Broadway Monday

The Philanthropic Hearts on Broadway

Today's feature is a bit different in that I would like to bring attention to the giving and loving hearts of the Broadway community. Any given month it is easy to find a number of benefits being presented for various causes starring Broadway talents devoting and volunteering themselves on their precious one day off. You may remember my post earlier this year when I was fortunate enough to attend "Defying Inequality" a benefit for marriage equality. The spirit that embodied that show is the same attitude of giving that happens many times during the year for a variety of causes and celebrations.

In the next week, the past and present stars of Broadway pull out all the stops in a number of benefits and celebrations throughout the city. Here are just a few:

Nothing Like A Dame at New World Stages
The "all-new" Nothing Like a Dame concert, billed as "an intimate benefit concert event for The Phyllis Newman Women's Health Initiative," plays Off-Broadway's New World Stages June 15 at 7:30 PM.
The starry "Dames" include Tony Award winners Betty Buckley, Audra McDonald and Bebe Neuwirth; three-time Tony nominee Kelli O'Hara; 9 to 5 star Stephanie J. Block; and original Annie, Andrea McArdle. Guys and Dolls' Nick Adams is also part of the evening.
(I love that our friend Nick is the only guy performing in the "dame" concert!)
For tickets, priced $75, $150 and $250, call (212) 221-7300, ext. 133. Visit www.actorsfund.org for more information. New World Stages is located in Manhattan at 340 West 50th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues.

Come Rain or Come Shine: Celebrating the Songs of Johnny Mercer
Come Rain or Come Shine: Celebrating the Songs of Johnny Mercer is the title of the June 15 concert to benefit Greenwich House Music School.
The 8 PM concert at Off-Broadway's Cherry Lane Theatre boasts the talents of Tony Award winner Christine Ebersole as well as Klea Blackhurst, Jim Caruso, Billy Stritch and jazz violinist Aaron Weinstein.
All proceeds from the event benefit Greenwich House Music School's music education programs and assist with facility upgrades.
Tickets, priced $75, $100 and $250 (includes post-event champagne reception with the artists), will go on sale May 15 by calling (212) 991-0003, ext. 403. Sponsorships are also available by visiting www.greenwichhouse.org/rainorshine or by calling (212) 991-0003, ext. 400.

Theodore Bikel: The First 85 Years
Theodore Bikel: The First 85 Years celebrates the actor's rich career devoted to art and activism June 15 at Carnegie Hall.
The 7:30 PM concert in the Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage boasts the talents of emcee Alan Alda, Arlo Guthrie, Noel Paul Stookey and Peter Yarrow, Tom Paxton, Susan Werner, David Amram, Judy Kaye, Beyond the Pale, Artie Butler, Patricia Conolly, David Krakauer, Hankus Netsky, Sarah Horowitz, Serendipity 4 (Shura Lipovsky, Merima Kljuco, Tamara Brooks and Bikel) and Michael Wex.
Proceeds benefit Juvenile Law Center, which works to protect children's rights and interests in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems.
For tickets, priced $30-$500, visit www.jlc.org./bikel. Carnegie Hall, Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage is located at 57th Street and Seventh Avenue in New York City.

Broadway Bares 19.0 "CLICK IT!"
Broadway's hottest boiz are grabbing their hard drives and the grlz are ready to play with some brand new software for what is sure to be a Broadway Bares that will fry more than your mother board. BROADWAY BARES 19.0 will have over 200 of Broadway's hottest dancers bringing the information superhighway to life and will surely have all of New York a"twitter."
BROADWAY BARES 19.0 "CLICK IT!" will be held on Sunday, June 21 with two performances only (9:30 PM & Midnight) at Roseland Ballroom (239 West 52nd Street). BROADWAY BARES 19.0 "CLICK IT!" is produced by and benefits Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights AIDS.
This organization is probably the best know in the Broadway community for fundraising as they tirelessly work all year round to raise money and awareness for AIDS. It's hard to find an event or feature that isn't connected to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. It's amazing.