Photos: Inside UPTOWN MAMAS: A Benefit For Moms In Need

Uptown Mamas: A Benefit for Moms in Need, created and produced by Kailee Graham, took the stage at The Green Room 42 on Mother’s Day, May 11, 2025, playing to a sold-out crowd. Check out photos from the event.

The cast featured Sara Jean Ford (The Phantom of the Opera), Kailee Graham (NYMF), Michelle Dawson (Mamma Mia), Jennafer Newberry (Wicked), Laura D'Andre (The Play That Goes Wrong), Laura Bergquist (Allegiance), Maggie McDowell (Kinky Boots), Jesmille Darbouze (A Doll's House), Bianca Horn (Peter Pan Goes Wrong), Emily Jewell (Beauty & The Beast), Kristen Gehling (Theatre By The Sea), Maria D'Amato (The Metropolitan Opera), Dimitrie Lazich (The Metropolitan Opera), Alison Mahoney (Evita), Jamie Lee Kearns (Arts Power), Lora Nicolas (The Public Theater), Katie Zaffrann (NYMF), and Sara Wordsworth (In Transit).

Grammy Award winner Ian Axel of A Great Big World appeared as the special guest. The band featured Jodie Moore (Music Director, piano), Sean McDaniel (drums), Anja Wood (cello), Jonathan Dinklage (violin), Adam Kornreich (guitar), and Richard Hammond (bass). The production was directed by Laura Brandel, with music direction by Jodie Moore, and produced by husband-and-wife team Kailee Graham and Jonathan Dinklage. 

The event raised over $2,600 for Safe Horizon’s Uptown Domestic Violence Shelter, providing crucial support for families in crisis. While Uptown Mamas was designed to uplift and support moms in need, it also celebrated the resilience and talent of NY artist mothers—proving that even amidst the exhaustion and demands of parenthood, they can still step onto a stage at 9:30 PM and deliver unforgettably profound performances.

Photo Credit: Mike Moise

2026 Theater Fans' Choice Awards - Live Stats

Best Lead Performer in a Musical - Top 3

1. LJ Benet - The Lost Boys, A New Musical

16.1% of votes

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