Archived entries for benefit

Announcing: Richard M. Sherman, Kerry O’Malley, Bruce Vilanch & More Join ‘One Starry Night’ Benefit 1/13/14

ACADEMY AWARD-WINNER RICHARD M. SHERMAN, BRUCH VILANCH, BROADWAY’S KERRY O’MALLEY
AND MORE JOIN CAST OF

ONE STARRY NIGHT
Hollywood and Broadway Stars Come Together to Fight ALS
at The Pasadena Playhouse

One Night Only Benefit Performance
Monday, January 13, 2014 at 8pm

One Starry Night: Sherman-OMalley-VilanchCo-Producers Juliana Hansen and Jonathan White will present a one night only benefit performance, ONE STARRY NIGHT: Hollywood and Broadway Come Together to Fight ALS, on Monday, January 13, 2014 at 8pm, hosted by The Pasadena Playhouse. The evening will also include a silent auction (beginning at 7pm) and VIP post-show meet-and-greet. Proceeds will provide critical funding for The ALS Association Golden West Chapter’s mission priorities in care services, public policy, and cutting-edge global research toward treatments and cure.

Joining the cast of ONE STARRY NIGHT will be Richard M. Sherman (two-time Academy Award-winner for Best Song and Best Score of Mary Poppins, who is being portrayed by Jason Schwartzman in the just-released Disney film Saving Mr. Banks), Kerry O’Malley, Amy Paffrath, Barry Pearl, Drew Seeley, Daniel Tatar, and Bruce Vilanch. Directed by Grammy Award-nominee Bruce Kimmel, with musical direction and orchestrations by Richard Allen, the evening will also feature performances by the previously announced (in alphabetical order) Obba Babatunde, James Barbour, Kay Cole, Daisy Eagan, Crow Garrett, Ilene Graff, Juliana Hansen, Melora Hardin, Jean Louisa Kelly, Jason and Nolan Livesay, Gary Morgan and The Flying Morgans, James Mulligan, Reagan Pasternak, Jonathan Pendragon, Joan Ryan, Rex Smith, and Terri White. The evening will also feature special appearances by Terri Ivens, Kate Linder, and Charlene Tilton.

ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. People with ALS eventually lose the ability to initiate and control muscle movement, which often leads to total paralysis and death within two to five years of diagnosis. For unknown reasons, veterans are twice as likely to develop ALS as the general population. There is no cure, and only one drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration modestly extends survival.

The mission of The ALS Association is to lead the fight to treat and cure ALS through global research and nationwide advocacy while also empowering people with Lou Gehrig’s disease and their families to live fuller lives by providing them with compassionate care and support. By leading the way in global research, providing assistance for people with ALS through a nationwide network of chapters, coordinating multidisciplinary care through certified clinical care centers, and fostering government partnerships, The ALS Association builds hope and enhances quality of life while aggressively searching for new treatments and a cure. The Golden West Chapter serves people with ALS and their families in 31 counties throughout California and in the state of Hawaii. For more information visit www.alsagoldenwest.org.

With generous media sponsorship from the Pasadena Independent, ONE STARRY NIGHT: Hollywood and Broadway Coming Together to Fight ALS will take place on Monday, January 14, 2014 at 8pm at The Pasadena Playhouse, 39 S. El Molino Avenue, in Pasadena, 91101. Tickets prices range from $25—$100, with premium seating available at $250. The VIP post-show meet and greet is available for an additional $75. To purchase online go to www.PasadenaPlayhouse.org/onestarrynight. Tickets are also available via phone at (626) 356-7529 and in person at The Pasadena Playhouse box office (visit website for hours).

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12-19-13

Announcing: A Relief Benefit Concert for the Philippines — December 18 at the Pasadena Playhouse

A RELIEF BENEFIT CONCERT
FOR THE PHILIPPINES
AT THE PASADENA PLAYHOUSE

PROCEEDS TO SUPPORT THE AMERICAN RED CROSS
PRODUCED BY PATTY ONAGAN AND RONN GOSWICK
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2013 AT 7:30PM

A Relief Benefit Concert for the Philippines at The Pasadena PlayhouseIn response to the devastating typhoon and its aftermath in the Philippines, producers Patty Onagan and Ronn Goswick have announced A Relief Benefit Concert for the Philippines at The Pasadena Playhouse, a one-night-only event on Wednesday, December 18 at 7:30pm. Proceeds will support the American Red Cross’ Typhoon Appeal and its efforts to assist overseas as the people of the Philippines begin to recover and rebuild.

