARY: Sheryl Calabro TREASURER: Charles Court, Laura Bray, Mark Canavera, Trupti Doshi, Sameer Garg, Sam Mintz, Caroline Papadatos, Sheri Sarkisian, Henry Sham, David Turner, Laurie Tvedt

HONORARY BOARD: Broadway Actor, Director/Producer Richard Jay Alexander (Les Miserables, Miss Saigon), Tony/Drama Desk/Outer Critics Circle Award winner Laura Benanti (Meteor Shower, Gypsy), Broadway.com Audience Award winner Sierra Boggess (The Phantom of the Opera, The Little Mermaid), Tony Award winner Kristin Chenoweth (STARZ American Gods, Pushing Daisies; Wicked), Tony Award nominee Gavin Creel (Hello, Dolly!, Book of Mormon, Mary Poppins), Tony Award winner J.H. Doyle (Sweeney Todd, Company, Road Show), Tony Award nominee Raul Esparza (Company, Law and Order SVU), Grammy Award-winning Singer-Songwriter and Tony Award winner Cyndi Lauper (Kinky Boots), Tony Award winner orchestrator/musical director Stephen Oremus (Kinky Boots, Book of Mormon, Wicked).