THE MUSIC OF HOPE BC/EFA Benefit Features Music Of Lopez, Kitt & More 5/16

Westchester based theatre company Little Fig Stage will be presenting "The Music of Hope," a benefit concert for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids on May 16th at 8pm and May 17th at 3pm Off-Broadway at The Players Theatre in Manhattan.

The benefit will feature an all teen cast with special guests from the professional theatre community and 20 new songs from a variety of composers and lyricists including Andrew Lippa (The Wild Party), Tony Award-winner Robert Lopez (Avenue Q), Tom Kitt (Next to Normal, High Fidelity), Amanda Green (High Fidelity), Brian Crawley (Violet), and Kim Oler and Alison Hubbard (conceivers of the 2005 Broadway musical Little Women).

Additional music is by Deborah Abramson (associate music director of Spring Awakening on Broadway), Steven Alper, Kristen Anderson, Danny Aquisto, Louise Beach, Sammy Buck, Alan Cancellino, Haim Cotton, Beth Falcone, Michael V. Ficocelli, Ed Goldschneider (conductor of Urinetown on Broadway), Sarah Knapp (who appeared on Broadway in The Scarlet Pimpernel), James Millar, Adam Overett (who appeared on Broadway in The Light in the Piazza), Rose Marie Raccioppi, Peter Rutherford, William Squier, Fred Stark, Jenne Wason, Amanda Yesnowitz, and Clay Zambo.

The cast of the benefit will feature Alec Beresin, Courtney Brown, Lauren Ciubotaru, Chloe Coletta, EJ Couloucoundis, Catherine Donnelly, Maya Felder, Margot Hughes, Casey Hunter, Lara Manbeck, Taina Padilla, Caeley Perrine, Keely Bochicchio-Sipos, and Alexandra Skolnick. Encore Dance Arts, a Westchester based dance company, will also perform during the benefit. Being featured from Encore Dance Arts are Paige Beyer, Samantha Brown, Alex Farrel, Kylie Flynn, Christine Maroti, Alyssa Sankin, Hailey Sauerhoff, and Claire Talty.

The benefit will be directed by Marci Elyn Schein, with choreography by Megan Hawkins and musical direction by Michael V. Ficocelli.

Tickets are $25, and can be purchased online at www.theatermania.com or by phone at 866-811-4111. The Players Theatre is located at 115 MacDougal Street.

For more information on Little Fig Stage, visit www.littlefigstage.com

Photo: Robert Lopez and his wife