Photos: Drew & Dane's 33rd Annual Festivity Supporting Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS

On Monday evening, Broadway had its holiday season kick-off at Sony Hall with Drew & Dane’s 33rd Annual Festivity, Resilience and Resonance. Check out photos from the event.

The show began with a tribute honoring Tom Viola, Executive Director of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, who is retiring at the end of this year after leading the organization for 36 years.  Speakers included Joe Benincasa, President and CEO of the Entertainment Community Fund and video tributes from BD Wong, Christy Altomare, Darius de Haas, Andrew Keenan-Bolger, and Karen Mason.

Performers included emcee KEVIN SPIRTAS (The Boy Next Door), Chad Doreck (44 the Musical), Amy Weaver (Mamma Mia), Alex Grayson (The Outsiders), David Friedman (Desperate Measures), Samantha Talora, Shawn Moninger, Kelli Rabke (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat), Jelani Remy (Back to the Future), and Beth Leavel (The Drowsy Chaperone, The Prom).  John Fischer served as Musical Director.

Christina Bianco provided a video greeting for the Festivity from Nottingham, England, where she is starring in Cinderella, the Fairy Godmother of All Pantos.  Danny Whitman, Executive Director of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, also made a presentation from the stage alongside Sarah Cardillo, Director of Development.

Drew Desky and Dane Levens of Drew & Dane Productions said, “We could not be more delighted to celebrate our 33rd Annual Festivity and ring in the holidays by raising funds for such an impactful and compassionate organization as Broadway Cares.  They provide such a tremendous inspiration for the entire theatre community, both theatre professionals and fans alike, to open their hearts and voices in these times of need.  What we do together makes a difference, and our hearts and voices resonate more strongly because of Broadway Cares.  We are also incredibly grateful to all the performers in the Broadway community who donated their time to make this enduring tradition a joyous success.”  https://www.drewanddane.com/

What started as a small holiday dinner with five friends on the Upper East Side has now turned into one of Broadway Cares’ largest holiday fundraisers with over two hundred guests at a sit-down dinner and show at one of New York’s premiere venues, Sony Hall.

Photo Credit:  Michael Hull