Theater News

Stars to Shine in Twin Towers Fund Benefits

Bea Arthur
Bea Arthur

More than three weeks after the terrorist destruction of the World Trade Center, benefit performances continue apace. For obvious reasons, the most star-studded of these events are often held on Monday nights. This coming Monday, October 8, will bring two such celeb-fests, and the really good news is that you can actually attend both if you’re a mind to.

HeartSong: The Heroes’ Concert, will have two performances at the Bottom Line on Monday at 7:30 and 10:30, with proceeds going to benefit the families of fire, police, and emergency services personnel killed during rescue efforts at the WTC. Tickets at $75 (general admission) and $200 (VIP “Golden Angel” admission) are available only at the Bottom Line box office, 15 West 4th Street, in return for cash or checks made payable to the Twin Towers Fund. Phone reservations are not accepted, but an extra trip down to the Village to secure tickets in advance may not seem terribly inconvenient when you consider the Broadway and cabaret stars scheduled to perform: The list includes Tom Andersen, Christine Andreas, Bea Arthur, Marnie Baumer, Charles Busch, Ann Hampton Callaway, Liz Callaway, Lea DeLaria, Baby Jane Dexter, Linda Eder, Harvey Fierstein, Julie Gold, Carol Hall, Julie Halston, Judy Kaye, Dick Latessa, Michele Lee, Norm Lewis, Karen Mason, Liza Minnelli, Joyce Randolph, Lee Roy Reams, Alice Ripley, Jay Rogers, Stephen Schwartz, Billy Stritch, Lillias White, and Carol Woods. The musical director for the evening is Dick Gallagher.

According to Back Stage cabaret critic John Hoglund, who is presenting HeartSong in collaboration with cabaret impresario Erv Raible, “This event was put together very, very quickly because there was a need to do something right away to help these people. Harvey Fierstein and Julie Halston are the emcees for the evening, and Charles Busch will be doing his Miriam Passman character. Hopefully, there will be more of these concerts in New York. Other HeartSongs are already set to take place in Los Angeles, Detroit, and Washington, D.C. The idea has really caught on.”

The Bottom Line box office is open 10am-11pm every day; for more information, phone 212-228-6300.

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Patrick Wilson in The Full Monty(Photo: Craig Schwartz)
Patrick Wilson in The Full Monty
(Photo: Craig Schwartz)

If you attend the late show of HeartSong, you can have an incredibly full evening of entertainment by taking in another benefit at 8pm at the China Club, located at 268 West 47th Street. Titled Broadway Rocks!, this one is billed as “a one-night-only performance of classic rock songs” to benefit the Twin Towers Fund. Among the scheduled performers are Deborah Gibson, Ben Vereen, Terrence Mann (late of The Rocky Horror Show), Patrick Wilson (The Full Monty), Rent girl Daphne Rubin-Vega, Johanna Day (Proof), Sarah Litzsinger (Beauty and the Beast) and Max von Essen (who appeared in the recent Broadway revival of Jesus Christ Superstar and is the son of NYC Fire Commissioner Thomas von Essen). They and others will offer music by The Doobie Brothers, Led Zeppelin, Elton John, etc. The evening will be hosted by Darrell Hammond of Saturday Night Live.

Sponsors of Broadway Rocks! include Court TV, The China Club, Poliform USA, Back Stage, Q104.3, Kawai/Pro Piano, and Ultra Sound Studios. All tickets to the event are $25. They may be obtained through Ticketmaster (phone 212-307-4100 or log on to www.ticketmaster.com) or purchased at the door with cash or checks made payable to The Twin Towers Fund. Doors open at 7pm.