Theater News

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The stars come out to honor Kitty Carlisle Hart and to join in the 2004 Encores! Bash.

New York City

Kitty Carlisle Hart is equally famous as an actress, singer, television personality, arts advocate, and socialite, so the Metropolitan Opera Guild’s Hart to Hart gala — held on Sunday, November 21 at Avery Fisher Hall to celebrate the careers of Carlisle and her late husband, writer-director Moss Hart — drew celebs from all walks of life. Here’s Miss Kitty herself at the dinner held in the upstairs lobby of the hall immediately following the event.

The benefit was co-hosted by the ever loverly Julie Andrews, who starred in the original Broadway productions of My Fair Lady and Camelot, both of which were directed by Moss Hart. (True to her word, Beverly Sills — the other co-host — skipped the party and went home to bed.)




Also on hand for the festivities: Robert Goulet, who played Lancelot in Camelot…

…Celeste Holm, who won an Academy Award for her performance in the film Gentleman’s Agreement, scripted by Moss Hart…

…TV icon Mike Wallace…

…actress Rosemary Harris and actress-arts advocate Jane Alexander…

…and Mario Cuomo, former Governor of New York, with his wife Matilda.

Last night’s Encores! Bash at City Center celebrated the work of the great songwriters Harold Arlen, Marc Blitzstein, Dorothy Fields, Frederick Loewe, and Jule Styne. Afterwards, the concert’s stars partied on the City Center promenade. Surely one of the loveliest ladies present was Anne Hathaway, star of The Princess Diaries and its sequel, who sang two songs in the concert: “It’s a Perfect Relationship” from Bells Are Ringing and “I Wonder What Became of Me” from St. Louis Woman.

Here’s Hathaway again, flanked by Encores! musical director-conductor Rob Fisher (left) and Ward Billeisen, who sang and danced in the show’s ensemble.

Others present at the Bash! bash: Leslie Uggams, who stopped the show with her performances of “My Own Morning” (from Hallelujah, Baby!) and “Happiness is a Thing Called Joe” (from the film version of Cabin in the Sky)…

…the wonderful Karen Ziemba, sandwiched by two of the concert’s other stars, Malcolm Gets (left) and Brent Barrett…

…the legendary Broadway musician/orchestra contractor Seymour Red Press, who received the Leonard Harris Award last evening, pictured here with Debbie Gravitte, who sang songs from Funny Girl and Seesaw in the concert…

…Michael Arden, star of the upcoming World AIDS Day benefit concert version of Pippin, who sang an excerpt from Blitzstein’s Airborne Symphony with Burke Moses…

…Sara Gettelfinger, who sang “Welcome to Holiday Inn” from Seesaw, pictured here with Rob Ashford, the concert’s director-choreographer…

…and the talented triumvirate of (left to right) Kate Baldwin, Rebecca Luker, and Victoria Clark.