Broadway Star Ta’Nika Gibson to Perform for Square One Children

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield native and singer-actress Ta’Nika Gibson, will treat the preschoolers at Square One to a private performance and holiday sing-along.

Prompted by the children’s newfound interest in opera, Gibson will visit Square One’s Tommie Johnson Child & Family Center, 255 King St., Springfield, on Tuesday, Dec. 19 at 10 a.m. to perform for the children.

A graduate of the MacDuffie School, New York University, and Eastman School of Music, Gibson is best known for her roles in Iron Fist (2017), The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty (2022), and Bull (2016) before making her Broadway debut in Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations.

Gibson has openly shared the story of her abusive childhood, and she attributes much of her success to the love and support she received later in life from her adoptive family. She now actively works with You Gotta Believe, a nonprofit organization that works to find adoptive families for older youth in foster care — who often have the hardest time finding a forever home — by strengthening their connections with supportive adults they already know.

Gibson’s background and her upcoming visit align with Square One’s mission and vision. Whether teaching children to read and write, inspiring an appreciation of fine arts, providing a nourishing meal, or developing a healthy love of play, Square One is driven by its vision of a bright future for all children, no matter what circumstances their families are experiencing.