Cerveris, Morrison, O'Hara, et al Set for 52nd Street Project's 2010 Benefit, 5/10

Spring Sing Think: A Garden Variety Benefit, the 52nd Street Project Gala 2010, will offer a bouquet of songs, with lyrics written by kids of the Project and music supplied by professional artists. The benefit will take place on May 10 at Espace (635 West 42nd St. between 11th & 12th Avenues).

The program, emceed by Martha Plimpton, will feature the work of composers Brian Lowdermilk (HENRY AND MUDGE), Jeanine Tesori (CAROLINE OR CHANGE, SHREK THE MUSICAL) and Tom Kitt (Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize for NEXT TO NORMAL).

Singers include Michael Cerveris (Tony for ASSASSSINS), Matthew Morrison (GLEE), James Monroe Iglehart (currently on Broadway in the musical MEMPHIS), Rebecca Naomi Jones (PASSING STRANGE, AMERICAN IDIOT), Kelli O'Hara (SOUTH PACIFIC, LIGHT IN THE PIAZA) and Greg Naughton (of the band The Sweet Remains).

Jonathan Bernstein is the Director and Kimberly Grigsby is the Music Director. The band will include Grigsby on keyboards and Jeff Potter on drums.

The evening will begin at 7 pm with cocktails followed by dinner and the show. Tickets are $250 and $500 and can be reserved by calling 212-333-5252 x16.

The 52nd Street Project (The Project) is dedicated to the creation and production of new plays for, and often by, kids between the ages of nine and eighteen that reside in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood in New York City. The Project does this through a series of unique mentoring programs that match kids with professional (and volunteer) theater artists.

The Project was founded in 1981 by actor/playwright and 1994 MacArthur Fellow Willie Reale in response to a deepening need to improve the quality of life for New York's inner-city children. Mr. Reale, an actor, playwright, and company member of the Ensemble Studio Theater (EST), used his company privileges to reach out to the children of the neighborhood by creating theatrical endeavors specifically for them. This was done with the cooperation and support of EST and its across-the-street-neighbor, the Police Athletic League's Duncan Center. The Project is now an independent not-for-profit organization that creates over eighty new plays and serves over 115 children every year.

For further information, visit: www.52project.org.

 

 

 

 

 

Photo Credit: Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.