'A CONCERT FOR HOPE' At Playwright's Horizons 11/24

New York arts community gather for broadway beyond borders: A CONCERT FOR HOPE
Benefiting Metro Area Refugee Survivors of Torture

Stars Scheduled to appear include Mike Birbiglia, Lauren Flanigan, Alison Fraser, Jonathan Freeman, Malcolm Gets, Marie Howe, Sara Kahn, Judy Kuhn, Terrence Mann, Theresa McCarthy, Faith Prince, & Mary Testa with host Martin Morgan and musical direction by David Brunetti.

MONDAY NOVEMBER 24, 2008 AT THE MAINSTAGE THEATER
Playwrights Horizons

Join the International Institute of New Jersey and renowned artists of Broadway and beyond on Monday, November 24 at 7 PM for an evening of music and celebration to honor the journeys of refugees moving from hardship to hope at the Mainstage Theater (416 West 42nd Street). The evening will help raise critical funds for people waiting for services from the International Institute's Survivors of Torture Program.

The evening will be hosted by Obie Award winner Martin Moran (The Tricky Part) and will feature some of New York's most reknowned performers. Moran is scheduled to be joined by Tony Award winner Faith Prince (A Catered Affair), actor/comedian Mike Birbiglia (Sleepwalk with Me), Tony nominee Mary Testa (Xanadu), Tony nominee Alison Fraser (Gypsy), Tony nominee Malcolm Gets (The Story of My Life), poet Marie Howe (The Good Thief), Tony nominee Judy Kuhn (Les Miserables), Tony nominee Terrence Mann (The Rocky Horror Show), opera star Lauren Flanigan (NYCO's Antony and Cleopatra), Theresa McCarthy (Floyd Collins), Tony nominee Jonathan Freeman (The Little Mermaid), and performance artist Sara Kahn. The evening will feature musical direction by David Brunetti.

These stars will offer an evening of uplifting and soul-stirring performances that celebrate the achievements and the inspiring lives of torture survivors who have fled such places as Darfur, Chad, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Liberia.

The event will begin at 7 PM with a reception and silent auction held in the theater lobby. The performance will begin at 8 PM at the Mainstage Theater (416 West 42nd Street).

Items for sale via the silent auction include an etching by artist Mark Tansey, an autographed photo of New York Giant Mathias Kiwanuka, a golf package at Westchester County's Hudson Hills Golf Course, an authentic Indian Rajasthani patchwork wall hanging, as well as other items that will be announced in the coming days.

To preview the silent auction lot items, please visit: http://www.iinj.org/events_upcoming.html

TICKETS: Tickets are on sale now for the event at www.IINJ.org, by calling 201-653-3888 x 129. General tickets are $150 per person ($125 is tax deductible) or Premium ticket are $300 per person ($275 is tax deductible) and includes premium seating, a poster autographed by the performers, and a special gift.

Additional performers will be announced in the coming days leading up to the event. For an updated list of performers scheduled to appear, CLICK HERE.

ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF NEW JERSEY

Since 1918, the International Institute of New Jersey (the Institute) has been the gateway of resettlement for hundreds of thousands of immigrants arriving in America, first as a YWCA program and as an independent non-profit organization after 1938. While the complexions, accents, and native languages may differ from their predecessors, today's newcomers face challenges that are as compelling as ever.

As it has for 90 years, the Institute opens a new world of possibilities for immigrants through an array of programs. It does so by responding to the full range of resettlement needs, including legal assistance on immigration and citizenship matters, English instruction, interpreting and translation, employment training, and individual and family counseling. The Institute also provides an array of services to immigrants and refugees through its Refugee School-Based Services, and Survivors of Torture. All programs aim to accelerate each new immigrant's journey to self-sufficiency.

In addition to helping immigrants navigate the conventions of American life, the Institute conducts conferences and trainings that bring new information about immigrants to leaders in various industry sectors, such as corporations, health care, government, law enforcement, education, and social services. The Institute also advocates for public policies that ensure the fair and equitable treatment of immigrants and refugees.

To achieve these goals it is one of the 42 affiliates of the US Committee for Immigrants and Refugees (USCRI), the largest, non-sectarian, immigrant service network. Highly trained staff members, many immigrants themselves who collectively speak more than a dozen languages, provide these quality services to over 15,000 clients each year. The Institute's staff, board, and constituents believe that immigration is a key engine of the American economy and an inspiration for the American way of life.

BROADWAY BEYOND BORDERS: A CONCERT FOR HOPE is sponsored by:

Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights AIDS