Amas Musical Theatre benefit on Oct 25 includes concert presentation of "RAISIN"

Donna Trinkoff, Producing Director of AMAS MUSICAL THEATRE, announced the company will produce its second BLAST FROM THE PAST BENEFIT on MONDAY, OCTOBER 25th featuring a 90 minute concert presentation of the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical RAISIN, starring Norm Lewis as Walter, Tina Fabrique as Lena Younger, TONY-winner Chuck Cooper as Willie, and Tamara Tunie as Ruth. Directed by Kevin Ramsey and choreographed by Maria Torres, the cast will also include KENITA MILLER, VENIDA EVANS, PATRICK JUDE, KEVIN R. FREE, CURTISS I. COOK, CORNELIUS BATES, JENELLE RANDALL, STACEY SCOTTE and Juson Williams.

This year, Amas honors Geoffrey Holder and Carmen DeLavallade, as well as Michael Wilk, Partner of Ernst & Young, with The Rosie Award. The Rosie Award is given to individuals who demonstrate extraordinary accomplishment and dedication in the theatrical arts and to corporations that work to promote opportunity and diversity. Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee, co-chairs of the October 25th gala evening and recipients of the 2003 Rosie Award, will join Maurice Hines and Elizabeth Wilson in presenting awards to this year's honorees.

The Blast from the Past gala benefit evening begins at the John Houseman Theatre, 450 West 42nd Street, at 6:15 PM with a champagne reception. The RAISIN concert and award ceremony begins at 7 PM, followed by a dinner and raffle at the West Bank Café for Gold and Platinum ticket holders. Benefit ticket prices range from $100 (pre-show reception and performance) to $450 (cocktails, performance and dinner at West Bank Café.) For tickets, call (212) 563-2565

The musical RAISIN, based on Lorraine Hansberry's beloved play A Raisin in the Sun, was a theatrical landmark event when it premiered on Broadway in 1973. With music by Judd Woldin, lyrics by Robert Britton, and book by Robert Nemiroff and Charlotte Zaltzberg, RAISIN ran for 847 performances, garnered nine Tony Award nominations, winning Best Musical and Best Musical Actress Awards for Virginia Capers. This special Amas benefit evening marks the first revival presentation of RAISIN in New York City since its Broadway run.

During the benefit evening, the second Rosetta LeNoire Scholarship will also be presented to a deserving college-bound student attending Amas' arts education program, The Rosetta LeNoire Musical Theatre Academy.

Amas' Honorary Benefit Committee includes Borough President C. Virginia Fields, Whoopi Goldberg, Rosemary Harris, Maurice Hines, Julie Harris, Celeste Holm, Barnard Hughes, James MacBride, Joe Morton, Christine Quinn, Phylicia Rashad, Anne Kaufman Schneider, Jean Stapleton, Susan Taylor, Leslie Uggams, Elizabeth Wilson and George C. Wolfe, among many others.

The Amas Blast from the Past Benefit is a bi-annual event held to raise funds in support of Amas Musical Theatre's ongoing theatre and arts education programs.

About Amas Musical Theatre

Amas Musical Theatre, founded by Rosetta LeNoire, is a 36 year-old multi-ethnic non-profit performing arts organization, winner of the 1999 National Medal of Arts. Musicals developed and produced at Amas include the recent hit From My Hometown, Zanna, Don't!, Langston Hughes' Little Ham, 4 Guys Named José and una mujer named María.

Musicals developed and produced at Amas have been nominated and have received numerous awards, including multiple Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, Lucille Lortel, Kleban, Richard Rodgers, Dramatists Guild Award, ASCAP Popular Songwriters, and the Jonathan Larson Performing Arts Foundation Awards.

In addition to developing and producing musicals, Amas gives New York City youth meaningful artistic opportunities through two arts education programs: The Rosetta LeNoire Musical Theatre Academy and The Immigration Experience. The Rosetta LeNoire Musical Theatre Academy is named after our founder, who always believed social change begins with our young people. This Saturday pre-professional training program runs October through May and culminates with a full Off-Broadway showcase production. The Immigration Experience is Amas' artists-in-school program for public high school students to research their personal and communities' immigration histories. Based on their research and writing the students formulate a musical, which they perform for the entire school and community.