Laura Benanti and other Coronavirus stars
A scene from the high school musical Matilda can be viewed on Twitter at #SunshineSongs started by Laura Benanti.
The large cast of Shrek The Musical performs This is Our Story on Twitter at #SunshineSongs.
In 2016, my daughter Katie and I had the pleasure to see Laura Benanti on Broadway in the sparkling musical She Loves Me.
Today, many people are singing another tune, “We Love Laura.”
In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, with most of our country shutting down, Laura Benanti is a bright star.
Realizing that many high school musicals have been canceled in order to contain the virus, Benanti took to Twitter and asked kids to post rehearsal videos of their performances, using the hashtag #SunshineSongs. The tweet went viral and lots of young kids are now getting more exposure and publicity than they could have dreamed of.
It’s really fun watching the passion kids are putting into musicals such as Anything Goes, Newsies, Spring Awakening, Les Miserables and an all-female cast production of Fiddler on the Roof. Check it out.
I’ve come across some inspiring things people are doing during this time.
- A person on Facebook reported that their son’s Bar Mitvah celebration was canceled. But they decided not to cancel their caterer and instead had the party’s food delivered to people in need.
- Some grocery stores have announced an early morning opening hour so senior citizens, who are at high risk, can shop in less crowded conditions.
- With Italy being under a strict national quarantine, an Italian opera singer has delighted his neighbors by singing arias from his balconies. Neighborhoods are also engaging in joint sing-a-longs from balconies and windows from their apartments, giving them something to do and lifting each other’s spirits.
- Renowned chef and humanitarian José Andrés shut down his restaurants in the Washington, D.C. area and is opening a community kitchen to offer lunches to those in need.
- There have been a number of GoFundMe pages created to help coronavirus victims in need of financial assistance.
- Some business and funds have said they will help workers who are struggling financially while the businesses shut down.
Kudos to these individuals for acting selflessly during this extraordinary time.
Have you heard of any other inspirational acts? Let me know in the comment section.
Expect the Unexpected 