The Columbus Dispatch

Rivera, Estefan, Miranda to star in benefit show

- Mark Kennedy

NEW YORK — Chita Rivera, Gloria Estefan, Lin-manuel Miranda and Thalia will headline a benefit digital concert in October to celebrate Latino culture and achievemen­t in theater.

“Viva Broadway! Hear Our Voices” will take place online Oct. 1 and will be hosted by Andrea Burns. It will be directed and choreograp­hed by Sergio Trujillo.

“It’s going to celebrate the past. It’s going to pay attention to the present and look to the future,” said Trujillo, who added that the themes will explore Latin representa­tion, inclusion and diversity.

Additional attendees include Lucie Arnaz, Melissa Barrera, Jaime Camil,

Florencia Cuenca, Raul Esparza, Mandy Gonzalez, Raul Gonzalez, Ivan Hernandez, Daphne Rubin-vega, Angelica Vale, Robin de Jesus and Ana Villafane.

The concert will be broadcast on

Playbill.com, Playbill’s Youtube Channel and on the Broadway League’s Viva. Broadway website. Proceeds will support Broadway Cares/equity Fights AIDS and Broadway Bridges.

“It is sad that we all don’t get an opportunit­y to be in a room together, but we get to have them all in one concert, all at once,” said Trujillo, who won a Tony Award last year for “Ain’t Too Proud.”

The event will include performanc­es from members of the original cast of the Broadway musical “In the Heights” — including Karen Olivo, Andrea Burns, Janet Dacal, Olga Merediz, Carlos Gomez and Luis Salgado — as well as performanc­es from Broadway-bound musicals, a peek at John Leguizamo’s next work and a look at the first Spanishlan­guage production of “A Chorus Line.”

“This is a great medium for us to get our message across and create a really exciting virtual concert,” Trujillo said. “It's going to be a really thrilling experience.”

 ?? [THE ASSOCIATED PRESS] ?? From left: Chita Rivera, Lin-manuel Miranda, Gloria Estefan and Thalia are among those who will participat­e in a benefit digital concert in October to celebrate Latino culture and achievemen­t in theater.
[THE ASSOCIATED PRESS] From left: Chita Rivera, Lin-manuel Miranda, Gloria Estefan and Thalia are among those who will participat­e in a benefit digital concert in October to celebrate Latino culture and achievemen­t in theater.

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