Raw Interview From Actors Fund Red Carpet

It was a pleasure interviewing Annette Bening this week in New York at The Actor’s Fund Annual Gala. Bening was honored along with four time Tony Award-winning producer Kevin McCollum and Chairman and CEO of Loews Hotels Jonathan Tisch. Together the trio have raised over $10,000,000 for The Actors Fund in less than nine months, an impressive achievement given the current state of the US economy.

We asked Bening how the team was able to raise so  much money and why The Actor’s Fund is important. Watch the video above to see what she had to say.

Raw Interview From Actors Fund Red Carpet

We were at the Marriot Marquis this week to celebrate the Actors Fund’s annual gala hosted by Cheyenne Jackson. This year’s gala honored Annette Bening, Kevin McCollum and Jonathan Tisch for their work in raising over $10,000,000 this year for The Actor’s Fund.

Founded in 1882,  The Actor’s Fund is a national human service organization that assists all professionals in theatre, television, film, opera and dance when they need assistance. Currently The Fund is helping more than 11,000 entertainment and performing arts professionals in the United States.

Watch the video above to see what Jackson had to say about hosting this year’s gala.

The Tony Award Winning Ragtime Musical’s Revival begins October 23rd

RAGTIME is the much anticipated Broadway revival appearing at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts . The new production of Terrence McNally, Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty’s Tony Award winning musical RAGTIME, based on the E.L. Doctorow novel and featuring direction and choreography by Marcia Milgrom Dodge.

RAGTIME will begin performances Friday, October 23 and officially open Sunday, November 15, 2009 at the Neil Simon Theatre. Casting will be announced soon.

RAGTIME will be produced on Broadway by Kevin McCollum, Roy Furman, Max Cooper, Roger Berlind, Tom Kirdahy/Devlin Elliott, Jeffrey A. Sine, Scott Delman, Stephanie McClelland, Roy Miller, LAMS Productions, Inc., Jana Robbins, RialtoGals Productions, Eric Falkenstein/Morris Berchard, Independent Producers Network, HRH Foundation and Emanuel Azenberg in association with The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Marcia Milgrom Dodge’s production debuted at the Kennedy Center’s Eisenhower Theater on April 18 and played a sold out limited engagement through May 17, 2009.

Variety magazine called the re-imagined musical “Simply stunning.” The Washington Post raved “Nothing short of heavenly. Looks and sounds so good. Glorious!,” while Bloomberg News said “Explosive and thrilling! Theater-shaking intensity…a vibrant production.”

Based on E.L. Doctorow’s acclaimed epic novel, RAGTIME turns back the clock to the dawn of the 20th century - a time when anything was possible and ragtime music filled the air. New York City was the land of opportunity. A poor Jewish immigrant sells his “moving picture” books on the street. A wealthy Victorian couple welcomes a runaway into their home. A Harlem jazz pianist turns an issue of justice into a revolution. Their personal journeys come alive as historic figures offer guidance and diversion - among them escape artist Harry Houdini, auto tycoon Henry Ford, educator Booker T. Washington, and infamous entertainer Evelyn Nesbit. Together, their stories celebrate the struggle between tradition and independence all in pursuit of the American dream.

The celebrated production team includes scenic design by Derek McLane, costume design by Santo Loquasto, lighting design by Donald Holder, sound design by Acme Sound Partners, hair and wig design by Edward J. Wilson, musical direction by James Moore and original orchestrations by William David Brohn.

RAGTIME originally opened on Broadway on January 18, 1998 at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts. The musical won four Tony Awards including Best Book, Original Score and Best Orchestrations. The beloved Ahrens and Flaherty score features some of the award-winning team’s best-known songs including the title song, “Make Them Hear You” and the anthem “The Wheels of a Dream.”

Photo: www.RagtimeBroadway.com

Ragtime Broadway Tickets Via Broadway.tv/tickets

A White Christmas Comes to New York

We were at Irving Berlin’s White Christmas press event in New York yesterday. This musical will be opening in New York later this month and is set to be a holiday favorite. Click here to see the photos from the rehearsal. Stay tuned for our videofeature with members from the development team and cast. Photos: B. Bank/WireImage.com

Deal Made For Holiday Production

The magic of New York at Christmas time just got a little extra sparkle. News that this Christmas will see the Broadway premiere of Irving Berlin’s White Christmas. The epic feel-good-and-nostalgic musical is epic and filled with Irving Berlin classics. Producers sought and received concessions for the production. The sad news is that this will likely mean no Dr. Seuss How The Grinch Stole Christmas on Broadway this year. Irving Berlin’s White Christmas will play November 14 - January 4 at the Marquis Theatre.

“It’s a quintessential seasonal family show,” producer Kevin McCollum is quoted by AP Monday in announcing the limited engagement. “And hopefully we’ll start making some memories with it.”

Our condolences to Grinch fans everywhere…and congratulations to Berlin fans.

-Broadway Magazine, Broadway.tv