Carol Burnett and Carrie Hamilton's HOLLYWOOD ARMS Gets Tribute Reading at CTG, 6/22; Jason Alexander to Direct

In honor of the legendary actress, comedian, singer and writer Carol Burnett, Center Theatre Group is hosting a special tribute to the star's late daughter Carrie Hamilton with a one-night-only reading of Burnett and Hamilton's Broadway play "Hollywood Arms," at the Mark Taper Forum on Sunday, June 22, 2014 at 7 p.m. Inspired by Burnett's early life in Hollywood, "Hollywood Arms" will be directed by Jason Alexander and will feature a star- studded cast (to be announced).

The evening will also include a preshow cocktail reception and dinner at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, where Burnett will auction off a one-of-a-kind Bob Mackie hand-beaded top from her personal collection.

Betsy and Harold Applebaum are the Event Chairs, and proceeds from this special event benefit CTG programs that support emerging artists.

Written by Carol Burnett and Carrie Hamilton, "Hollywood Arms" is set in Hollywood, California in 1941 and 1951 and illuminates the heartbreak and laughter shared by three generations of women living on welfare in a dingy apartment. The cast of characters, based on Burnett and her real-life relatives, includes no-nonsense grandmother Nanny; Louise, a beautiful, alcoholic mother determined to be a writer for movie magazines; Jody, an absent father who is struggling with his own demons; and Helen, their young daughter whose only escape is the rooftop of their rundown building, the Hollywood Arms, where she creates her own magical world and dreams of a successful show business career.

Originally directed by Hal Prince, "Hollywood Arms" premiered at Chicago's Goodman Theatre in April 2002 and enjoyed a run on Broadway at the Cort Theatre later that year.

Carol Burnett, an award-winning actress and best-selling author, is widely recognized by the public and her peers for her work for her comedic and dramatic roles on television, film and Broadway, most notably "The Carol Burnett Show." Named in 2007 by Time magazine as one of "100 Best Television Shows of All Time," "The Carol Burnett Show" ran for 11 years, averaged 30 million viewers per week, and received 25 Emmy Awards, making it one of the most honored shows in television history. As a highly-acclaimed actress, Ms. Burnett has been honored with Emmys, Golden Globes, People's Choice Awards, the Horatio Alger Award, an Ace Award and the Peabody. A Kennedy Center Honoree, she received the Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for Humor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, just one block from the apartment building where she grew up.

Ms. Burnett's film credits include playing Miss Hannigan in the film version of the musical "Annie," directed by John Huston, "Noises Off," directed by Peter Bogdanovich, "A Wedding," directed by Robert Altman and "Four Seasons," directed by Alan Alda. On Broadway she starred in "Fade Out, Fade In" with book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green and music by Jule Styne, Stephen Sondheim's musical revue "Putting It Together" (in which she appeared at the Mark Taper Forum in 1998) and Ken Ludwig's farce "Moon Over Buffalo," starring with Philip Bosco.

The Mark Taper Forum is located at the Music Center at 135 North Grand Avenue in downtown Los Angeles. VIP ticket packages, which include preshow dinner and theatre ticket combinations, are currently on sale starting at $500. Single tickets (for the reading only), starting at $75, will go on sale in early June. For more information on purchasing tickets, visit www.CenterTheatreGroup.org/HollywoodArms.

Center Theatre Group, a non-profit organization, is one of the largest and most active theatre companies in the nation, programming subscription seasons year-round at the 736-seat Mark Taper Forum and the 1,600 to 2,000-seat Ahmanson Theatre at the Music Center of Los Angeles, and the 317-seat Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City. In addition to providing theatre of the highest caliber to the rich, diverse communities of Southern California and beyond, CTG supports a significant number of play development and arts education initiatives. For further information, visit www.CenterTheatreGroup.org.