Jessica Vosk, Sara Bareilles and Drew Gehling and Amplify 2025_Photo by Heather Gershonowitz

MAESTRA MUSIC’S AMPLIFY 2025
RAISES OVER $135,000 WITH MORE TO COME

WITH PERFORMANCES FROM SARA BAREILLES, JOY HUERTA, KECIA LEWIS, JORDAN FISHER, JULIA MATTISON, AND MORE SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON WOMEN AND NONBINARY MUSICIANS IN THEATER

April 1, 2025

New York, NY (April 1, 2025) – AMPLIFY 2025, Maestra Music’s annual benefit concert held on Monday, March 31 at Sony Hall, was extraordinary. Featuring unforgettable performances by Sara Bareilles, Joy Huerta, Kecia Lewis, Jordan Fisher, Julia Mattison, and a host of Broadway’s finest, the evening raised over $135K. There is still a chance to donate by purchasing incredible offerings in the online auction.

Directed by Jessica Ryan (Between Riverside and Crazy Live Broadcast), hosted by Tony Award-nominee L Morgan Lee (A Strange Loop), co-hosted by Tony Award nominee and Maestra Advisory Board Member Kate Baldwin, with a special appearance by Jessica Vosk, the annual benefit concert closed out Women’s History Month and brought together a powerhouse of women and nonbinary artists to celebrate and uplift the music makers of the theater industry. From anthemic ballads to bold new compositions, the night spotlighted the work of underrepresented musicians with stunning performances backed by an all-Maestra band led by Music Director Julianne B. Merrill.

SARA BAREILLES (two Grammy® Awards, three Tony® Award nominations, and three Primetime Emmy® Award nominations) performed "Enough" from her new musical The Interestings, co-written with Sarah Ruhl, who, together with Meg Wolitzer and Bareilles auctioned off seven autographed copies of the book on which the musical is based. The evening also featured Aziza Miller and Lily Ling on piano, accompanying Tony Award-winner Kecia Lewis in a powerful performance of "Price, Bond, and Scott" and "Authors of Forever" from Hell’s Kitchen by Alicia Keys. Julia Mattison delivered a hilarious number from Death Becomes Her, and Khalia Wilcoxon performed "Little Redwood" from Redwood, written by Tina Landau and Kate Diaz. Jordan Fisher offered a moving rendition of "Waiting for Life" by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty and added a private Moulin Rouge! backstage tour in the room-which went to two lucky audience members; Antawyn Hopper and Zeniba Now perform her stirring song, "I Believe," from The Loophole, which she wrote with Jay Adana. Anu Mysore and Nikhil Saboo uplifted audiences with "Higher" from MĀYĀ by Cheeyang Ng and Eric Sorrels. Additionally, Grammy-winning Mexican singer-songwriter Joy Huerta, of the internationally acclaimed duo Jesse & Joy, contributed a selection from Real Women Have Curves, a show for which she is the composer with Benjamin Velez—rounding out this extraordinary celebration of musical artistry.

One of the most exciting moments of the evening was the official introduction of Lee Bynum (they/them), visionary arts leader, librettist, composer, and dramaturg whose two-decade career bridges nonprofit leadership, education, and cultural equity, as Maestra Music’s first-ever Executive Director. L Morgan Lee and Stitt welcomed Bynum to the stage, marking a historic step forward for the five-year-old organization. The crowd erupted in applause as Bynum shared their inspiring vision for Maestra’s future and a more inclusive musical theater industry.

Music Director Julianne B. Merrill (Music City) led a dynamic band composed entirely of Maestra members, including Emma Ford on drums, Mary Ann McSweeney on bass, Ann Klein on guitar, Nicole DeMaio on reeds, Melissa Westgate on cello, and Sara Jacovino on trombone.

A powerhouse team of women and nonbinary professionals were behind the scenes of AMPLIFY 2025, ensuring a seamless and electrifying production. The all RISE Theatre Live Production Team included Lexi Vollero as Music Assistant, Tia Harewood-Millington as Stage Manager, Kat Morrill as Lighting Designer, Sarah Goodman as Projection Designer, and Amanda Raymond as Sound Designer. Their expertise and artistry brought Amplify 2025 to life and highlighted the brilliance of Maestra’s performers and composers.

AMPLIFY 2025 is more than a concert—it is a movement shining a light on the incredible contributions of women and nonbinary musicians in musical theater– an unforgettable celebration of artistry, community, and progress. Proceeds from Amplify 2025 directly contribute to Maestra Music’s ongoing mission to create support, visibility, and community for women and nonbinary musicians.

Amplify 2025 was produced by Georgia Stitt, Carrie Caffrey, Laura Ivey, and Whitney Britt. The event is presented in partnership with All Together Now, Bloom Arts Strategy, and Patchmaster and supported by Disney Theatricals, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, Concord Theatricals, Paige Price Productions, and Grove Entertainment. Sotheby’s Meaghan Steele hosted the live auction portion of the evening. Invest In Access provided the accessibility service.

ABOUT MAESTRA
Maestra Music, Inc. was founded by composer/lyricist and music director Georgia Stitt to provide support, visibility, and community to the women and nonbinary people who make the music in the musical theater industry. Maestra envisions a world in which women and nonbinary people have equitable access, visibility, and creative impact in the musical theater industry. In this future, at least half of all music-related theater jobs and leadership roles are filled by qualified women and nonbinary musicians, decidedly inclusive of people of color. These musicians are historically and consistently under-represented in musical theatre. By delivering on our mission, we will be a catalyst and driving force to help achieve gender equity in our business. In 2023, Maestra built a program called RISE (Representation, Inclusion, and Support for Employment) that seeks to build a more equitable and inclusive theatre industry. RISE centralizes DEIA tools and resources through a network of partners and a national personnel directory that focuses on folks from underrepresented backgrounds, including but not limited to people of color, women, trans, nonbinary, deaf, and disabled theatre professionals. Maestra Music, Inc. is a 501(c)3 organization based in New York. www.maestramusic.org

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Performance photos by Heather Gershonowitz: