Photo Flash

PHOTO FLASH: Laura Benanti, Marti Gould Cummings, John Arthur Greene, Randy Jones, Steven Pasquale et al. at Very MARY Christmas Benefit

New York City
Tony Award winner Laura Benanti, currently appearing on Broadway in Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, received the Broadway Speaks OUT! Hero Award at the second annual Very MARY Christmas benefit, held on Monday, November 29 at Dixon Place.

Hosted by Marti Gould Cummings, the program was directed by Drexel D Heard II and featured music direction by Kristen Lee Rosenfeld.

Performers and guests at the event included Krystina Alabado, Malan Breton, John Arthur Greene, Scott Nevins, Steven Pasquale, Kate Pazakis, Megan Reinking, Matt Shingledecker, and both The Broadway Boys and The Broadway Dolls.

Proceeds from the benefit go to The Ali Forney Center, which was started in June 2002 in response to the lack of safe shelter for LGBT youth in New York City. It provides short and long term housing, free medical care, HIV testing, mental health services, showers, food, computer access and job training and placement at its drop-in centers in Chelsea and Brooklyn.

For further information, visit: broadwayspeaksout.com.