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Broadway stars Lin-Manuel Miranda, Sarah Jessica Parker, Idina Menzel, and more to record song for Orlando victims

Proceeds will go to benefit the LGBT Center of Central Florida, which has been providing support to the families of victims

Clarisse Loughrey
Thursday 16 June 2016 04:58 EDT
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Broadway's stars are coming together to record an iconic song to benefit the victims and families of the Orlando nightclub shooting.

Over 60 stars will perform a cover of the 1965 track "What the World Needs Now is Love"; penned by Hal David and Burt Bacharach, originally performed by Jackie DeShannon. Playbill reports proceeds will go to the LGBT Center of Central Florida, which has been providing the families of victims with both support and crisis counseling. A GoFundMe page has also been launched in addition.

Artists contributing include Lin-Manuel Miranda, Idina Menzel, Matthew Broderick, Sarah Jessica Parker, Gloria Estefan, Sutton Foster, Jane Krakowski, Megan Hilty, Rosie Perez, Wayne Brady, Sarah Bareilles, Kristen Bell, Rosie O'Donnell, Bernadette Peters, Nathan Lane, and Whoopi Goldberg.

The project, titled Broadway for Orlando, was initiated by Broadway Records President Van Dean, music director/radio host Seth Rudetsky and his husband, producer James Wesley; inspired by 1985's "We Are the World" benefit for Africa.

"The Broadway community was so terribly shaken and devastated by the horrific tragedy in Orlando. Everyone wanted to do something as quickly as possible that would truly make a difference," Rudetsky said in a statement. "Our community of artists has banded together as we always do to show we can end this cycle of violence and intolerance. Love WILL prevail!"


"What the World Needs Now is Love" will be made available for digital download on 20 June on Broadway Records' website and on iTunes; a video for the song will be released at a later date.

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