ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER TO PROVIDE LIVE AUDIO COMMENTARY DURING THIS WEEKEND’S BROADCAST OF “CATS!” TO BENEFIT THE ACTORS FUND
Press Contact:
Rick Miramontez / Aaron Meier
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, PLEASE
ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER
TO PROVIDE LIVE AUDIO COMMENTARY
DURING THIS WEEKEND’S
“THE SHOWS MUST GO ON!” YOUTUBE BROADCAST OF
“CATS!”
TO BENEFIT
THE ACTORS FUND
WEBBER’S LIVE COMMENTARY OF THE 1998 STAGE PRODUCTION
TO BEGIN FRIDAY, MAY 15 AT 2 PM ET
New York, NY (May 14, 2020) – The Actors Fund announced today that Andrew Lloyd Webber will provide live audio commentary during this weekend’s The Shows Must Go On! YouTube Channel broadcast of the 1998 stage production of Cats! to benefit the national human services organization that fosters stability and resiliency and serves as a safety net to everyone in performing arts and entertainment, among others.
Webber announced the news today as part of his “Composer in Isolation” series. To see his announcement CLICK HERE.
The Shows Must Go On! YouTube Channel will offer fans two streaming options to view Cats!: the regular broadcast and the broadcast with Webber providing personal insights and memories of the creation of Cats! which has become a worldwide musical phenomenon.
Webber’s live commentary will commence Friday, May 15 beginning at 11:00 AM PDT/2:00 PM EDT. Fans can submit questions to Webber via Twitter using #ALWCats.
Both streams will be available for free on YouTube for 48 hours, no charge or sign up required, and will once again encourage viewer donations to support The Actors Fund and other international organizations.
The acclaimed 1998 production of Cats! which starred Elaine Paige, the original Grizabella reprising her beloved performance, and John Mills as Gus, the theater cat.
The Shows Must Go On! YouTube Channel previous six free broadcasts of Webber’s shows Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus Christ Superstar, The Phantom of the Opera, Love Never Dies, Andrew Lloyd Webber: The Royal Albert Hall Celebration, and By Jeeves have all raised vital funds for those impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.
With shutdowns on Broadway and in film and television, theater, concerts, dance, music and many other areas of entertainment, the need is great and growing, The Actors Fund, the national human services organization that fosters stability and resiliency and serves as a safety net to everyone in the performing arts and entertainment industry. In past seven weeks, The Fund has distributed $10.5 million in emergency financial assistance to 8,558 people in need due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, or more than five times the funds normally provided in a year.
As the emergency with Coronavirus continues to evolve, The Actors Fund has temporarily transitioned to online and phone-based services, which remain available for everyone in the performing arts and entertainment community. These services include: Artists Health Insurance Resource Center, The Career Center, Housing Resources, Addiction & Recovery, HIV/AIDS and Senior Services, Counseling and Emergency Financial Assistance, as well as The Friedman Health Center for the Performing Arts in New York City.
The Shows Must Go On! YouTube Channel, recently launched by UPHE Content Group, has made available a selection of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s much-loved musicals. Each musical will be available weekly for a limited 48-hour period online – no charge or sign up required – giving fans of musical theater an opportunity to enjoy beloved shows from their living rooms.
Alongside full-length shows, clips of famous performances and behind-the-scenes footage will be uploaded regularly to the channel, so fans can continue to get their theater fix at home.
UPHE Content Group. Headquartered in London, UPHE Content Group is a repertoire centre of Universal Pictures Home Entertainment, acquiring and producing multi-genre entertainment for distribution across theatrical, home entertainment, television and digital platforms on a worldwide basis. UPHE Content Group is part of Universal Pictures Home Entertainment (UPHE – www.uphe.com) and is a unit of Universal Filmed Entertainment Group (UFEG). UFEG produces, acquires, markets and distributes filmed entertainment worldwide in various media formats for theatrical, home entertainment, television and other distribution platforms, as well as consumer products, interactive gaming and live entertainment. The global division includes Universal Pictures, Focus Features, Universal Pictures Home Entertainment, Universal Brand Development, Fandango and DreamWorks Animation Film and Television. UFEG is part of NBCUniversal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production and marketing of entertainment, news and information to a global audience. NBCUniversal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, world-renowned theme parks and a suite of leading Internet-based businesses. NBCUniversal is a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation.
The Actors Fund is a national human services organization that fosters stability and resiliency and provides a safety net for performing arts and entertainment professionals over their lifespan. Through offices in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, The Fund serves everyone in film, theater, television, music, opera, radio and dance with programs including social services and emergency financial assistance, health care and insurance counseling, housing, and secondary employment and training services.
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