Roman Banks, star of the First National Tour of the Tony Award®-winning musical, MJ, to Perform National Anthem for NASCAR Xfinity Series Street Race
Today, NASCAR announced that it will partner with Broadway In Chicago to kick off the Chicago Street Race Weekend with a special national anthem performance by theater star Roman Banks prior to The Loop 121 NASCAR Xfinity Series event. Banks was recently announced to play the title role of ‘Michael Jackson’ in the first national tour of MJ. The Tony Award®-winning new musical centered around the making of the 1992 Dangerous World Tour begins a tour of its own in Chicago at the James M. Nederlander Theatre from Aug. 1 – Sept. 2.
“For NASCAR, this weekend is really about celebrating all-things-Chicago, of which its internationally renowned theater community is a quintessential part,” said Julie Giese, Chicago Street Race President. “Much in the same way that the Chicago Street Race is drawing visitors from every corner of the globe, Broadway In Chicago has helped to drive global tourism to this city with its roster of world-class productions, and we are proud to partner with them to help make Chicago the star of the show this Fourth of July weekend.”
To download logos for Broadway In Chicago and the Chicago Street Race, click here. To download assets for MJ and Roman Banks, click here.
Banks is set to perform the national anthem live in advance of the Xfinity Series’ inaugural The Loop 121 street race, which will be broadcast nationally on USA network at 4 p.m. local time on Saturday, July 1. He became the first person of color to play Evan in Dear Evan Hansen, on Broadway and is also an alumnus of the Disney+ series “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series.”
“It’s a dream come true to lead the first national company of MJ and, especially, to play our opening night in Chicago this August,” said Banks. “I’m so excited to celebrate that opportunity with my return to Chicago for the first-ever NASCAR Chicago Street Race Weekend. The city’s energy is electric surrounding both our show and the race, and I’m thrilled to keep that spirit going!”
To learn more about Broadway In Chicago, visit broadwayinchicago.com.
Chicago Street Race
As part of NASCAR’s 75th anniversary season, the first-ever Chicago Street Race Weekend will feature the NASCAR Cup Series’ Grant Park 220 and NASCAR Xfinity Series’ The Loop 121 competing on a 12-turn, 2.2-mile street course, along with full-length concerts by The Chainsmokers and Miranda Lambert with the support of The Black Crowes and Charley Crockett over Fourth of July Weekend on July 1-2.
General admission and reserved tickets are on sale for the Chicago Street Race. Two-day general admission tickets start at $269 and reserved tickets that offer an array of opportunities including reserved seating and a wide variety of premium experiences start at $465. To purchase tickets, fans can log onto NASCARChicago.com or call 1-888-629-7223.
The Grant Park 220 will be nationally broadcast on NBC on Sunday, July 2 at 5:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. CT and The Loop 121 will be broadcast nationally on USA Network at 5:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. CT.
To stay up to date with the Chicago Street Race, fans can subscribe to receive exclusive Chicago Street Race emails, follow @NASCARChicago on Twitter and Facebook and download the NASCAR Tracks App for the latest real-time updates on all aspects of the event.
About Broadway In Chicago
Broadway In Chicago was created in July 2000 and over the past 23 years has grown to be one of the largest commercial touring homes in the country. A Nederlander Presentation, Broadway In Chicago lights up the Chicago Theater District entertaining up to 1.7 million people annually in five theatres. Broadway In Chicago presents a full range of entertainment, including musicals and plays, on the stages of five of the finest theatres in Chicago’s Loop including the Cadillac Palace Theatre, CIBC Theatre, James M. Nederlander Theatre, and just off the Magnificent Mile, the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place and presenting Broadway shows at the Auditorium Theatre.
For more information, visit: www.BroadwayInChicago.com
Follow @broadwayinchicago on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok @broadwaychicago on Twitter #broadwayinchicago
About MJ
He is one of the greatest entertainers of all time. Now, Michael Jackson’s unique and unparalleled artistry comes to cities across the United States as MJ, the multi-Tony Award®-winning new musical centered around the making of the 1992 Dangerous World Tour, begins a tour of its own. Created by Tony Award®-winning Director/Choreographer Christopher Wheeldon and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage, MJ goes beyond the singular moves and signature sound of the star, offering a rare look at the creative mind and collaborate spirit that catapulted Michael Jackson into legendary status. MJ continues its acclaimed Broadway run at the Neil Simon Theatre in New York City and the West End premiere is set for March 2024 at London’s Prince Edward Theatre.
About Chicago Street Race
The Chicago Street Race is the first-ever NASCAR Cup Series street race. Located in downtown Chicago, the event will take competitors past and through many of the city’s most renowned downtown landmarks on Michigan Avenue, South Columbus Drive, South Lake Shore Drive and the start-finish line near Buckingham Fountain. The Cup Series will be joined by the NASCAR Xfinity Series as part of a one-of-a-kind sports and entertainment festival headlined by Miranda Lambert, The Chainsmokers, Charley Crockett, and The Black Crowes over the Fourth of July Weekend on July 1-2, 2023. For more information, visit NASCARChicago.com.
About NASCAR
Celebrating its 75th Anniversary in 2023, the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States and owner of 16 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities. NASCAR sanctions races in three national series (NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™, and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series™), four international series (NASCAR Brasil Sprint Race, NASCAR Mexico Series, NASCAR Pinty’s Series (Canada), NASCAR Whelen Euro Series), four regional series (ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East & West and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour) and a local grassroots series (NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series). The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. NASCAR also owns Motor Racing Network, Racing Electronics, and ONE DAYTONA. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races annually in 12 countries and more than 30 U.S. states. For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat (‘NASCAR’).