Tony Award winners Audra McDonald, Idina Menzel, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Lena Hall, Alice Ripley, Ben Vereen, Tyne Daly, and Emmy winner Debra Messing are among the Broadway stars who delivered a moving performance of “What the World Needs Now” July 27 at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, PA.
The song concluded with chants of “Love!” “Love!” “Love!” from the starry lineup whose hands were folded into the shapes of hearts.
Also featured were Kristin Bell, Darren Criss, Stephanie J. Block, Adrienne Warren, Len Cariou, Richard Kind, Tom Wopat, Wilson Cruz, Michael Longoria, Rosie Perez, Ann Hampton Callaway, Liz Callaway, Nicholas Callaway Foster, Olga Merediz, Michelle Collins, Jon Viktor Corpuz, Sharon Gless, Roz Ryan, Mary Ann Hu, Anika Larsen, Margaret Stallings, Eve Plumb, Montego Glover, Michael Urie, Carmen Cusak, Darius de Haas, Melissa Errico, Janet Metz, as well as Broadway for Orlando creators Van Dean of Broadway Records, Seth Rudetsky, James Wesley, and their daughter, Juli Wesley.
Hillary Clinton also tweeted the video from her official campaign account.
What the world needs now is love. https://t.co/UyDO7J60iy
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) July 28, 2016
History was made July 26 when Hillary Clinton was named the first woman to be nominated as a major party candidate for the President of the United States.
The DNC appearance is among several high-profile live performances of the song that was first recorded in response to the shooting massacre at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando.
The single, which captured national media attention, also rose to the #1 slot on the iTunes chart, knocking out Justin Timberlake. The single also landed on the Billboard Hot 100. Playbill’s exclusive music video of the recording has drawn over 1 million views since premiering June 19.
Click here to read more about the song and the history behind the Broadway for Orlando movement.