Mario Cantone and Cookie Monster have joined Chance and Chemistry: A Centennial Celebration of Frank Loesser, a concert to benefit The Actors Fund taking place at the Minskoff Theatre on Monday, October 26, 2009 at 7:30PM.
Some tickets are still available through Ticketmaster.com or by calling call 212 307- 4100. National Arts Ticketmaster - Outside tri-state area at 800 982-2787. Sponsorship opportunities are also available. Contact The Actors Fund at (212) 221-7300 Extension 133. For updates, please visit www.actorsfund.org
The event will be co-chaired by Jo Sullivan Loesser and Sir Paul McCartney, and hosted by Annette Bening, Kevin McCollum and Jonathan Tisch.
Jo Sullivan Loesser, co-chair for the concert event, said "I'm so honored that so many wonderful stars are paying tribute to Frank at this special evening."
"I was very happy to be asked to attend this special evening," said Sir Paul McCartney, continuing, "As a tribute to a man whose work I greatly admire, I will be singing one of his songs and I'm looking forward to it."
The list of participants at this time includes Laura Benanti, John Bolton, Ashley Brown, Charles Busch, Liz Callaway, Alan Campbell, Mario Cantone, Cookie Monster, Elmo and Aby Cadaby, Art Garfunkel, Ana Gasteyer, Debbie Gravitte, Hugh Jackman, Lauren Kennedy, Judy Kuhn, Liz Larson, Michele Lee, Emily Loesser, Jo Sullivan Loesser, Sir Paul McCartney, Audra McDonald, John McMartin, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Julia Murney, Phyllis Newman, Steven Pasquale, Noah Racey, Chita Rivera, John Stamos, Nia Vardalos, Gerry Vichi and Patrick Wilson.
The evening will be directed and choreographed by Christopher Gattelli (South Pacific, Sunday in the Park with George, Altar Boyz) with musical direction by Brad Haak (Mary Poppins).
Frank Loesser has been called the most versatile of all Broadway composers, having supplied both music and lyrics for such varied works as Guys & Dolls, Where's Charley?, The Most Happy Fella and How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying,
Born June 29, 1910, in New York City, Frank wrote his first song at the age of six. In 1931, he teamed with William Schuman (future President of Juilliard), resulting in Frank's first published song, "In Love with a Memory of You." In 1936, Loesser and composer Irving Actman contributed five songs to "The Illustrator's Show." It closed after five performances, but landed them a Hollywood contract. There Loesser provided lyrics for the music of such greats as Jule Styne, Hoagy Carmichael, and Burton Lane, producing hits such as "I Don't Want to Walk Without You," "Heart and Soul", "Two Sleepy People," and the 1948 Academy Award winner, "Baby, It's Cold Outside," for which he also supplied the music.
