Watch Cynthia Erivo’s Soaring, Emotional Rendition of “Imagine”

The Tony-winning actor paid tribute to the victims of the Orlando nightclub massacre at the recent GLAAD Awards.

Cynthia Erivo, a Tony winner for her performance in the revival of The Color Purple, performed the John Lennon classic “Imagine” at the 28th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles, broadcast April 6 on Logo.

The song paid tribute to the 49 lives lost in the Orlando Pulse nightclub attack as well as the transgender women who have been murdered in hate crimes.

Actor Jussie Smollett introduced the performance and a table of survivors from the Orlando tragedy who were in attendance. Instead of a moment of silence, he called for a moment of noise to stand up against hate violence, saying, “Orlando was not just a tragedy, it was a wake-up call. We are not safe. We are not accepted. Our lives are in danger. We must end the hate that is spreading, from the senseless killings in Orlando, to the bathroom bill in Texas, to the streets of New Orleans and other cities where eight trans women have been murdered so far this year.”

Smollett went on to thank GLAAD: “It was GLAAD who traveled to Orlando with gun violence victims from around the nation – from Aurora, Virginia Tech, San Bernardino, Columbine, Sandy Hook – to meet with the media, tell their stories, and convince the City of Orlando to guarantee that every single dime of the money raised into the One Orlando fund would go to the victims and families of the Pulse shooting.”

For more information visit glaad.org/mediaawards.

LOVE BROADWAY? CHECK OUT THE NEW ARRIVALS AT THE PLAYBILL STORE!