Broadway stars to record song to benefit nightclub victims

NEW YORK (AP) — Dozens of Broadway stars horrified by the Orlando nightclub shooting have lent their voices to recording a new version of the iconic 1965 song "What the World Needs Now is Love," with all proceeds going to help the LGBT Center of Central Florida.

The project is inspired by the 1985 "We Are the World" benefit for Africa. It will include Audra McDonald, Idina Menzel, Wayne Brady, Sara Bareilles, Sarah Jessica Parker, Matthew Broderick, Kristen Bell, Joel Grey, Sean Hayes, Gloria Estefan, Carole King, Megan Hilty, Rosie O'Donnell, James Monroe Iglehart, Sarah Jessica Parker, Nathan Lane, Sutton Foster, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Jessie Mueller, Billy Porter, Bernadette Peters, Chita Rivera, Alice Ripley, Tommy Tune and Whoopi Goldberg.

New "Hamilton" Tony Award winners Lin-Manuel Miranda and Renée Elise Goldsberry will also participate. A 25-piece orchestra will accompany the singers in New York, as well as contributing voices in Los Angeles and Miami.

The digital download of the Burt Bacharach song will be sold for $1.99 and be available Monday at Broadway Records' website and on iTunes thereafter.

The effort was dreamed up by SiriusXM radio host Seth Rudetsky and his husband, producer James Wesley.

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MARK KENNEDY, AP Drama Writer. Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.