As of press time, those scheduled to take part in the 7:30 PM Sondheim extravaganza also include Becky Ann Baker, John Bucchino, Betty Buckley, Stephen R. Buntrock, Michael Cerveris, Walter Charles, Barbara Cook, Stephanie D'Abruzzo, Jason Danieley, John Dossett, Melissa Errico, Raul Esparza, Harvey Evans, Dame Edna Everage, Mia Farrow, Harvey Fierstein, Merwin Foard, Alexander Gemignani, Annie Golden, Whoopi Goldberg, Blake Hammond, Neil Patrick Harris, Anne Hathaway, George Hearn, Brian d'Arcy James, Jeffrey Kuhn, Judy Kuhn, Rebecca Luker, Patti LuPone, Marin Mazzie, Audra McDonald, Debra Monk, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Ann Morrison, Cynthia Nixon, Hugh Panaro, Michele Pawk, Kurt Peterson, David Hyde Pierce, Tonya Pinkins, Lonny Price, Harold Prince, Alice Ripley, Marti Rolph, Virginia Sandifur, Jim Walton, Brandon Wardell and B.D. Wong.
The event is presented by William Jefferson Clinton and Barbra Streisand. Also presenting the March 21 event are Young Playwrights Inc. and producers Richard Maltby, Jr., Kevin Stites and Sheri M. Goldhirsch. Maltby will direct. All proceeds will benefit Young Playwrights Inc., an organization founded by Stephen Sondheim in 1981.
The show will also feature video segments from Barbra Streisand and the cast of "Desperate Housewives." The creator of the ABC hit, Marc Cherry, has titled each of the show's episodes with a different Sondheim song, including "Every Day a Little Death" and "The Ladies Who Lunch."
Children and Art will also include appearances from members of the original casts of Company, Follies and Merrily We Roll Along, plus a 35-piece orchestra, the 100-voice Broadway Star Chorus and the 60 voice Young People's Chorus of New York.
The mission of Young Playwrights Inc. is to "nurture playwrights aged 18 or younger through development and presentation of their work, to promote the arts as a part of basic part of education by facilitating the integration of playwriting into the curriculum, to develop new work for the theatre, and to serve as an advocate for young people regardless of ethnicity, gender, physical ability, sexual orientation or economic status." A limited number of $150 tickets are now available to students, teachers and theatre industry professionals by calling Young Playwrights Inc. at (212) 594-5440. To qualify, a valid student/faculty ID or theatre union ID must be presented at the box office on Monday evening. There is a limit of two tickets per ID. Tickets are also available at the $250, $500, $1,000, $1,500, $2,500 and $5,000 levels. Tickets purchased at the $1,500 level and above include an exclusive post-show dinner with Stephen Sondheim and celebrity headliners at the Four Seasons (99 East 52nd Street).
For more information visit www.sondheim75.com.
