Jason Robert Brown Musical Concert to Benefit Making Schools Safer for All Cleveland, Ohio - September 9, 2015 “Hear my song / It'll help you believe in tomorrow. / Hear my song / It'll show you the way you can shine / Hear my song / It was made for the time when you don't know where to go / Listen to the song that I sing / You'll be fine.” These powerful lyrics offer hope and guidance to a lost child, yet they are words that are continuously needed and echoed throughout life. Regarding childhood, we know that being a child or teenager is difficult. In a time of marriage equality for all and what is considered to be the best time for LGBTQ people in the US, when students identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender life is not as easy as it may be for many of today’s adults because for coming of age students there are so many complexities. “Dreaming Wide Awake” is a musical journey of songs by three-time Tony winning composer, Jason Robert Brown that deal with life, relationships, and everything in between. With a talented cast of 6 performers who have been seen with the North Coast Men’s Chorus, countless local theaters, and the Cleveland Pops Orchestra – Jason Robert Brown’s story- telling songs from the 2015 film The Last 5 Years starring Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan, Parade, Songs for a New World, and The Bridges of Madison County will hit on every emotion. This two-night concert benefit will take place at 8:00 PM on Friday, September 25 and Saturday, September 26 at Amistad Chapel in Downtown Cleveland to support GLSEN Northeast Ohio’s mission to make schools safer for all students. GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network, is celebrating 25 years nationally and 20 years here in Northeast Ohio. As the leaders in research regarding the experiences of LGBTQ youth and creation of professional resources for educators on how to best understand the needs of LGBTQ students, there is still work to be done in today’s schools. GLSEN NEO asks all people to remember what it was like to be a teenager and to reflect on one’s school days - the bad days, the good days, and other moments that may include peers or teachers. Perhaps Jason Robert Brown’s song “Being a Geek” from the musical 13 describes the feelings so many have felt and and continue to feel. With lyrics like “Being a geek is the loneliest thing in the world/ I gotta tell ya rabbi / When you're a geek it's the loneliest thing in the world. / You're always wondering what everybody's laughing about,” it is evident that bullying and discrimination still face so many students who do not fit all of the norms of our diverse society. These and so many of Jason Robert Brown’s lyrics ring true for so many. “Dreaming Wide Awake” will showcase songs that depict life and its journey with humanity at its core. Tickets are $20.00 with a special $10. price for students. Tickets can be purchased online at www.glsen.org/northeastoh or the day of the performance. All seats are general admission at Amistad Chapel at 700 Prospect Road. in Downtown Cleveland.