A sparkling who’s who of Los Angeles and Broadway talent will be coming together to show their support, entertain, and help raise money to assist with relief efforts in the Philippines. The performers, in alphabetical order, include Joan Almedilla (Les Misérables/Miss Saigon), Michael Arden (bare: a rock musical/FX Network’s Anger Management), Sharon Catherine Blanks (Dreamgirls) and Billy Blanks, Jr. (Fame), Yvette Cason (Dreamgirls), LaVance Colley (Smokey Joe’s Cafe), Loretta Devine (Dreamgirls/ABC-TV’s Grey’s Anatomy), Danny Gurwin (The Scarlet Pimpernel/Little Women), Cliffton Hall and Deedee Magno Hall (Wicked), Sam Harris (The Life/The Producers), Dawnn Lewis (Sister Act: The Musical/NBC-TV’s A Different World), Andy Mientus (Spring Awakening/Les Misérables), Nicole Parker (Funny Girl/Wicked), Jennifer Paz and Anthony Federov (Miss Saigon/Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat), Valerie Perri (Evita/Gypsy/Man of La Mancha), Kelli Provart (Aida), Joan Ryan (Ruthless/TV’s Saved By The Bell), Gwen Stewart (Rent), Lea Thompson (Cabaret/NBC’s Caroline in the City), and Nita Whitaker (cabaret and concert star). All appearances are subject to availability.

Said Pasadena Playhouse Artistic Director Sheldon Epps, “The Playhouse is always honored to support important efforts in our beautiful theatre, and that is certainly the case here. As always, theatre artists are ever generous with their time and talents when there is a great need. It is our pleasure to support that generosity by hosting this valuable event.”

“The devastation in the Philippines is horrific and unfathomable,” said co-producer Patty Onagan. “How can we not do everything possible to assist in the clean-up and recovery?” Added co-producer Ronn Goswick, “We are overwhelmed by the response from the entertainment community. Performers have literally been lining up to join our effort.”

A Relief Benefit Concert for the Philippines at The Pasadena Playhouse will be directed by Jeffrey Polk with (in alphabetical order) Abdul Hamid Royal, Todd Schroeder, Gerald Sternbach, and John Gentry Tennyson serving as musical directors. Tickets range in price from $35 — $100, with a $250 VIP ticket that includes premium seating and a pre-show meet and greet with the performers. Tickets can be purchased online at www.PasadenaPlayhouse.org, by calling (626) 356-7529, or in person at The Playhouse box office.

The Pasadena Playhouse is located at 39 S. El Molino Avenue in Pasadena.

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11-27-13

Announcing: ‘Sparkle! An All-Star Holiday Concert’ on Friday 12/13 at Acme Theatre will Benefit The Actors Fund

★★ SPARKLE! AN ALL-STAR HOLIDAY CONCERT ★★

ARRIVES IN LOS ANGELES ON DECEMBER 13 AT ACME THEATRE IN HOLLYWOOD

PROCEEDS BENEFIT THE ACTORS FUND

SparkleStar-studded holiday benefit SPARKLE! An All-Star Holiday Concert comes to Los Angeles for the first time with an exclusive and intimate performance at the Acme Theatre in Hollywood for one night only on Friday, December 13 at 7:30pm. Proceeds will benefit the programs and services of The Actors Fund.

After four sold-out years in Palm Springs, CA and an additional two years in New York City, SPARKLE! comes to Los Angeles. For this special holiday event, producer and host Scott Nevins has gathered an all-star cast of performers from the worlds of Broadway, television, film, and the music industry to help sing in the season.

Andrew Rannells (Tony Award® nominee for The Book of Mormon/NBC’s The New Normal/HBO’s Girls) leads the impressive list of stars who are scheduled to perform. Also ready to dazzle the crowd are Sharon McNight (Starmites), Ginifer King (Gypsy/Steel Magnolias), Stacey Oristano (NBC’s Friday Night Lights/ABC Family’s Bunheads), Milena Govich (Cabaret/Law & Order), Max von Essen (Evita/Les Misérables), Shoshana Bean (Hairspray, Wicked), Matt Zarley (The Who’s Tommy/Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat), Erin Quill (Avenue Q), Constantine Rousouli (Ghost/ Wicked), Julie Garnye (Les Misérables/Chicago), Emerson Collins (Sordid Lives The Series/Bravo’s The People’s Couch), Blake McIver (Bravo’s The People’s Couch), Lexi Lawson (Rent/In the Heights), and Billboard Top 20 recording artist Kelly King. The show will also feature a special reading of T’was The Night Before Christmas by the legendary Lainie Kazan. Scott Nevins hosts, with Jesse Vargas serving as music director and arranger. The evening is made possible by generous support from presenting sponsors Jim Burba and Bob Hayes.

The Actors Fund is a national human services organization that helps everyone— performers and those behind the scenes — that works in performing arts and entertainment, assisting more than 13,500 people in person each year, and hundreds of thousands more online. Serving professionals in film, theatre, television, music, opera, radio and dance, The Fund’s programs include social services and emergency financial assistance, health care and insurance counseling, housing, and employment and training services. With offices in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, The Actors Fund has — for 131 years — been a safety net for those in need, crisis or transition.

Ticket prices for SPARKLE! An All-Star Holiday Concert range from $35 — $100 (VIP package including priority seating and post-show meet and greet). To purchase online, go to http://bit.ly/SparkleLA2013. The Acme Theatre in Hollywood is located at 135 N. La Brea Avenue, Los Angeles, 90036.

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11-21-13