MercyMe, Casting Crowns, Steven Curtis Chapman Top Talent-Filled Lineup for 23rd Annual Night of Joy

MercyMe, Casting Crowns, Steven Curtis Chapman Top Talent-Filled Lineup for 23rd Annual Night of Joy

21 Christian Music Acts to Perform in Disney's Magic Kingdom Sept. 9-10; Tickets on Sale March 25

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla., March 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Christian music's reigning artist of the year, its hottest act and its most-often honored performer will join together with more than a dozen other Christian recording artists -- plus the winners of two Christian music talent searches -- at the 23rd annual Night of Joy, Sept. 9 and Sept. 10 in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050323/FLW015 )

During two evenings of music and theme park fun, a total of 21 acts will present concerts at stages throughout the Magic Kingdom. Night of Joy begins at 7:30 p.m. (after regular park hours) and continues until 12:30 a.m.

MercyMe, the 2004 GMA Music Awards' Dove-Award Artist of the Year, tops a talent-laden lineup that also features Mark Hall and Casting Crowns, who are individually and collectively nominated for more than a dozen Dove Awards, including "Artist of the Year," in 2005. Completing the triumvirate is Steven Curtis Chapman, a five-time Grammy Award winner whose 47 Doves make him Christian music's most decorated performer.

But the artists with award-winning resumes don't stop there. The lineup also features tobyMac, Cece Winans, newsboys, Audio Adrenaline, Nicole C. Mullen and Donnie McClurkin. Among them, they've earned 11 Grammy Awards and more than 60 Dove Awards.

Six other acts are among the nominees for Gospel Music Awards in 2005: Mark Schultz, Tree 63, Matthew West, Big Daddy Weave, Kutless and Further Seems Forever. This year's GMA Music Awards will be presented by the Gospel Music Association (GMA) on April 13 in Nashville.

Rounding out the lineup of recording artists will be Superchic[k], stellar kart and Vicky Beeching.

Exciting News Night of Joy 2005 will feature exciting new elements as part of the event:

As an exclusive for Night of Joy guests, some of the top Christian Music artists performing at the event will debut live performances of music inspired from Walt Disney Pictures and Walden Media's upcoming blockbuster release of "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe."

Walt Disney World and the GMA will collaborate on two events this year. Walt Disney World Entertainment will provide judges for the GMA's 31st Annual "Music in the Rockies" event (July 31 - Aug. 6, 2005); and one of the over-all winners from the Rockies event's annual Spotlight talent competition will come to perform at Night of Joy.

Night of Joy 2005 will also be a stage for the winner of another national Christian music talent search. Kellogg's Gospel Sing Off 2005 is a competition for youth church Gospel choirs -- groups with members' ages 10 to 20 -- from selected cities. Groups will perform during the Sing Off 2005 tour during July, with the winners being announced in August. Teen Gospel sensation Kierra "KiKi" Sheard, national spokewoman for the Gospel Sing Off, will also perform with the winner at Night of Joy.

Something for everyone

As in previous years, the Night of Joy lineup for 2005 is musically diverse, with pop, rock, urban, Gospel and praise and worship. Ten acts will perform each evening.

Tickets go on sale March 25. Single-night tickets are $37.95 plus tax (in advance) and $42.95 plus tax (at the gate, if available). Two-night tickets are $61.95.

Walt Disney World Resort has presented Night of Joy annually since 1983. More than 100 Christian music artists have performed before a combined audience of more than 800,000 people in the Magic Kingdom.

For more information or to purchase tickets for Night of Joy at Walt Disney World, guests can call 407-W-DISNEY or go online to check out http://www.disneyworld.com/nightofjoy .

Just the Facts

* What: Night of Joy at Walt Disney World

* Dates: Friday, Sept. 9, and Saturday, Sept 10.

* Times: 7:30 p.m. - 12:30 a.m.

* Details: 21 Contemporary Christian music acts at the Magic Kingdom. Sept. 9: Steven Curtis Chapman, MercyMe, Casting Crowns, Audio Adrenaline, Mark Schultz, Nicole C. Mullen, Big Daddy Weave, Matthew West, Vicky Beeching and a contest winner from the Gospel Music Association's "Music in the Rockies" event. Sept. 10: newsboys, tobyMac, Donnie McClurkin, Cece Winans, Kutless, Tree 63, Superchic[k], Further Seems Forever, stellar kart, Kierra "KiKi" Sheard and a contest winner from the Kellogg's Gospel Sing Off 2005.

* Ticket Prices: Single-night tickets are $37.95 plus tax (in advance) and $42.95 plus tax (at the gate, if available). Two-night tickets are $61.95.

* On Sale Date: Tickets go on sale March 25.

* For More Information: For more information or to purchase tickets for Night of Joy at Walt Disney World, guests can call 407-W-DISNEY or go online to check out http://www.disneyworld.com/nightofjoy .

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050323/FLW015 AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/ PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com Source: Walt Disney World Resort

CONTACT: Charles Stovall, Walt Disney World Media Relations, +1-407-566-6397

Web site: http://www.disneyworld.com/nightofjoy

EDITORS' ADVISORY: For more information about Walt Disney World Resort, access the Walt Disney World Media Relations media only Web site at www.wdwnews.com; user name: disney; password: magic.

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