The Actors Fund and Michael Childers Presents “Tradition: The Jewish Legacy of Broadway” on Dec 14
Press Contacts:
For O&M
Rick Miramontez / Philip Carrubba
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For The Actors Fund
David Engelman
(917) 281-5976
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, PLEASE
THE ACTORS FUND
IN ASSOCIATION WITH MICHAEL CHILDERS
PRESENTS
“TRADITION – THE JEWISH LEGACY OF BROADWAY”
ONE-NIGHT ONLY: MONDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2015
AT JOHN JAY COLLEGE
FEATURING CHRISTINE ANDREAS, ANN HAMPTON CALLAWAY,
LIZ CALLAWAY, BRIAN CHILDERS, JANICE HALL, BETH LEAVEL,
HAL LINDEN, JANENE LOVULLO, MILLICENT MARTIN, SEAN MCDERMOTT,
DONNA MCKECHNIE, DEBRA MONK, HUGH PANARO, CRAIG SCHULMAN,
GARY SHAW, VON SMITH, BILLY STRITCH AND KAREN ZIEMBA
ALL PROCEEDS BENEFIT THE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES OF
THE ACTORS FUND
New York, NY (September 16, 2015) — The Actors Fund, in association with Michael Childers, will present a one-night only special event, Tradition: The Jewish Legacy of Broadway, a celebration of the great Jewish composers, lyricists and performers who graced the stages of Broadway from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, on Monday, December 14 beginning at 7:30 p.m. at John Jay College (524 West 59th Street). All proceeds will benefit the programs and services of The Actors Fund.
From the roots of Tin Pan Alley, operettas, and most of all, the Yiddish Theatre, Tradition: The Jewish Legacy of Broadway celebrates the genesis and birth of the American musical. Tradition: The Jewish Legacy of Broadway, produced by Michael Childers, with direction by David Levy and music direction by John McDaniel, features a cast of Broadway favorites that include Christine Andreas, Ann Hampton Callaway, Liz Callaway, Brian Childers, Janice Hall, Beth Leavel, Hal Linden, Janene Lovullo, Millicent Martin, Sean McDermott, Donna McKechnie, Debra Monk, Hugh Panaro, Craig Schulman, Gary Shaw, Von Smith, Billy Stritch and Karen Ziemba (artist appearance subject to availability). Additional artists to be announced shortly.
Tickets for Tradition: The Jewish Legacy of Broadway are $75, $100, $150, $250 and $500 and can be purchased at www.actorsfund.org or by calling 212.221.7300 ext. 133. For information on sponsorships which include exclusive access to the VIP cast party, please contact Louie Anchondo at lanchondo@actorsfund.org.
The Actors Fund gratefully acknowledges the following sponsors Helene Galen, Harold Matzner, United Airlines and the New York Marriott Marquis.
The Actors Fund is a national human services organization that helps everyone—performers and those behind the scenes—who works in performing arts and entertainment, helping more than 21,000 people directly each year, and hundreds of thousands online. Serving professionals in film, theatre, television, music, opera, radio and dance, The Fund’s programs include social services and emergency financial assistance, health care and insurance counseling, housing, and employment and training services. With offices in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, The Actors Fund has been—for 133 years—a safety net for those in need, crisis or transition. Visit www.actorsfund.org.
BIOS____________________________________________________________________
Michael Childers (Producer) is one of the Southern California’s most successful producers of charitable fundraisers. He has raised nearly $13 million dollars for AIDS charities, museums, performing arts, and social services in Los Angeles, Santa Fe, and Palm Springs. Michael created the mixed media work for the hit Off-Broadway musical Oh! Calcutta! He was a founding photographer for Andy Warhol’s Interview and After Dark magazines. Other magazine covers include GQ, New York, TV Guide, Esquire, Los Angeles, Elle, Life, London Sunday Times Magazine, and Vogue. Michael’s photographic work is in the collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum, Palm Springs Art Museum, Chiat Day, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center, Laguna Art Museum, Santa Monica Museum of Art, Santa Barbara Museum of Art, Las Vegas Art Museum, the Robert Mondavi Winery Museum in Napa, the Marion Center for Photographic Arts in Santa Fe, the National Portrait Gallery in London, San Luis Obispo Museum of Art, the Chicago Public Library, the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh and the USC Doheny Library. He has received the Lifetime Achievement Award for Hollywood Photography at the Temecula Film Festival, the Los Angeles Film Festival, the Palm Springs International Film Festival, the Provincetown Film Festival, and a Distinguished Photographer Award from the Palm Springs Art Fair. In March 2014 he received the JFS Humanitarian Award from Lily Tomlin. Michael’s star for his humanitarian work is located in front of the Palm Springs Art Museum.
