FULL CAST AND DETAILS ANNOUNCED
New York, NY (September 26, 2022) – The Entertainment Community Fund announced today that they have partnered with Playbill, in collaboration with Times Square Alliance, to create a one-of-a-kind benefit concert in the heart of Times Square titled “One Night Only” on Saturday October 1, 2022, from 5:00-6:30pm ET. This special concert, part of Curtain Up Broadway Festival, will also stream live on Playbill.com, with audiences invited to make a tax-deductible donation to the Entertainment Community Fund.
Guests are invited to join stage stars and celebrities for a one-night-only celebration of Broadway. Co-directed by Bryan Campione and Corey Mach (Broadway Sings), with musical direction by Joshua Stephen Kartes (Broadway Sings), the concert will invite audiences in Times Square and online to share in song and celebration; all while raising money to support the Fund’s mission of fostering stability, resiliency and providing a safety net for performing arts and entertainment professionals over their lifespan.
“The Fund is proud to team up with Playbill and Times Square Alliance, in the heart of New York City, to celebrate our beloved Broadway community! We can’t wait to welcome friends and fans to join us—in person and online, for ‘One Night Only’—to enjoy show-stopping performances and share in support of our programs and services for everyone in the entertainment industry,” said Entertainment Community Fund President and CEO Joe Benincasa.
“It is an absolute honor working with this incredible roster of friends, colleagues and leaders from across our industry who all know the invaluable work the Fund provides all of us working in the Broadway industry,” shared Campione, co-director of the concert. “Audiences in Times Square and watching at home are in for an absolute treat. The performances (and surprises we have in store) are sure to be memorable moments forevermore, as we look to inspire audiences to support this incomparable organization.”
Each tax-deductible donation to the Entertainment Community Fund will go right to work in supporting programs that foster stability and resiliency, providing a safety net for performing arts and entertainment professionals over their lifespan. To make a donation, visit entertainmentcommunity.org/CurtainUp2022
Hosted by Natalie Joy Johnson (Kinky Boots), special guests include Ann Harada (TV: “SMASH”, Broadway: Cinderella), Antwayn Hopper (A Strange Loop), Bobby Conte (Company Revival), Carolee Carmello (1776 Revival), Christine Dwyer (Wicked), Christopher Sieber (Company Revival), Corey Mach (Kinky Boots), Ginna Claire Mason (Wicked), Jarrod Spector (Beautiful – The Carole King Musical), Javier Ignacio (Company Revival), Jay Armstrong Johnson (The Phantom of the Opera), Jelani Remy (Disney’s The Lion King), Jessica Hendy (CATS), Kelli Barrett (Getting The Band Back Together), Mary Kate Morrissey (Mean Girls), Santino Fontana (Film: Frozen, TV: “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend”, Broadway: Tootsie), TikTok vocal sensation T.3, Jim Hogan (Kimberly Akimbo), Liam Fennecken (U.S. Tour School of Rock), Brendan Jacob Smith (The Simon & Garfunkel Story), with representatives from the Entertainment Community Fund and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.
The “One Night Only” Band includes Joshua Stephen Kartes (Keys/MD), Yayoi Ikawa (Keys), Hiroyuki “Matsu” Matsuura (Drums), Colin Dean (Bass), Andy Buslovich (Guitar), Rachel Lanskey (Strings), Erikka Walsh (Strings), Nick Anton (Cello), Clyde Daley (Horns), Matthew Jermiason (Horns), and Amy Griffiths (Woodwind). Background vocalists include Baldwin Wallace graduates Charles Mayhew Miller, Jillian Kates, Kailey Boyle and Matthew Henry Pitts.
ABOUT THE ENTERTAINMENT COMMUNITY FUND
Supporting a life in the arts
The Entertainment Community Fund, formerly The Actors Fund, is a national human services organization that addresses the unique needs of people who work in performing arts and entertainment with services focused on health and wellness, career and life, and housing. Since 1882, the Fund has sought to ensure stability, encourage resilience and be a safety net for those who shape our country’s cultural vibrancy. Learn more at entertainmentcommunity.org.
ABOUT CURTAIN UP BROADWAY FESTIVAL
Curtain Up Broadway Festival brings Broadway to the streets of New York City in Times Square stretching between 45th and 48th Streets. With over fifteen unique events and The Curtain Up! LIVE from Broadway finale concert (a grand, outdoor event marking the festival’s culmination and produced by The Broadway League) taking place on Sunday, October 2 at 11:00 AM in Duffy Square, and will air live on WABC, all interactive events and performances are live, free, and open to the public. This is the second year that Prudential is the title sponsor of Curtain Up in Times Square, with sponsorship in part by Wagoneer and Audible Theater, and additional support from the NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, Music Performance Trust Fund, and Hotel Edison.
Event organizers will continue to follow the city, state and federal COVID-19 guidelines and will inform the public of any changes to the event protocols or schedule.
Join the conversation about “One Night Only” and Curtain Up Broadway Festival by following @Playbill, @TimesSquareNYC, and @alifeinthearts and using #CurtainUpBway.
ABOUT PLAYBILL
Founded in 1884, Playbill is an internationally known trademark synonymous with theatre and is a symbol of the arts. Playbill Magazine is distributed to every Broadway theatre, most Off-Broadway theaters, and regional theaters and fine arts institutions in over 24 cities across the country. The company’s website, Playbill.com, debuted in 1994 and continues to be the most trusted source of theatre news and information on the web, reaching nearly 2 million unique users per month. Playbill Online boasts the popular subsidiaries The Playbill Store, the online-only store for theatre fans; PLAYBILLder, the make-your-own Playbill site; and Playbill Jobs, the premiere job marketplace for the Broadway industry. Playbill Travel was introduced in 2011, focusing on chartering Broadway-themed cruises and additional vacations worldwide. The newest division, Playbill Events, curates and produces in-person and virtual events annually for audiences worldwide.
ABOUT TIMES SQUARE ALLIANCE
The Times Square Alliance works to improve and promote Times Square - cultivating the creativity, energy and edge that have made the area an icon of entertainment, culture, and urban life for over a century. Founded in 1992, the Alliance keeps the neighborhood clean and safe, promotes local businesses, manages area improvements and produces major annual events with partners including New Year's Eve, Solstice in Times Square and Taste of Times Square. As the custodians of Times Square, the Alliance works every day to improve the quality of life for the neighborhood residents and businesses while driving economic growth in New York City. www.TSQ.org
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