STAGE TUBE: Blackwell, Bell, Vogel Create 'It Gets Better' Video For BC/EFA

Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights AIDS, and Broadway Impact present Broadway's "It Gets Better" video featuring 63 members of the New York theatrical community speaking to LGBTQ youth.

The video is part of the It Gets Better Project, which was founded by noted writer Dan Savage in response to LGBTQ teenagers who in recent months have taken their own lives after being bullied in school. The project is a video archive where people can share their stories of overcoming bullying and finding happiness and letting young people know "It Gets Better."

In a joint statement, Susan Blackwell, Hunter Bell and Matt Vogel, the video's creators, said, "Inspired by Dan Savage's It Gets Better Project and the videos created by our Broadway colleagues, we were moved to rally additional members of the New York theatrical community to add their voices to this crusade. Our intent with this video is to provide young people with a message of hope and support, and to encourage adults to not only support these organizations financially, but to consistently set an example by teaching acceptance, kindness and respect and intervening when homophobia, bigotry and bullying occurs. We are proud to stand up with the Broadway community, who has once again demonstrated that when there is a crisis, it will show up and channel its voice, creative energy and money toward positive change and inspiring activism."

In addition, BC/EFA has made a $25,000 donation to The Trevor Project, the leading national organization focused on crisis and suicide prevention efforts among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth, in the name of the Broadway community. To make a personal donation to The Trevor Project CLICK HERE<http://www.thetrevorproject.org/investors/ways-give>, or visit www.TheTrevorProject.org<http://www.TheTrevorProject.org>.

Broadway's "It Gets Better" video was created by Susan Blackwell, Hunter Bell, and Matt Vogel in partnership with BC/EFA (Tom Viola, Michael Graziano), Broadway.com (Paul Wontorek), and Broadway Impact (Rory O'Malley, Jenny Kanelos).

The video features (in alphabetical order): George Akram (West Side Story), Local 1 production carpenter Jack Anderson, Bryan Batt ("Mad Men"), Hunter Bell ([title of show]), Susan Blackwell ([title of show]), Heidi Blickenstaff ([title of show]), publicist Chris Boneau, production manager Kevin Broomell, Danny Burstein (Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown), Charles Busch (The Divine Sister), Kevin Chamberlain (The Addams Family), Tony Chiroldes (In The Heights), John Ellison Conlee (The Constant Wife), actor Josh Cruz, Wilson Cruz ("My So Called Life"), Robin de Jesus (La Cage Aux Folles), Colman Domingo (The Scottsboro Boys), Saidah Arrika Ekulona (Ruined), Joanna Gleason (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels), Judy Gold (Love, Loss, and What I Wore), producer Robyn Goodman, BC/EFA producing director Michael Graziano, Ann Harada (Avenue Q), director Richard Jay-Alexander, Cherry Jones (Mrs. Warren's Profession), director/playwright Moisés Kaufman, Zoe Kazan (Angels in America), Celia Keenan-Bolger (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee), producer Thomas Kirdahy, Nathan Lane (The Addams Family), composer Andrew Lippa, Jose Llana (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee), designer Anna Louizos, Melissa Rae Mahon (Chicago), Tyler Maynard (Altar Boyz), Audra McDonald ("Private Practice"), Michael McElroy (Big River), playwright Terrence McNally, Ray Mercer (The Lion King), Lin-Manuel Miranda (In The Heights), director/choreographer Jerry Mitchell, Julia Murney (Wicked), Denis O'Hare (Elling), Broadway Impact's Rory O'Malley, Karen Olivo (West Side Story), Sarah Paulson (Collected Stories), Corrie Pond (The Phantom Tollbooth), Billy Porter (Angels in America), Anika Noni Rose (Cat on a Hot Tin Roof), Broadway personality Seth Rudetsky, Thomas Sadoski (Reasons To Be Pretty), Luis Salgado (Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown), Chris Sarandon (The Light in the Piazza), producer Thomas Schumacher, composer/lyricist Marc Shaiman, Christopher Sieber (Shrek The Musical), J. Robert Spencer (Next to Normal), musical director Leslie Stifelman, Jason Tam (A Chorus Line), John Tartaglia (John Tartaglia's ImaginOcean), playwright Lucy Thurber, Alexandria Wailes (Big River), director/lyricist Scott Wittman, and Garrett Matthew Zuercher (Big River).

The production team for the video includes: Susan Blackwell, Hunter Bell, Matt Vogel, Michael Graziano, Meagan Grund, Colyn Fiendel, Josh Blye, Heidi Blickenstaff, and Rory O'Malley with close captioning by James Wesley and Tiffany Grant.
The creators would like to give special thanks to Dan Savage and Terry Miller, Laura McGinnis and Charles Robbins of The Trevor Project, Donna Alesia of Chromavision, Kelly Vogel and Steve White.

For anyone in crisis or needing assistance:

The Trevor Project's Trevor Lifeline: 866-4-U-TREVOR (866-488-7386)
Toll free, confidential and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

For information and support to help teens and young adults facing tough times, visit Reach Out: www.reachout.com

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