FOLLIES Reunion - Ballard, McKechnie, Montevecchi to Star in 'From Broadway with Love'; Jay-Alexander Directs

Hollywood and Broadway legends Kaye Ballard, Donna McKechnie and Liliane Montevecchi will star in a one-night-only gala performance "From Broadway with Love" at the historic Lensic Performing Arts Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The Broadway performance will benefit Animal Protection of New Mexico, a non-profit organization that has been challenging historic and widespread animal cruelty in New Mexico for more than 30 years. Hilary Knight, internationally renowned illustrator, will design the art for the event.

Directed by Richard Jay-Alexander, "From Broadway with Love" will reunite Ballard, McKechnie, and Montevecchi since performing in Stephen Sondheim's "Follies" in 1998. The show will begin with Ballard, McKechnie and Montevecchi performing together with music, comedy and dance. It will continue with individual performance, and they will reunite in the show's finale. The musical director for the special event will be Christopher Marlowe. 

Ballard starred on Broadway in "Gypsy," "Funny Girl," and "Nunsense." She has been in numerous films and has guest starred in a variety of television programs. Her NBC sitcom "Mothers-in-Law" was re-released on DVD in July.

Recently completing "My Musical Comedy Life" in New York and Australia, Tony Award winner McKechnie is best known for her role as Cassie in the musical "A Chorus Line." In addition, McKechnie has starred in numerous Broadway productions including "Promises, Promises," "State Fair," and "On the Town."

Receiving a Tony Award for her portrayal of Liliane La Fluer in "Nine," Montevecchi began her career as a prima ballerina. Inspired by dance, she began a film career in the 1950s only to leave Hollywood for a leading role in "Follies Bergere." Montevecchi's Broadway credits include starring in "Grand Hotel," and "La Plume de Ma Tanta."

"From Broadway with Love" will take place on December 4, 2010 at the Lensic Performing Arts Center, 211 West San Francisco Street, in Santa Fe, NM at 7:30 p.m. Tickets range in price between $35 and $400. The $400 priced seats include a post-show champagne reception and vegan dinner attended by the cast and crew, as well as an oversized autographed print of the playbill cover. Tickets are available at www.TicketsSantaFe.org, or by calling the box office at (505) 988-1234.