David Levy (Director) is an accomplished musical book writer, lyricist and director whose recent projects include scripting Michael Feinstein’s Great American Songbook starring Michael Feinstein, Liza Minnelli, Jimmy Webb, Jimmy Smits, Jose Feliciano and Rita Moreno, and a concert adaptation of Anything Goes starring Judy Kaye, Rachel York and Gary Beach. He recently directed Hairspray starring John Waters, Mickey Dolenz and Beth Leavel. He has co-authored the book and new lyrics for a stage version of Cole Porter’s The Pirate, at The Prince Music Theatre in Philadelphia. His musical Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde has been seen in numerous regional theatres including The Paper Mill Playhouse. He wrote the book and new lyrics for The Radio City Rockettes Spectacular. For the legendary producer David Merrick, he created a stage adaptation of Jorge Amado’s hit novel Gabriella. He has created and directed specialty concerts and theatrical events for many of the country’s biggest symphony orchestras, including Sophisticated Ellington conducted by Erich Kunzel at The Kennedy Center and Symphonic Irving Berlin at Carnegie Hall, which he wrote and directed. For the Cincinnati Pops, he wrote the script for “Take Me To The River,” a recent PBS television special. Other regional credits include book, music and lyrics for The Wonder Years at The Village Gate, Waiting For You at the Coconut Grove Playhouse, and the Drama Desk nominated Hey Ma…Kaye Ballard. Currently, he is the Executor Producer and creative consultant for a new On Demand film, Dan and Carla starring Sean Young and Vincent Pastore.
John McDaniel (Music Director) is a Grammy and two-time Emmy Award winning Music Director, Composer, Arranger, Orchestrator, Theatrical and Record Producer who is the Artistic Director of the Tony Award winning O’Neill Center Cabaret Conference. His Broadway Music Director credits include Bonnie & Clyde (Drama Desk Nomination, Orchestrations), Catch Me If You Can, Brooklyn (Producer and Orchestrator), Annie Get Your Gun, Taboo, Chicago, Grease, Patti LuPone on Broadway and Company – Original Cast in Concert at Lincoln Center. Television credits include “The Rosie O’Donnell Show” (2 Emmy Awards), “Friar’s Roasts” (1999-2002), “The Tony Awards” (1997-2000 as arranger), “A Rosie Christmas” (ABC), and “A Family is a Family” (HBO). His recordings as a Producer include Annie Get Your Gun (Grammy Award), The Maury Yeston Songbook, Bonnie & Clyde, Brooklyn, Taboo, The Journey Home (Malcolm Gets), and John McDaniel at the Piano (Broadway, Christmas, Compositions and Live at Joe’s Pub). Additional theater credits include Daughter of the Regiment (Opera Theatre of St. Louis), Happy Days (National Tour), and Pirates! (Goodspeed Opera House, Paper Mill Playhouse, Huntington Theatre in Boston, and St. Louis Muny). John has served as music director and arranger for Tyne Daly’s nightclub act and arranged and conducted Donna McKechnie’s critically acclaimed show at 54 Below in New York City. He has performed in concert with Cab Calloway, Shirley MacLaine, George Burns, Al Jarreau, Joel Grey, Carol Burnett and Frederica von Stade, Betty Buckley, and Bette Midler. He has been Guest Conductor for symphony orchestras in San Francisco, Indianapolis, Utah, Buffalo, Colorado, Baltimore and St. Louis.
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