Tonight (Sept. 17), the New York’s City Parks Foundation will be presenting SummerStage Jubilee, a free benefit concert supporting the foundation’s programs in parks.
The hour-long digital event will take place via livestream starting at 8 p.m. ET, featuring exclusive musical performances by Norah Jones, Sting, Trey Anastasio, Rufus Wainwright, Leslie Odom Jr., Rosanne Cash, Emily King and PJ Morton. The event highlights the various City Parks Foundation programs and will also showcase notable advocates for the foundation’s work including sports icon and champion of equality Billie Jean King, television and radio host Ryan Seacrest, musical artist H.E.R., comedian Lewis Black and performer, Late Show bandleader Paul Shaffer and late night host Jimmy Fallon, who was just announced as the final addition to the evening’s program.
The digital benefit will be available to stream across all SummerStage social platforms (SummerStage Instagram, SummerStage YouTube and Facebook page) and remain on demand for 30 days as well as through the partners The Bowery Presents, Brooklyn Bowl, The Capitol Theatre, FANS.com, iHeart Media’s Q104.3, Live Nation, Live for Live Music, Relix, Time Out New York, WNET ALL ARTS and WFUV. National television broadcaster AXS TV will air the concert simultaneously at 8 p.m. ET on their channel and rebroadcast it on demand for 30 days, New York City and tri-state area residents can watch encore presentations of SummerStage Jubilee on Saturday at 7 p.m. ET on WLNY-TV 10/55 and on Sunday at 2 p.m. ET on WABC. Sting, Norah Jones, Trey Anastasio and Leslie Odom, Jr. will also be streaming the show through their Facebook pages.
“Our city’s parks are our most democratic spaces, our backyards and our living rooms, places where communities gather and enjoy, and never have they been more essential. City Parks Foundation exists to encourage New Yorkers to use their parks, so we are excited to welcome such notable performers and to be part of our benefit concert to help support our work. We are grateful for their commitment to parks and to the New York City community,” said Heather Lubov, Executive Director of City Parks Foundation in a press release.
Long-time supporter and SummerStage founder Joe Killian is the executive producer of this special event. Killian created SummerStage 34 years ago and is a music and entertainment powerhouse, a two-time Emmy award winner. He has worked extensively with some of the best talent in film and music — Taylor Swift, Kendrick Lamar, Pharrell, Steve Buscemi, Keith Richards, Spike Lee, David Lynch and many others. Founder and chief executive of Krantz Media Group LLC, Gary Krantz, is serving as broadcast consultant of the event. Additional members of the creative team behind the concert are director Jake McAfee and producer Jonathan Olson. McAfee won the HBO Best Short Film Award in 2015 and in 2016 he qualified for Academy Award consideration for Best Live Action Short Film.
“I am beyond honored to produce and bring our annual celebration of the work done by City Parks Foundation to people all around the world through this year’s extraordinary digital Jubilee benefit concert,” shares Killian. “I started the SummerStage series in 1986 with a vision of free music in Central Park and am thrilled to help sustain that through this special event.”
More at summerstagejubilee.org.
