KENNETH COLE ANNOUNCES EXCLUSIVE PARTNERSHIP WITH BROADWAY’S NEW MUSICAL COMEDY THE PROM TO SUPPORT LGBTQI+ EQUALITY

American fashion designer and social activist Kenneth Cole today announced a partnership with Broadway’s new musical comedy, THE PROM, to support the human rights of LGBTQI+ people and equality. The partnership includes a fundraising initiative for the UN Foundation in support of UN Free & Equal – a global public information campaign of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to promote the fair and equal rights of LGBTQI+ people globally.

“We have been supporting social justice and equal rights issues since its inception and specifically for the LGBTQI+ community for over 25 years,” stated Kenneth Cole, Chairman and Chief Creative Officer of Kenneth Cole Productions. “We’re proud to partner with THE PROM, not just because it is an extraordinary theatrical production, but also because of the shared values it portrays and the important story of inclusion and acceptance that it brings to life.”

Inspired by the Act 1 Finale of THE PROM, Kenneth Cole has designed a custom t-shirt which reads, “TODAY IS NOT A DRESS REHEARSAL.”  As an official part of THE PROM’s merchandise line, the t-shirt is sold at the Longacre Theatre (220 West 48^th Street, NY, NY), online at www.theprommusicalshop.com, and at The Voice Shop on https://www.kennethcole.com/the-voice-shop/. All net proceeds from the sale of this t-shirt will be donated to the UN Foundation in support of UN Free & Equal.

Also available on THE PROM’s official e-merch site are Kenneth Cole’s PRIDE KAM Sneakers, which are featured onstage at the finale of THE PROM and include a rainbow stripe detail so anyone anywhere can be TIED WITH PRIDE. Leading Lady Caitlin Kinnunen (Emma) dons Kenneth Cole’s Swarovski Crystal KAM Sneaker and Isabelle McCalla (Alyssa Greene) wears the Silver Glitter KAM Sneaker, both of which have the rainbow stripe (the signature element of the PRIDE KAM sneaker) added to them.

Additionally, as part of the partnership, the December 4 performance of THE PROM will be followed by a post-show talkback moderated by Rajesh Mirchandani, UN Foundation Chief Communications Officer, and featuring panelists including cast members from THE PROM, Kenneth Cole, and Fabrice Houdart, Human Rights Officer with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).  In addition to these distinguished guests, THE PROM will also host past cast members of Kenneth Cole’s Courageous Class and Pride Advertising Campaigns as well as members of the UN LGBTI Core Group.

“THE PROM helps us understand that in every community around the world the protection of human rights is a living issue. Bringing together artists, civic activists, corporate partners, diplomats, and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights will help audiences not only understand that over the last 70 years the UN has helped build a global framework for human rights, but also that we all need to stand up to ensure everyone, everywhere is free and equal,” said UN Foundation Chief Communications Officer Rajesh Mirchandani. All patrons for that evening’s performance are invited to stay for this post-show discussion.

In celebration of THE PROM’s official opening night, Kenneth Cole will launch a sweepstakes on Thursday, November 15 to enter-to-win a pair of tickets to this special December 4 performance of THE PROM including a post-panel meet-&-greet with Kenneth Cole and members of THE PROM cast, plus additional prizes to be announced!

“THE PROM shows that Broadway comedy can be a great vehicle to raise awareness of human rights challenges experienced by lesbian, gay, bi, trans, intersex, and queer people. UN Free & Equal is delighted to partner with this show to reiterate that all media have a role to play in tackling homophobia and transphobia,” said Veronica Birga, Women’s Human Rights and Gender Section, OHCHR.

For more information on how you can enter-to-win, follow @kennethcole and @ThePromMusical on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

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About Kenneth Cole Productions, Inc.

Kenneth Cole is an American designer, social activist, and visionary who believes business and philanthropy are interdependent. His global company, Kenneth Cole Productions, creates modern, functional, and versatile footwear, clothing, and accessories for inspirational urban lifestyles under the labels Kenneth Cole New York, Reaction Kenneth Cole, and Unlisted, as well as footwear under the label Gentle Souls. The company has also granted a wide variety of third party licenses for the production of men’s and women’s apparel, fragrances, watches, jewelry, eyewear, and several other accessory categories, including children’s footwear. The company’s products are distributed through department stores, better specialty stores, company-owned retail stores and its e-commerce website.

Over 35 years ago, Kenneth Cole leveraged his passion and unique brand platform to make a meaningful impact on people’s wardrobes, as well as communities in need. He did what others didn’t and said what others wouldn’t. Today, The Kenneth Cole Foundation remains committed to helping communities in need by supporting Public Health and Civil Liberties.

About THE PROM

THE PROM is now in performances at Broadway’s Longacre Theatre (220 West 48^th Street) and officially opens on Thursday, November 15, 2018.

