Lion King Tour Actors to Star in Philly Ruthless! Benefit

Cast members from the Gazelle Company of Disney's The Lion King, currently playing the Academy of Music in Philadelphia through September 10, will play a one-night-only concert of Ruthless! The Musical to benefit Aids Fund Philadelphia.

"Lion King stand-bys Thom Christopher Warren and Jim Ferris (HarmonyBoy Productions and Metro-Lite Productions, respectively) have sought the help and generosity of the Philadelphia theatre community as well as their own company to produce the one-night-only event. The hit Off-Broadway musical, with book and lyrics by Joal Paley and Music by Marvin Laird, originally played the Players Theatre in 1992 and won several major awards, including Outer Critics Circle and the Drama Desk, and starred Broadway favorites Donna English and Laura Bell Bundy, and as Bundy's understudy, a then unknown Britney Spears," state press notes.

"Ruthless! tells the story of little Tina Denmark, who'll literally do anything to play the lead in her school play. A love letter and farcical send up of Hollywood and Broadway classics; All About Eve, The Bad Seed, Gypsy and The Women, the show pays hysterical homage to a bygone era and is loaded with campy wit and charm!"

Current casting for the Philadelphia production include Warren (The Lion King, Once Upon a Mattress, Harmony) as Sylvia St. Croix, the fame-driven agent; Elyse Wolf (Grease, Leader of the Pack) as Louise Lerman, Kerri Jill Garbis (Grease, Evita, Singin' in the Rain) as Miss Thorn and nine year old Brandy Panfili (Annie, NBC's "America's Most Talented Kid") as Pippi Longstocking wannabe Tina Denmark. Annette Jolles directs and musical direction is by Mark Weissman.

Tickets for the August 21st performance are $35 for general admission and $75 for VIP tickets, which include a post show champagne/dessert reception. All proceeds from the evening go directly to Aids Fund Philadelphia. Call 215-731-9255 for ticket orders.

Photo--Brandy Panfili as Tina Denmark