Heiress Productions Donates Proceeds to The Lustgarten Foundation

Heiress Productions (www.heiressproductions.org), a not-for-profit theatre company dedicated to raising awareness and funds for cancer organizations through live performance, is pleased to announce that on March 19th, 2011 proceeds from the company's recent run of Critical Mass by Joanne Sydney Lessner were presented to The Lustgarten Foundation, the nation's largest private funder of pancreatic cancer research based in Bethpage, New York.

Heiress Productions was honored to donate to such a dedicated and worthwhile organization. The Lustgarten Foundation supports research for better diagnostics and treatments for pancreatic cancer. One hundred percent of all donations to the foundation directly support pancreatic cancer research. Lustgarten Foundation Events Director, Ann Walsh, said, "Proceeds from community events such as the recently designated performances of Critical Mass add important dollars to research aimed at finding better treatments and a cure for pancreatic cancer, the nation's fourth leading cause of cancer deaths. We are proud to partner with Heiress Productions in the fight against this disease."

Critical Mass, by Joanne Sydney Lessner, was the winner of Heiress Productions' first playwriting competition. The play is a hilarious revenge comedy about two opera critics who are forced to reexamine their priorities when a tenor, whose career they ruined, moves in with them. The premiere of Critical Mass ran October 22 - November 7, 2010 at The Lion Theatre at Theatre Row. For more information on Critical Mass or Joanne Sydney Lessner please go to www.heiressproductions.org or www.joannelessner.com .

Heiress Productions (www.heiressproductions.org) is a not-for-profit organization committed to raising cancer awareness and funds through entertaining and inspirational professional theatre productions. The company produced Lunch Hour by Jean Kerr in May 2007, James Sherman's farce Affluenza! in March 2008, Three Movements by Martin Zimmerman in October 2008, Mark Dunn's Belles: A play in two acts and forty-five phone calls in March 2009, and Critical Mass by Joanne Sydney Lessner in October 2010. The mission of Heiress Productions is to raise awareness and funds for all forms of cancer. Featured Cancer Partners, who receive a percentage of ticket sales income, are chosen for each production and have included: Gilda's Club NYC, Miracle House, UsTOO International Prostate Cancer Education and Support Network, Joe's House, and Lustgarten.

The Lustgarten Foundation (www.lustgarten.org) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to advancing scientific and medical research related to the diagnosis, treatment, cure and prevention of pancreatic cancer. One hundred percent of all donations received to the Foundation directly support pancreatic cancer research.

*Pictured (left to right)- Morgan Baker (Heiress Productions Board of Directors), Mary Willis White (Co-founder Heiress Productions), Ann Walsh (Events Director of The Lustgarten Foundation), Kevin Ryan (Heiress Productions Board of Directors).