Dan Savage, Lily Tomlin and LeAnn Rimes to join The Gay Men’s Chorus of LA for “It Gets Better” benefit on Friday

Really looking forward to attending this event on Friday and covering its red carpet!

The Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles (GMCLA) is kicking off its nationwide production, it gets better, inspired by the It Gets Better Project™ at The Wilshire Ebell Theatre.

Columnist and activist Dan Savage, founder of the It Gets Better Project, will appear at the 8 pm event as will entertainment legend Lily Tomlin, singer LeAnn Rimes, musician Dave Koz, Glee star Dot Jones and NCIS star Pauley Perrette.

“It is so important to continue to get the message that ‘It Gets Better’ to everyone out there that has ever felt like an outcast, struggled with their sense of self or felt alone,” Rimes said in a statement. “As a longtime supporter of the GMCLA, I jumped at the chance to be a part of this night and this significant message.”

Written and directed by Liesel Reinhart with musical direction by Morton Kier, the It Gets Better tour features an ensemble cast of six actors (Jason Currie, Tyler Houston, Tod Macofsky, Mario Mosley, Sacha Sacket, and Drew Tablak) whose real-life stories of growing up gay are woven into the production.

Tickets range from $50 – 150 (for more information, please visit: www.itgetsbettertour.org

In the week leading up to the performance of the musical it gets better, the creative team of actors and director will work in the community and at Los Angeles area schools with an outreach program designed exclusively for this production. In addition to performing excerpts from the musical, smaller groups will meet discussing the issues of bullying and acceptance. Students will watch It Gets Better videos and respond with their own videos and stories.

The it gets better tour features a combination of original songs and songs by a who’s who of popular recording artists, including Rimes, Gnarls Barkley, Kelly Clarkson, and songwriter Diane Warren. The show premiered at the University of Iowa in October to rave reviews and will head out on a nationwide tour following the Los Angeles performance with stops including Lawrence, Kansas; Seattle, Washington; and at Penn State in University Park, Pennsylvania, among others.