Photo Coverage: Backstage at the Geffen '08

The Geffen Playhouse honored actress Annette Bening and Walt Disney Company's President and CEO Robert Iger during Monday's Backstage at the Geffen, a star-studded event raising $575,000 for the Geffen's Stage for Any Age education and outreach programs.  Bening and Iger were recognized with the Distinction in Theater Award and Distinction in Service Award, respectively.

Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke co-chaired the evening, while talents including Broadway's Mary Poppins star Ashley Brown and The Little Mermaid's Sierra Boggess, along with Anjelica Huston, Julie Taymor, James Cromwell, Dena Delany, Sharon Lawrence, Bruce Vilanch, Jane Lynch and Roma Downey took part in the event.

Doubling the money raised at last year's gala, the Geffen's education and outreach programs will now have the opportunity to grow up to 10 percent next year, giving the theatre a chance to reach children and community members without easy access to the arts, according to press notes.

Following the night's committee dinner, held in the restaurant NINETHIRTY at the W Los Angeles - Westwood, guests were treated to performances at the Playhouse, including a specially commissioned original scene starring Lynch and Cromwell written by Jane Anderson (The Quality of Life).  Dyke then performed a version of "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" while Andrews spoke about working with Carol Burnett and My Fair Lady co-star Rex Harrison.  Bening went on to perform a spontaneous monologue from Romeo and Juliet while accepting her award.

Broadway stars Brown and Boggess performed two Disney classics then closed the evening with a song dedicated to Iger.

And for more from James Sims visit www.simsscoop.com. 

Photos by Lee Salem and Howard Wise. 

Ashley Brown and Sierra Boggess

Bruce Vilanch

Dana Delany

Robert Iger and guest

Julie Andrews

Anjelica Huston

Anjelica Huston and husband Robert Graham

Robert Iger and Annette Bening

James Cromwell and Jane Lynch

Ashley Brown, Dick Van Dyke and Sierra Boggess

Sierra Boggess and Ashley Brown

Robert Iger and Julie Taymor

Annette Bening, Warren Beatty and Dana Delany

Roma Downey, Gil Cates, Dana Delany and guest

Gil Cates

Roma Downey

Bruce Vilanch

Sharon Lawrence

Dana Delany

Dick Van Dyke

Julie Andrews

Julie Taymor

Robert Iger

Ashley Brown and Sierra Boggess