West End and Broadway actors record song to honour the memory of George Floyd and raise funds

To Honour the memory of George Floyd, Cavin Cornwall, Tommie Earl Jenkins, Emmanuel Kojo, James T Lane, Ako Mitchell, Cedric Neal, Trevor Dion Nicholas, Clarke Peters, Mykal Rand, Joe Aaron Reid, Clive Rowe, Ray Shell, Tosh Wanogho-Maud, Layton Williams and Gary Wilmot lead a cast of more than 150 West End and Broadway actors to record ‘Make Them Hear You’ to raise funds for StopWatch



Marking two months since George Floyd’s death during police arrest in Minneapolis USA, and in response to the outrage expressed across the globe, theatre producer Danielle Tarento has brought together more than 150 Black and Black mixed race actors from the UK and the US, along with a 38-piece orchestra, to record ‘Make Them Hear You,’ from the Broadway musical ‘Ragtime’, to raise money for StopWatch (Stop-Watch.org).

In ‘Ragtime’, set in New York at the turn of the 20th century, African-American Coalhouse Walker Jr. suffers great injustice because of his colour. Fighting back, he sings an inspirational message of hope before surrendering himself to the police, who ultimately shoot and kill him.

Go out and tell our story, Let it echo far and wide, Make them hear you, Make them hear you.
How Justice was our battle, And how Justice was denied, Make them hear you, Make then hear you.
And say to those who blame us For the way we chose to fight, That sometimes there are battles That are more than black or white”

George Floyd was killed during an arrest in Minneapolis USA on 25 May 2020, after a white police pofficer knelt on his neck for almost eight minutes. For the last three of those minutes, Floyd was motionless and had no pulse, but officers made no attempt to revive him.

After Floyd’s death, protests were held globally against the use of excessive force by police officers against black suspects and lack of police accountability. Protests began in Minneapolis the day after his death and developed in over 400 cities throughout all 50 US states and internationally, including cities all across the UK.

The StopWatch campaign has been fighting the racist and disproportionate use of stop and search since 2010. Run by lawyers, activists and academics, the group works to promote effective, accountable and fair policing, inform the public about stop and search, develop and share research, organise awareness-raising events and forums and provide legal support challenging stop and search.

Donations can be made via the StopWatch website, so 100% will go to the charity. https://gf.me/u/x57g52

Singers: Cavin Cornwall, Tommie Earl Jenkins, Emmanuel Kojo, James T Lane, Ako Mitchell, Cedric Neal, Trevor Dion Nicholas, Clarke Peters, Mykal Rand, Joe Aaron Reid, Clive Rowe, Ray Shell, Tosh Wanogho-Maud, Layton Williams, Gary Wilmot

