Pinkins, Ripley, White, Cumming and More Perform in LA Harold Arlen Concert, Nov. 12

By: Oct. 20, 2005
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A slew of Broadway and cabaret stars will perform the songs of the great composer in Hooray For Love: A Celebration of the Music of Harold Arlen, an evening presented by the Actors' Fund of America. Hooray For Love will be presented on Saturday, November 12th at 8 PM at The Luckman Fine Arts Complex (5151 State University Drive).

The concert will feature performances by Ian Abercrombie, Paul Ainsley, Susan Anton, Sam Arlen, Mary Jo Catlett, Loretta Devine (Dreamgirls, Big Deal), Kevin Early, David Engel, John Glover, Ilene Graff (I Love My Wife), Sam Harris (The Life, Grease), Mimi Hines (Funny Girl), Jane A. Johnston, Melissa Manchester, Rod McKuen, Sharon McNight (Starmites), Barbara Morrison, Kevin Odekirk, Tonya Pinkins (Caroline, or Change, Jelly's Last Jame), Henry Polic II, Billy Porter (Grease, Miss Saigon), Alice Ripley (Side Show, Rocky Horror Show), Kevin Spirtas, Sally Struthers, Lillias White (The Life, Once on This Island), Wesla Whitfield,
and Tony Award-winner Alan Cumming (Cabaret, Design for Living), who recently joined the line-up.

With the concert, The Actors' Fund will honor Robert Greenblatt, President of Showtime Networks, Inc with the Nedda Harrigan Logan Award; Cumming will present the award. The evening will be directed by David Galligan with musical direction by John McDaniel.

"With over 400 songs to his credit, Arlen quietly accumulated one of the most impressive catalogs in the history of American popular song. 'Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea,' 'I Love A Parade' 'I've Got the World On A String,' 'I've Got A Right To Sing The Blues,' 'It's Only A Paper Moon,' and 'Let's Fall in Love,' are just some of the standards that live on today and have distinguished Arlen as one of the Great American Composers of the 20th Century. Arlen's compositions have long outlived their original Broadway shows and films for studios like Warners and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer including hits like 'That Old Black Magic,' 'Stormy Weather,' 'A Star is Born,' and his song 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow' he wrote for The Wizard of Oz won the Academy Award for Best Music, Original Song," states a press release. Broadway shows for which Arlen penned music (with lyricists such as E.Y. Harburg and Johnny Mercer) include and Hooray for What!, Bloomer Girl, St. Louis Woman, House of Flowers, Jamaica and Saratoga.

"The Actors' Fund is a national non-profit organization that provides for the social welfare of all entertainment professionals. With a broad spectrum of programs, including health care services, a comprehensive AIDS initiative, supportive housing and a woman's health initiative, The Actors' Fund is the safety net that the entire entertainment community - from film editors and screenwriters, to musicians and dancers -- can depend on. The Fund provides these essential services to over 7,500 people yearly with the same indomitable spirit that they have demonstrated for over 120 years."

Tickets range from $40 to $250 (sponsorship packages are also available) and can be ordered by calling 323-933-9266 x35 or visiting the Luckman Box office). Balcony seats, which are $40, are extremely limited.

For more information about The Fund, call 323.933.9244 or visit www.actorsfund.org.

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