Broadway Stars Raise Money For Talented Kids In Zzak G. Applaud Our Kids Foundation's Opening Night Benefit

Zzak G. Applaud our Kids Foundation Inc. will present Opening Night, its first annual benefit to raise money to sponsor gifted children who are limited due to financial constraints to study music, dance and theatre. The concert will take place on Saturday, January 27 at 5:00 pm at Barnegat High School, 180 Bengal Blvd., Barnegat, New Jersey.

Opening Night will feature Broadway's Marcy DeGonge Manfredi (Phantom of the Opera, Cats), Steve Ross, "the crown prince of cabaret" (Present Laughter), and Tony Award nominee and Theatre World Award winner Walter Willison (Grand Hotel, Pippin, Two By Two), performing alongside talented kids from the Ocean County Arts Center, Marcy DeGonge Manfredi Vocal Studio, Downtown Dance Academy, From a Dancer's Pointe, the Brackman Dance Team, Professional Performance Prep, Project Dance and more.

In 2017, Jodi and Melissa Grinwald, having seen firsthand the positive impact their father, Zzak G. had on so many lives through his vocal talents, and how performing arts education teaches students leadership, teamwork, responsibility, independence, creativity, and increases self-esteem as well as motor and cognitive skills, founded the Zzak G. Applaud Our Kids Foundation in his honor, and the beginning of a local movement was born.

Since not all children in the community have the opportunity to partake in these foundational activities due to financial constraints, the Zzak G. Applaud Our Kids Foundation is dedicated to raising funds to provide scholarships (free ongoing lessons) throughout the school year in vocal instruction, dance, acting, instrumental music, film and audio/ visual training to gifted kids from ages seven to eighteen.

All proceeds from Opening Night will go directly to the not-for-profit scholarship foundation. Canned goods will also be collected to support Fulfill of Monmouth and Ocean counties so that the kids in this program and in the community are nourished and receiving services if their families need them.

Tickets are $12 in advance or $15 at the door, and children under 5 years of age are free. Special pricing is available for groups of 10 or more. Tickets can be purchased on line at https://applaudourkids_openingnight.eventbrite.com. For further information go to https://applaudourkids.org/.