Busch, Stritch, Etc. Set for Love N' Courage Benefit, 2/12

Theater for the New City will present "Love 'N Courage," the 4th annual benefit for Theater for the New City's Emerging Playwrights Program.

Hosted by playwright and actor Charles Busch, and featuring Elaine Stritch, this year's benefit takes place at the beautiful National Arts Club (15 Gramercy Park South), on Monday, February 12, with cocktails beginning at 6:30pm, followed by dinner and performances.

Emcee Busch (The Tale of the Allergist's Wife, Vampire Lesbians of Sodom) will host and sing.  Legendary Tony Award-winner Stritch (Company, Sail Away, Elaine Stritch at Liberty) will read a selection from a new play.

Celebrated actors Tammy Grimes, Eli Wallach and Anne Jackson are also scheduled to appear. Ben Harburg will perform the songs of his grandfather, legendary composer Yip Harburg (Finian's Rainbow, Bloomer Girl and The Wizard of Oz).

Selected scenes from Theater for the New City's current season will showcase the works of recently discovered artists, including the sexy ballet company The Love Show, who will perform an excerpt from their show Nutcracker: Rate R. The evening will also feature scenes from Laurel Hessing's new musical The Further Adventures of Uncle Wiggily: The Windblown Visitors, with music by Arthur Abrams. The benefit will conclude with an open-mic piano bar and sing-a-long accompanied by Abrams.

Celebrating its 35th year, Theatre for the New City is a long-running bastion for new theatrical works. Often, talented emerging playwrights find themselves competing for funding with more established writers; Theater for the New City's mission is to offer "love and encouragement" to these struggling artists with its Emerging Playwrights Program, established in 1971.

The Emerging Playwrights Program represents 60 percent of the nearly 40 new plays produced annually by Theater for the New City, giving playwrights a professional forum in which to experiment and develop as theater artists, and introducing fresh ideas and energy into the mainstream of American playwriting.

Through the Emerging Playwrights Program, up-and-coming writers meet and have access to experienced designers, directors and performers. The emerging playwright is surrounded by dedicated professionals in an atmosphere of high standards and supportive collaboration. Theater for the New City has an open-door policy towards new work -- considering plays of any style, genre and political thrust -- and reading every script submitted. The company also produces and commissions plays by some of the better-known American playwrights such as Maria Irene Fornes, Rosalyn Drexler, Sam Shepard, Ronald Tavel, Amlin Gray and Harry Kondoleon.

The benefit will be held at The National Arts Club (15 Gramercy Park South) on Monday, February 12; cocktails begin at 6:30pm; dinner at 7:00pm, followed by performances at 8:00pm. Tickets are $125. For reservations and additional information, please call 212-254-1109 or visit www.theaterforthenewcity.net.

Photo - Elaine Stritch