Broadway Gospel Celebration: 11 To Benefit BC/EFA

Host Star Jones ("The View") and special guest Deborah Cox (Aida) will join Tony Award nominee Michael McElroy (Big River) and The Broadway Inspirational Voices for the return of BROADWAY GOSPEL CELEBRATION: 11 a special evening of gospel music to benefit BROADWAY CARES/EQUITY FIGHTS AIDS on Sunday, October 16 at 8 PM at Town Hall (123 West 43rd Street).

Featuring some of the most talented voices in theatre today, the Broadway Inspirational Voices is a gospel ensemble founded and directed by McElroy. The acclaimed ensemble includes more than 60 members from the casts of such shows as All Shook Up, Avenue Q, Beauty and the Beast, The Color Purple, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Doubt, Hairspray, The Lion King, The Producers, Rent, and Wicked.

Tickets for BROADWAY GOSPEL CELEBRATION: 11 can be purchased by visiting the BC/EFA website (www.BroadwayCares.org) or by calling 212-840-0770 x 268. Ticket prices: $40 (Balcony Seating), $70 (Side & Rear Orchestra Seating), $125 (Front Loge & Orchestra Seating), and $250 (VIP Seating).

BIOGRAPHIES

Michael McElroy came to New York City in May of 1990, after finishing his BFA in Theater from Carnegie Mellon University. His Broadway credits include Big River (Tony nomination), The Wild Party, Rent, The Who's Tommy, Miss Saigon, Hair, Patti LuPone on Broadway, and The High Rollers Social Pleasure Club. National Tour: Sarafina. Off Broadway: NY Shakespeare Festival's Richard III with Denzel Washington, Violet (Playwright's Horizons: Drama Desk Nomination). Regional credits include Angels in America Pts i and II, Alley Theater; Fences, Riverside Theater; Dreamgirls, Pittsburgh Playhouse; Thunder Knocking on the Door, Minetta Reperatory Theater; Blue, Grammercy Theater. He was also a featured vocalist on "The Rosie O'Donnell Show." Michael is featured on CD recordings of The Who's Tommy, Blue, Violet, Thunder Knocking on the Door and Leslie Uggams' upcoming CD project. He founded the Broadway Gospel Choir in 1994, then founded the Broadway Inspirational Voices in 1999.

THE BROADWAY INSPIRATIONAL VOICES was originally founded by McElroy in 1994 as the Broadway Gospel Choir and in 1999 was reincarnated in its current form. In addition to numerous concerts, the group has performed on "The Rosie O'Donnell Christmas Special," Broadway Sings Elton John, The Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation Benefit, The 2000 Tony Awards, and OpSail 2000 for President and Mrs. Clinton. The Broadway Inspirational Voices second album Great Joy: A Gospel Christmas was released on Sh-K-Boom Records in 2003 and received a Grammy Award nomination.

Star Jones Reynolds, a lawyer and former prosecutor, is known to television viewers for her candor, confidence and uncanny ability to clarify muddy legal and social issues. Her knowledge of the law and talent for television has won her critical acclaim as a news and legal correspondent. Star is currently a co-host of The View, along with Meredith Vieira, Joy Behar, Elisabeth Hasselbeck and executive producer Barbara Walters. The View, recipient of the 2003 Daytime Emmy Award for "Outstanding Talk Show," is the original forum where real women discuss relevant, everyday issues and share their daily, no-holds-barred opinions and lively, colorful conversations. With the 1997 launch of The View, Star expanded her scope to include commentary on the law, self-esteem, race, family, education, religion, the media and other social issues relating to the community at large. In addition, The View has received 18 Daytime Emmy Awards and has been nominated each year for "Outstanding Talk Show" and for Star and her co-hosts "Outstanding Talk Show Host." In 2001, Star and her fellow co-hosts were awarded the Safe Horizon Champion Award for their continued efforts to raise awareness on issues of importance to girls and women. television appearances include "The Tonight Show," "Regis and Kelly," "The Wayne Brady Show," "Jeopardy!," "Charlie Rose," "The Daily Show," "Larry King," "The Late Show," and "Soul Food." In 2000, hosted a home shopping television show entitled It's All About You With Star Jones on cable's ShopNBC. On November 13, 2004, Star Jones became Star Jones Reynolds when she married Al Scales Reynolds.

Deborah Cox is an internationally recognized recording artist and actress. In 1995 Deborah Cox, her self-titled debut album (released on Arista Records) was executive produced by Clive Davis, and went gold with the hit singles "Sentimental," "Who Do U Love" and "The Sound of My Tears." In 1996 her #1 single "Things Just Ain't the Same," appeared on the Money Talks soundtrack. In 1998, her album One Wish (Arista Records) achieved platinum status. Deborah scored two Billboard #1 hits with "We Can't Be Friends" and "Nobody's Supposed to Be Here," which topped the billboard R&B Charts for 14 consecutive weeks, making it the longest-running #1 song in R&B chart history (the remix single became a worldwide club-hit.) In 2000, Deborah starred in the feature film, Love Come Down (opposite Larenz Tate). In February 2000, Deborah secured a recurring role as SF police detective 'Vanessa Swan' on the hit CBS series "Nash Bridges." At the end of 2002, Deborah's third album, The Morning After was released on J Records. In July 2003, Remixed, a collection of Deborah's hit singles, remixed by the hottest club DJs, was released. Notable career accomplishments: Eight #1 Billboard Club Records (as of January 2004); American Music Award Nomination for Best New R&B Vocalist (1997); back-to-back JUNO Awards (Canada) for Best R&B Female Artist (1996 & 1997); Lady of Soul Award for Best R&B/Soul Song of the Year (1999); Soul Train Music Award for Best Female R&B Soul Single (2000). In 2004 Ms. Cox made her Broadway debut in Elton John & Tim Rice's blockbuster hit musical Aida.

BROADWAY CARES/ EQUITY FIGHTS AIDS (BC/EFA) is the nation's leading industry-based, nonprofit AIDS fund raising and grant making organization. BC/EFA is the on-going, committed response from the American theater community to an urgent worldwide health crisis. By drawing upon the talents, resources and generosity of theatrical community, BC/EFA raises funds for AIDS-related causes across the United States. Since it's founding in 1988, BC/EFA has raised over $100 million for critically needed services for people with AIDS, HIV, or HIV-related illnesses.

BROADWAY GOSPEL CELEBRATION: 11 is sponsored by The Times Square Alliance, The New York Times and Continental Airlines, the official airline of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

www.BroadwayCares.org

www.BroadwayInspirationalVoices.com