THE PROM stars Tony Award Nominee Brooks Ashmanskas (Something Rotten!), Tony Award Winner Beth Leavel (The Drowsy Chaperone), two-time Tony Award Nominee Christopher Sieber (Shrek the Musical), Caitlin Kinnunen (Bridges of Madison County), Isabelle McCalla (Aladdin), Michael Potts (The Iceman Cometh), Angie Schworer (The Producers), Courtenay Collins (Broadway Debut) and Josh Lamon (Groundhog Day) and an ensemble that includes Mary Antonini (Jesus Christ Superstar), Courtney Balan (Falsettos), Gabi Campo (Broadway Debut), Jerusha Cavazos (Broadway Debut), Shelby Finnie (Broadway Debut), Josh Franklin (Anything Goes), Fernell Hogan (Broadway Debut), Joomin Hwang (Broadway Debut), Sheldon Henry (Broadway Debut), David Josefsberg (Waitress), Becca Lee (Broadway Debut), Wayne Mackins (Broadway Debut), Kate Marilley (My Fair Lady), Vasthy Mompoint (SpongeBob SquarePants)Anthony Norman (Broadway Debut), Drew Redington (Holiday Inn), Jack Sippel (Broadway Debut), Teddy Toye (Lysistrata Jones), Kalyn West (Broadway Debut) and Brittany Zeinstra (Broadway Debut).

Directed and choreographed by Tony Award winner Casey Nicholaw (Mean Girls, The Book of Mormon), THE PROM features a book by Tony Award winner Bob Martin (The Drowsy Chaperone) and four-time Tony Award nominee Chad Beguelin (Aladdin), music by Tony Award nominee Matthew Sklar (Elf) and lyrics by four-time Tony Award nominee Chad Beguelin with scenic design by Tony Award winner Scott Pask (Book of Mormon), costume design by Tony Award winner Ann Roth (Shuffle Along) & Matthew Pachtman (Hello, Dolly!, Associate Costume Designer), lighting design by Tony Award winner Natasha Katz (Frozen), sound design by Tony Award winner Brian Ronan (Mean Girls), wig and hair design by Josh Marquette (Present Laughter), make-up design by Milagros Medina-Cerdeira (Present Laughter), orchestrations by Tony Award winner Larry Hochman (Hello, Dolly!), additional orchestrations by John Clancy (Mean Girls), music supervision by Mary-Mitchell Campbell (Mean Girls), music direction by Meg Zervoulis (Mean Girls), music arrangements by Glen Kelly (Mean Girls), vocal arrangements by Matthew Sklar and Mary-Mitchell Campbell and casting by Telsey + Co./Bethany Knox. THE PROM is based on an original concept by Jack Viertel.

Produced by Bill Damaschke, Dori Berinstein and Jack Lane, the producing team for THE PROM also includes James & Catherine Berges, Nelda Sue Yaw, Natasha Davison,  Joe Grandy, Kimberlee Garris, Lisa Morris, Terry Schnuck, Jane Dubin, Rosalind Productions Inc., Fahs Productions, Seth A. Goldstein, Mike Kriak, Don & Nancy Ross, Pamela Hurst-Della Pietra & Stephen Della Pietra, Cliff Hopkins, Masie Productions, Vivek Shah, Three Belles & A Bob, Arment-Tackel, Armstrong-Manocherian, Fakler-Silver, Fox Theatricals-Mosbacher-Lonow, Palitz-Stern-Smedes, Nancy & Ken Kranzberg/David Lyons, Larry & Elizabeth Lenke/Elizabeth L. Green, Iris Smith/Instone Productions, Kuhlman-Ketner/Wallace-ATxRandom Productions, The John Gore Organization  and  The Shubert Organization in association with Independent Presenters Network, Margot Astrachan, Darren P. Deverna & Jeremiah J. Harris and Reagan Silber.

We’ve got trouble, folks, right here in Indiana and when Broadway’s brassiest hear a student is unceremoniously sidelined from a small-town Indiana prom – and the press is involved – they are ready to kick-ball-change the world. A new musical comedy about the power of love (and a good 11 o’clock number), THE PROM is about so much more than just a dance.

Tickets for THE PROM are on sale at www.telecharge.com (212.239.6200) and the Longacre Theatre box office (220 West 48^th Street) and range from $59 – $179 (including the $2 facility fee).

For more information visit ThePromMusical.com.

Follow THE PROM on Instagram and Twitter at @ThePromMusical and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ThePromMusical/.

Lyft is the official rideshare sponsor of THE PROM.

About UN Free & Equal:
The UN Free & Equal campaign is an unprecedented global public information campaign aimed at promoting equal rights and fair treatment of LGBTQI+ people. It was launched by the United Nations Human Rights Office in July 2013 and has since reached hundreds of millions of people globally through traditional and social media as well as generated a stream of widely shared materials – including powerful videos, impactful graphics and plain-language fact sheets. For more information please visit www.unfe.org.

About the United Nations Foundation

The United Nations Foundation builds public-private partnerships to address the world’s most pressing problems, and broadens support for the United Nations through advocacy and public outreach. Through innovative campaigns and initiatives, the Foundation connects people, ideas, and resources to help the UN solve global problems. The Foundation was created in 1998 as a U.S. public charity by entrepreneur and philanthropist Ted Turner and now is supported by philanthropic, corporate, government, and individual donors. Learn more at: www.unfoundation.org.