Entertainment

Broadway & West-End Star Marisha Wallace’s cover “Tomorrow” raises funds for Broadway Cares and MAD Trust 

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Marisha Wallace—a Broadway and West-End star known for “Dream Girls,” “Waitress,” “Aladdin,” and “Book of Mormon”—has independently released a gospel cover of “Tomorrow” from the musical “Annie,” which has gone viral. She released the song to support Broadway Cares and Mad Trust. 

One hundred percent of the funds raised from the purchase and streaming of the new single will be donated to both organizations to help theatre professionals in the U.S. and U.K., who have been left out of work due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS is a nonprofit in the U.S. that helps people across the country receive life saving medications, health care, nutritious meals, counselling and emergency financial assistance. Wallace also wanted to support Make A Difference Trust (MAD), as it is a non-profit in the U.K. that has built a legacy of over 25 years of fundraising by the theatre industry. MAD raises funds for HIV and AIDS projects that build awareness and provide care, support and education in the U.K. and Sub-Saharan Africa.

This is the first time Broadway Cares and MAD Trust have ever partnered together to receive a joint donation. Though the organizations typically focus on AIDS patients, Wallace commented that they “are helping unemployed theatre professionals during the Coronavirus. So they help people with their bills like if they can pay their rent, and it’s everyone, not just actors, [but] everyone in the industry backstage.”

The music video for “Tomorrow” features many stars of stage and screen including Katharine McPhee, Lea Salonga, Leslie Odom Jr, Ledisi, Beverley Knight, Ben Forster, Alex Newell, Nina West and Kerry Ellis joining in virtually through their laptops and screens.   

Tomorrow #3 on U.K. ITunes Charts beating Lady Gaga

Initially Wallace had approached a record label, but she was rejected, so she decided that the track would be self-recorded from her apartment. The song was then sent to and produced by music producer, Steve Anderson, who has worked with pop legends Kylie Minogue and Britney Spears. Wallace’s goal in bringing this project to life was to “help people, and in the end some of my own goals were met. And now I’ll be able to help more people because I have a bigger platform.” 

Despite being rejected by the record label, the song was an overnight hit, and became a consistent favourite on fellow musical theatre star Michael Ball’s show, “The Michael Ball Show.” The track then quite literally hit the iTunes charts and went on to fill the No. 3 spot “beating Lady Gaga,” said Wallace with a grin. Now the record labels are running after Wallace. 

With her new platform and support, she has the opportunity to work on new albums. Her concept is to put soul back into pop classics and to ‘gospelize’ pop. “The music that I want to make is inspirational and hopeful, especially in a time of Black Lives Matter when there’s not many black female artists who are of a certain level in this industry who have something to say, besides Beyonce. There’s no other voices that are heard. So I’m excited to be another voice.”

Broadway CLOSED, West End Opening? 

Wallace has been concentrating on her own releases, due to the closures of Broadway and the West End, but she is certain that performances will start up again. Andrew Lloyd Webber, composer and musical theatre producer of hit shows such as “Phantom of the Opera,” has had a trial run at the London Palladium.

According to the BBC, Lloyd Webber showed off temperature scanners which matched faces with readings, to highlight anyone who may be ill. Secondly, he also has a special piece of kit “imported from Korea,” where the theatres are still open and full. This piece of equipment sprays you with antiviral spray. 

Perhaps with this technology, shows can finally be reopened, but Wallace isn’t waiting around. She has two songs in a new Christmas Netflix film coming out in December called Jingle Jangle, starring Forest Whitaker and Madalen Mills

Two songs in new Netflix Film “Jingle Jangle”

Wallace was up for one of the roles in the Netflix film, and she even went onto the final stage of screen testing, but was not selected. Then, from what seemed out of nowhere to her, she was DM’d on Instagram by the director’s wife asking her to lend her singing voice to the movie! Next moment, Wallace found herself working with John Legend’s team. During this time of lockdown and uncertainty, Wallace has seen her career take off in new and exciting directions through a record deal and upcoming music in a Netflix film! 

As she waits for her royalties to come in so that she can hand over a check to MAD Trust and Broadway Cares, consider streaming her cover “Tomorrow.” For Wallace, she believes that “it’s nice to be able to give back with your art, especially when you feel helpless or when you feel like you can’t help.”

Here are links below, where you can stream the song, play the video, and directly donate to Broadway Cares or Mad Trust.

You can stream/purchase the song here:

https://lnk.to/1Y4QrjS0

You can view the video on YouTube here:

https://youtu.be/BcEzm8c8iYA

TOMORROW (Marisha Wallace featuring Shangela, Latrice Royale, & an All-Star Drag Queen Cast)

https://youtu.be/CIgsp9fun_4

Donate to Broadway Cares at

www.broadwaycares.org/help2020

Donate to MAD Trust at

www.madtrust.org.uk/covid

Performing Live! 

https://youtu.be/YNiq8KjHA6Y

Follow her on instagram @marishawallace

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