New York City - Poets have said, if angels had voices, they would sound like a children's choir. Whether you believe it or not, 24 angels descended on the lower east side Monday evening in the guise of the African Children's Choir.

They were guests of honor at a benefit at The Box, 189 Chrystie Street. The Club would be a perfect setting for a Western. It resembles a frontier town saloon, a bar area complete with smoky mirror and beaded chandeliers. And, there is a horseshoe shaped theater. Red is the Club's theme, red lights, red shades. When children aren't performing in the Club, it appeals to a much more raucous crowd.

Twenty-four angels descended on the lower east side.

The first Choir was formed in 1984. They have been sponsored though the 26 year old program, Music for Life, which has been able to educate 6,500 children in seven African nations: Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, Sudan, Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa. In the seven war-torn and famine-plagued countries, education is not free. Most families don't have the money to send their children to school or the children are pressed into helping care for siblings and in some cases parents.

Each year, a new Choir is formed. Members can participate for a year. Then, they must return home and go to school. Their education is completely funded by the ACC. Over the past 26 years, the Choir has raised millions of dollars to educate and rebuild the devastated countries - their mission "Changing Children, Changing Africa!"

On Monday, 150 supportive New Yorkers, a greater variety than the traditional uptown crowd - younger, enthusiastic - filled the club. The women in everything from floor-length dresses to mini-skirts and the men in suits to the studied casualness of pressed shirts dripping over jeans or below sweater waistbands. During the pre-entertainment cocktail party, it was all about touching base with friends or meeting new ones. Once the show began, attention was focused on the stage.

This year's Choir, eight to 11 year old boys and girls, is on the Music for Life's African Children's Choir annual New York City fundraising gala. In fact, at any one time, there are different sets of Choirs touring the globe. This was #35. After New York, the children will perform in Atlanta, Texas, Birmingham, North Carolina.

This year's Choir, eight to 11 year old boys and girls, is on the Music for Life's African Children's Choir annual New York City fundraising gala.

In addition to talent, personality and charm, each member of the choir has lost one or both parents to famine, war or AIDS. Before making their entrance from the back of the club, watching as the children prepared to entertain, one saw a group of curious children, anxious to get on stage so they could show the waiting crowd what they can do. And what they can do is sing in thrilling harmony, give us a taste for tribal dances from several African countries and mesmerize an audience with their joy.

Julia Bennett Tracey, active in the ACC took the stage to introduce the two hostesses for the show, Emmy nominee Connie Britton and "Entourage's" Carla Gugino. These actresses are more than beautiful and talented women who give lip service. They've gone to Africa, visited the children in their homes and the schools and sponsor a child.

Support for the benefit came from a host of Broadway talents. Andy Karl ("Wicked") sang "Change the World." Nikki Renee Daniels ("Promises, Promises") sang the anthem "Home" from the musical "The Wiz." Rhett George ("Memphis") sang "Loving You is Easy," one of his own compositions. Carmen Ruby Floyd ("Avenue Q") sang Stevie Wonder's "I Can Only Be Me." She was followed by her husband J Bernard Calloway ("Memphis") who sang "One in a Million You."

They showed the audience short videos of the devastation and poverty on the continent as well as scenes from the auditions and schools in the Music for Life program. The message is loud and clear. It doesn't matter where you're from. You can change your life and at the same time, change and help others.

Tony and Victor, chaperones and teachers, took the stage to introduce the choir. The entertainment closed with Stephanie J. Block ("Pirate Queen") and Katie Rose Clarke ("Wicked") who sang "For Good" from "Wicked."

If one looked too closely at the club's décor, namely the paintings on the balcony trim in the show room or bar area, it was a collection of somewhat lewd paintings of men and women. Perhaps it was an inappropriate location for a children's choir, but for Monday evening, it was a little bit of heaven.

For more information go to www.africanchildrenschoir.com.