Tonight on Maya & Marty, over 60 Broadway stars joined together to sing a version of “What The World Needs Now Is Love” for the Orlando shooting victims and their families. Tonight was the first time the song was ever performed live, and included multiple Broadway stars, like Lin-Manuel Miranda, Idina Menzel, Gloria Estefan, Matthew Broderick, Nathan Lane, Sean Hayes, Audra McDonald, Sara Bareilles, Bernadette Peters, Carole King, Tommy Tune, and more. The song was officially released on Monday.
It can be purchased right here for $1.99– all of the proceeds will benefit the LGBT Center of Central Florida. SiriusXM Radio host Seth Rudetsky told People magazine that the choice came from the 1985 “We Are the World” benefit for Africa. He went on to say, “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 organized the recording with his husband, James Wesley, and Broadway Records President Van Dean.
In a statement, Robert Greenblatt, chairman of NBC, said,
Lorne Michaels and I are so pleased to showcase this song of love — about love — and we thank the Broadway community, producers Seth Rudetsky and James Wesley, and Van Dean of Broadway Records for putting this incredible recording together so quickly. On behalf of Maya, Marty and everyone at NBC, please buy it so we can directly help the LGBT community in Orlando!
