Photo Flash: LaChanze Joins Brian Stokes Mitchell at Neighborhood Studios of Fairfield County Benefit

Story by Patricia Gay

Broadway star Brian Stokes Mitchell was the featured performer at "An Evening With Brian Stokes Mitchell," a fundraising gala for Neighborhood Studios of Fairfield County (NS), a non-profit arts education program and summer camp for inner city children and those with special needs.

The event was held Saturday, March 17, at The Westport Country Playhouse in Connecticut, and opened with three scholarship presentations by Dorothy Nevas Freedman, a member of the NS board of directors, and a plea by Board Chairman Harold Levine for donations of $5,000 to cover the costs of sponsoring a camper in the summer arts program.

Following an original Flash Mob dance number by NS students, Mr. Mitchell took center stage accompanied by Jeff Colella on piano. He performed a number of songs with his powerful baritone including Broadway classics "Some Enchanted Evening" and "This Nearly Was Mine" from South Pacific, "Where Is The Life That Late I Led" from Kiss Me Kate, the Brazilian standard, "Aguas du Marco," and "New Words" by Maury Yeston. Showing dynamic range, he lightened his tone for "Make Someone Happy" and the beloved Muppets tune, "It's Not Easy Being Green."

Mr. Mitchell then called actress LaChanze to the stage, who was in the audience to support her sister Michelle Sapp, the NS director of marketing and development. LaChanze won a Tony in 2006 for her role in The Color Purple, and was featured in the film, The Help. The pair performed "Wheels of a Dream" from the musical Ragtime, which they both performed in on Broadway.

Dancers from the opening Flash Mob number joined the pair onstage and Mr. Mitchell made a surprising announcement. He said he was so taken and impressed with Neighborhood Studios and its mission to help children with the arts that he too was going to sponsor a camper for $5,000.

His gesture was met with a prolonged round of cheers and a standing ovation from the audience. "Brian Stokes Mitchell is a class act," said Ms. Freedman.

A number of stars had appeared at the gala over the years, she said, but Mitchell was the first and only one to make a contribution to Neighborhood Studios. "This was a great night, with a great performance combined with great generosity from Brian Stokes Mitchell," Ms. Freedman said.

Photo Credit: David LaBianca

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