with Hannah Abdool, Lola Adaja, Alexandra Afryea, Kelly Agbowu, Simbi Akande, Marc Akinfolarin, Kimani Arthur, Bonnie Baddoo, Rhea Bailey, Nicole-Lily Baisden, Francessca Daniella-Baker, Bernadette Bangura, Ruby Barber-Street, Veleen Barrett, Koko Basigara, Maisey Bawden, Delycia Belgrave, Michaela Bennison, Evonnee Bentley-Holder, Kyle Birch, Ashh Blackwood, Nicole Botha, Daniel Bowerbank, O’Brian Broomfield, Wendy Mae Brown, Inez Budd, Kelsey Calladine-Smith, Christopher Cameron, Keziah Campbell-Golding, Ian Carlyle, Samara Casteallo, Hayley-Ria Christian, Jorell Coiffic-Kamall, Natasha Cottriall, Jordan Crouch, Joshua Da Costa, Lewis Davies, Ethan Davis, Joelle Dyson, Amber Sylvia Edwards, Matthew Elliot-Campbell, Bessy Ewa, Marie Finlayson, Gary Forbes, Cartier Fraser, Tim Frater, Jordan Frazier, Chloe Gentles, Nesah Gonzales, Amanda Gordon, C Gerdod Harris, Gabriela Harris, Kiera Haynes, Claudillea Holloway, Severine Howell-Meri, Ashlee Irish, Martina Isibor, Waylon Jacobs, Danielle Jam, Amber James, Damien James, Ebony Jonelle, Amana Jones, Cameron Bernard Jones, Léon Maurice-Jones, Jessica Joslin, Lemuel Knights, Chipo Kureya, Cassandra Lee, Marina Lawrence-Mahrra, Becca Lee-Isaacs, Jordan Louis-Fernand, Brian James Leys, Melissa Lowe, David Mairs-McKenzie, Donald Craig Manuel, Jade Marvin, Sifiso Mazibuko, Samantha Mbolekwa, Nicholas McLean, Debra Michaels, Sasha Monique, Dominique Moore, Nathaniel Morrison, Kody Mortimer, Keenan Munn-Francis, Gloria Obianyo, Annell Odartey, Harriett O’Grady, Funlola Olufunwa, Gloria Onitiri, Georgina Onuorah, Olivia Onyehara, Sean Parkins, Kirk Patterson, Paige Peddie, Earl R Perkins, Denise Pitter, Maiya Quansah-Breed, Lauran Rae, Sebastian Rasmussen, Anton Rice, Micha Richardson, Ejiro Richmond, Janice Rijssel, Nataylia Roni, Samuel Routley, Melissa Saint, Samuel Sarpong-Broni, Esme Sears, Ellie Seaton, Jo Servi, Lejaun Sheppard, Kamilah Shorey, Lukin Simmonds, Olivia Sinclair, Bree Smith, Charlotte St Croix, Lucy St Louis, Durone Stokes, Mikel Sylvanus, Stephanie Tavernier, Nina Toussaint-White, Kayi Ushe,Masimba Ushe, Anna Van Ruiten, Grace Venus, Ellena Vincent, Rodney Vubya, Amelia Walker, Rebecca-Daisy Wellington, Laura White,
Teddy Wills, Natalie Winsor, Sophie Maria Wojna, Kevin Yates, Tatianna Young

ORCHESTRA

Violin 1: Grace Butler, Charlie Cole, Miffy Hirsch, Stephen Hussey, Martin Palmer, Jessie May Smart, Corey Wickens
Violin 2: Jemima Clark, Dylan Edge, Rebecca Fagersten, Rosie Judge, Thomas Leate, Alex Prentice, Lāsma Ribule
Viola: Katherine Guerrero, Bridget Mansfield, Katie Perrin, Victoria Stephenson
Cello: Gemma Connor, Dave Hornberger, Hannah Thomas
Double Bass: Will Henderson, Martin Ludenbach
Trumpets: Annette Brown, Tom Harrison
Trombones: Chris Ford, Elliot Pooley
Horns: Dewi Jones, Joe Ryan
Reeds: Olivia Fraser, Chris Hatton, Jack Reddick, Ruth Whybrow
Keys: Ben Ferguson
Harp: Catrin Meek
Percussion: Tristan Butler, Ben Burton

Musical Direction / Vocal Arrangements by Jordan Li-Smith
Orchestrations by William David Brohn
Music Preparation by John Reddel & Luke Holman

Audio mixed by Andrew Johnson
Video edited by Nathan Amzi for The Umbrella Rooms

Produced by Danielle Tarento
Assisted by Mykal Rand


LET THEM HEAR YOU
Music Stephen Flaherty Lyrics Lynn Ahrens


Go out and tell our story
Let it echo far and wide
Make them hear you

Make them hear you
How justice was our battle
And how justice was denied
Make them hear you
Make them hear you

And say to those who blame us

For the way we chose to fight
That sometimes there are battles

That are more than black or white

And I could not put down my sword
When justice was my right

Make them hear you


Go out and tell our story
To your daughters and your sons

Make them hear you

Make them hear you

And tell them, in our struggle,

We were not the only ones

Make them hear you

Make them hear you

Your sword can be a sermon

Or the power of the pen

Teach every child to raise his voice

And then, my brothers, then

Will justice be demanded
By ten million righteous men

Make them hear you
When they hear you
I’ll be near you
Again

Make Them Hear You lyrics © Wb Music Corp.,
Wb Music Corp. O/b/o Pen And Perseverance,
Wb Music Corp, Wb Music Corp.
O/b/o Hillsdale Music, Inc.,
Pen And Perseverance, Inc.,
Hillsdale Music, Inc.