Guests Set for Ann Harada's CHRISTMAS EVE WITH CHRISTMAS EVE Benefit

Ann Harada is back as Christmas Eve, the beloved, opinionated, heavily-accented therapist from Avenue Q, returning to make her holiday fantasies come true with the third annual Christmas Eve with Christmas Eve, a benefit for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS on Monday, December 12.

The 7 pm show will be held at The Midtown Theater, 163 West 46th Street in New York City. A limited number of tickets will be available for purchase at the door starting at 6 pm.

Now a holiday tradition, Christmas Eve with Christmas Eve serves up an evening of song and comedy that skewers and pays tribute to the great romantic duets and iconic moments of Broadway. No lyricist will be spared as she re-interprets the modern songbook with the help of some of Broadway’s most talented, hilarious and gorgeous leading men.

Specials guests scheduled to join Harada include Al Blackstone (Wicked), Adam Fleming (Wicked, Hairspray), Jordan Gelber (Avenue Q), Daniel Jenkins (Billy Elliot, Mary Poppins, Big River), Andrew Keenan-Bolger (Newsies, Mary Poppins), Marc Kudisch (The Blue Flower, 9 to 5), Raymond J. Lee (Anything Goes, Mamma Mia!), Telly Leung (Godspell, Rent), Jose Llana (Wonderland, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee), Austin Miller (Hairspray, "Grease: You’re the One That I Want"), Patrick Page (Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark) and Howie Michael Smith (Avenue Q).

Christmas Eve with Christmas Eve is directed by Alan Muraoka with choreography by Mark Myars and musical direction by Gary Adler.

Harada originated the role of Christmas Eve in both the Broadway and London productions of the Tony Award-winning Avenue Q. Her other Broadway credits include 9 to 5, Les Misérables, Seussical The Musical and M. Butterfly. She recently appeared in the Off-Broadway hit Love, Loss, and What I Wore and in George Street Playhouse’s production of God of Carnage. She also was featured in The Actors Fund productions of Chess and Hair. Her TV work includes Lipstick Jungle, Cashmere Mafia, Johnny and the Sprites and The Electric Company.

Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS is one of the nation’s leading industry-based, nonprofit AIDS fundraising and grant-making organizations. By drawing upon the talents, resources and generosity of the American theatre community, since 1988 BC/EFA has raised more than $195 million for essential services for people with AIDS and other critical illnesses across the United States. BC/EFA awards annual grants to more than 400 AIDS and family service organizations nationwide and is also the major supporter of seven programs at The Actors Fund, including the HIV/AIDS Initiative, the Phyllis Newman Women’s Health Initiative and the Al Hirschfeld Free Health Clinic.

For more information, visit broadwaycares.org, follow us at twitter.com/BCEFA or like us at facebook.com/BCEFA.