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Broadway Stars 'Give A Little Bit' To Say Thanks This Holiday Season

What a joy to see such warm sentiments expressed in music!
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By 

Senior Culture Reporter, HuffPost

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A bevy of stars from some of Broadway's hottest shows are expressing their gratitude this holiday season with a tender musical performance. 

In the above video, "Hamilton" star Leslie Odom Jr. joins Tony nominees Carolee Carmello and Gavin Creel for an acoustic take on "Give a Little Bit." Creel's "Book of Mormon" co-star Nikki Renée Daniels and Kara Lindsay of "Wicked" also lend their voices, accompanied by "Spring Awakening" star Alex Boniello on guitar and Dante Melucci of "School of Rock -- The Musical" on djembe.  

Directed by Broadway veteran Andrew Keenan-Bolger, the video is intended as an informal thank you to supporters of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS (BCEFA), which is dedicated to raising funds for HIV/AIDS-related causes across the U.S. 

Keenan-Bolger, who returns to Broadway next spring in the musical adaptation of "Tuck Everlasting" and is the co-creator of the theater-centric web series, "Submissions Only," cited BCEFA's longtime support of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community as part of his incentive to helm the video. 

He was also instrumental in getting Creel on board for the project, which is the first live music video to be produced by BCEFA and features arrangements by music director Ted Arthur.  

"My joining in was simple," Creel told The Huffington Post in an email. "Andrew called and said the words 'Broadway Cares,' and I just said, 'Yes!'" 

He then added, "What I love about being in the theater is the sense of family and belonging to a community that takes care of one another. We are made better by giving back."

What a joy to see such warm sentiments expressed in music! 

Also on HuffPost: 

Michelle Obama Brings "Broadway At The White House"
(01 of08)
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Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber plays a compilation of his music during the Broadway at the White House event in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, Monday, Nov. 16, 2015, hosted by first lady Michelle Obama for high school students involved in performing arts programs. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
(02 of08)
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First lady Michelle Obama dances to Gloria Estefan's "Conga" in the Diplomatic Room of the White House in Washington, Monday, Nov. 16, 2015, during a Broadway at the White House event for high school students involved in performing arts programs. She is joined by Sergio Trujillo, Colombian dancer and choreographer, right, and Josh Segarra, left. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
(03 of08)
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Matthew Morrison, left, and Gabriella Pizzolo, look to first lady Michelle Obama during the Broadway at the White House event for high school students involved in performing arts programs in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, Monday, Nov. 16, 2015. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
(04 of08)
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First lady Michelle Obama stands with Colombian dancer and choreographer Sergio Trujillo, third from left, as Ana Villafañe, left, Gloria Estefan, second from left and Josh Segarra third from right, dance for her in the Diplomatic Room of the White House in Washington, Monday, Nov. 16, 2015, during a Broadway at the White House event for high school students involved in performing arts programs. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
(05 of08)
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First lady Michelle Obama speaks during the Broadway at the White House event for high school students involved in performing arts programs in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, Monday, Nov. 16, 2015. Behind the first lady at left is composer Andrew Lloyd Webber and right is director Diane Paulus. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
(06 of08)
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First lady Michelle Obama dances to Gloria Estefan's "Conga" in the Diplomatic Room of the White House in Washington, Monday, Nov. 16, 2015, during a Broadway at the White House event for high school students involved in performing arts programs. She is joined by Sergio Trujillo, Colombian dancer and choreographer, right, and Ana Villafañe, second from left. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
(07 of08)
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Whoopi Goldberg speaks during the Broadway at the White House event in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, Monday, Nov. 16, 2015, hosted by first lady Michelle Obama for high school students involved in performing arts programs. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
(08 of08)
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First lady Michelle Obama greets Gloria Estefan in the Diplomatic Room of the White House in Washington, Monday, Nov. 16, 2015, during a Broadway at the White House event for high school students involved in performing arts programs. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

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