Theater News

Passing/Time

Bette Midler, Eamonn Walker, and Ben Foster go backstage at Passing Strange; while John Gallagher, Jr., Daryl Hall, Jesse L. Martin, Mandy Patinkin, Rosie Perez, and Sam Waterston salute Bill Withers at the annual Our Time gala.

New York City

The cast of the Broadway musical Passing Strange has been receiving some celebrated backstage visitors — and none more so than the divine Bette Midler, back home on a break from her hit Las Vegas show The Showgirl Must Go On.

Eammon Walker, who starred opposite Denzel Washington in Broadway’s Julius Caesar, also dropped by to see the show.

Here’s Ben Foster, star of last year’s hit film 3:10 to Yuma, with co-creator and star Stew and co-star de’Adre Aziza.

The Our Time Theater held its annual gala on Monday night, and this year’s event, entitled Lean on Me, honored Grammy Award-winning singer Bill Withers.

Tony Award winner John Gallagher, Jr. and Spring Awakening star Krysta Rodriguez were among the many performers.

Broadway and television favorite Lauren Ambrose was another celebrated guest.

Here’s Ambrose’s Awake and Sing! co-star Ned Eisenberg — a familiar face to viewers of TV’s Law & Order.

The reigning king of Law & Order, Sam Waterston, also came out for the cause.

Here’s longtime L&O star Jesse L. Martin with good pal Rosie Perez.

The multi-talented Daphne Rubin-Vega co-starred with Martin in the original cast of Rent, which is set to close on Broadway in September.

Kathryn Grody and husband Mandy Patinkin — who will come to Broadway for a one-night concert on May 19 — are staunch supporters of the company.

The fabulous Mary Testa showed up on her night off from the hit musical Xanadu.

Mad Men star John Slattery and wife Talia Balsam also attended the gala.

Stage and screen beauty Nadia Dajani was a welcome addition to the event.

Finally, the gala featured a special musical performance by pop great Daryl Hall.