The Actor's Fund raises $10.8 Million During Special Campaign Led by Annette Bening

The Actors Fund celebrated the close of a year-long $10.1 million special campaign last evening at the Marriott Marquis in New York City, 1535 Broadway. Proceeds from the gala evening brought the grand total raised for the entertainment charity to $10.8 million.

The Actors Fund Special Campaign co-chairs, three-time Academy Award nominee Annette Bening ("Being Julia," "American Beauty," "The Grifters"), four-time Tony Award-winning producer Kevin McCollum ("Rent," "Avenue Q," "In the Heights," "Private Lives"), and Loews Hotels Chairman and CEO Jonathan Tisch, were presented with The Actors Fund's highest award - the Medal of Honor.

The evening began with an introduction and welcome from Actors Fund Chairman of the Board, Tony Award winner Brian Stokes Mitchell. Mitchell introduced the evening's Master of Ceremonies, star of Broadway's Xanadu and Finian's Rainbow, Cheyenne Jackson.

Guests enjoyed vocalist Jessica Molaskey (A Man of No Importance, Parade) and her husband, jazz guitarist, vocalist and bandleader John Pizzarelli, who sang a medley of "Count Your Blessings" and "Seasons of Love" from Rent. The Jets of the Broadway revival of West Side Story (Joshua Buscher, Wes Hart, Alex Ringler, Sam Rogers and Mikey Winslow) performed "Gee, Officer Krupke," with new lyrics by 2009 Fred Ebb Award winner Marcy Heisler, as a tribute to producer Kevin McCollum. Award-winning theatre producer and general manager Emanuel "Manny" Azenberg presented McCollum with the Medal of Honor.

Tony Award winner Phyllis Newman and Emmy and Tony Award winner Bebe Neuwirth both spoke eloquently on the assistance provided by The Actors Fund to everyone in entertainment, and Neuwirth introduced her fellow cast member Kevin Chamberlin (The Addams Family), who performed a touching version of "The Moon and Me" from the new musical. This led into a surprise musical video tribute to Jonanthan Tisch by the Beelzebubs, an all-male a cappella group from Tisch's alma mater Tufts University. Emmy and Tony Award winner Jane Krakowski (30 Rock) presented Mr. Tisch with his award.

Peter Gallagher and Brian Stokes Mitchell sang a hilarious version of Stephen Sondheim's "Agony" from Into the Woods, with special lyrics also by Marcy Heisler, performed in loving tribute to Bening. Guests also enjoyed a heart-felt video from Bening's high school drama teacher, and the presentation of her award by legendary director Mike Nichols.

The evening closed with a performance by multi-platinum selling, five-time Granny nominated entertainer Michael Feinstein.

About The Actors Fund:
The Actors Fund is the national human service organization helping all professionals in theatre, television, film, music, opera and dance. With offices in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, The Fund directly serves more than 11,000 entertainment and performing arts professionals in need across the country, and approximately 1 million more through Web resource programs.

The Fund's programs are wide in scope, responsive in nature, and produce significant results in the lives of those who enrich our national landscape with creativity, talent and vision.

Learn more about The Actors Fund at www.actorsfund.org.

Photo Credit: Linda Lenzi