Theater News

Benefits with Friends

Gabriel Byrne, Mariska Hargitay, Peter Hermann, Jesse L. Martin, Susan Lucci, Peggy Lipton, Sherie Rene Scott, Kevin Spacey, and other stars come out for some great causes.

New York City

On Monday night, the Our Time Theater Company, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing an artistic home to young people who stutter, held Express Yourself, a gala benefit at NYU’s Skirball Center for the Performing Arts. Here’s co-host Mariska Hargitay with her sometime Law & Order co-star and handsome husband, Peter Hermann, on his night off Broadway’s Talk Radio.

Joining Hargitay as co-host was another star of the Law & Order franchise, Jesse L. Martin, pictured with former Rent co-star Daphne Rubin-Vega.

Former Mod Squad star Peggy Lipton (center), the evening’s honoree, was accompanied by her equally beautiful daughters, Rashida and Kidada Jones…

Lipton received the award from Scott Bakula, soon to star in Reprise’s No Strings, and his lovely wife, actress Chelsea Field.

A slew of talented people were on hand to perform with members of the Our Time Theatre Ensemble, including the glorious Kelli O’Hara and good pal Sherie Rene Scott, soon to star as the evil Ursula in Disney’s The Little Mermaid…

…Spring Awakening co-stars Jonathan Groff and Krysta Rodriguez, who had a rare Monday night off from their smash Broadway musical…

…former Murphy Brown star Grant Shaud and two-time Tony Award nominee Mary Testa, soon to return to Broadway in Xanadu…

… the great Cynthia Nixon, who won the Tony Award for Rabbit Hole, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama last week…

…and the multi-talented Adriane Lenox, who won her Tony Award for the Pultizer Prize-winning drama Doubt.


On Thursday night, Planet Hollywood hosted a benefit for London’s Old Vic Theatre. Here’s the company’s artistic director, Kevin Spacey, now starring on Broadway in the Old Vic’s A Moon for the Misbegotten with Gabriel Byrne, who starred in that show’s last Broadway revival.

Moon co-stars Eve Best and Colm Meaney were also on hand for the festivities…

…as was actress Mary Stuart Masterston, whose first feature as director, The Cake Eaters, bows at the TriBeCa Film Festival later this week.

Finally, last Wednesday night, City Harvest held its Practical Magic ball at Cipriani 42nd Street. Lending their support to this wonderful cause was the delightful Paige Davis, soon to star in the national tour of Sweet Charity…

…Tony and Emmy Award winner Bebe Neuwirth, who just completed a four-month stint as Roxie Hart in Chicago…


…and the most glamorous woman in daytime television, All My Children star (and Broadway veteran) Susan Lucci.