The folks behind the hot new musical BARE will celebrate National Coming Out Day and their newly announced coalition with four organizations that champion antibullying efforts, tolerance, and equality with a huge event at the Snapple Theater Center in New York tomorrow morning. Set in a coed Catholic boarding school, BARE explores the subject of teens and identity, sexuality, and religion (with provocative lyrics and a thrilling rock score, of course).
The producers of BARE will team up with Athlete Ally, the Human Rights Campaign, Faith in America, and the Tyler Clementi Foundation to promote LGBT youth causes and bullying awareness. Tomorrow's event included former NHL star Sean Avery on behalf of Athlete Ally; activist Fiona Dawson on behalf of HRC; executive director Brent Childers and LGBT and women's rights advocate Roberta Sklar on behalf of Faith in America; and James Clementi (brother of Tyler Clementi) and executive director Steven Guy on behalf of the Tyler Clementi Foundation. Members of the creative team from BARE were there too, including the producers, director Stafford Arima, and choreographer Travis Wall, of the popular TV series All the Right Moves. Everyone will share their personal experiences and the work of their organizations as well as the underlying theme of the day: equality for all.
The cast of BARE, some of whom are gay, will also perform, in an exclusive preview of the off-Broadway show that begins sneak previews at New World Stages in New York on November 19.
"National Coming Out Day is so important to BARE and to our allies in the fight for LGBT equality," said producer Paul Boskind, who added that he wanted supporters of the musical to learn how "we can all work together to ensure that everyone is free to be themselves."
For more information on BARE, visit BareMusicalNYC.com. And watch the video message from the stars below.