Photo Coverage: Only Make Believe Benefit

Only Make Believe honored the Sesame Workshop with the first annual Only Make Believe Community Award and Bon Jovi founding member and keyboardist David Bryan with the James Hammerstein Award at their 7th Annual Gala on Monday November 5 at 7PM at the Millennium Hotel's Hudson Theatre.

Hosted by Alan Cumming, the Gala featured Broadway stars Jill Abramovitz, Mary Ann Hu, Capathia Jenkins, Andy Karl, Euan Morton, Julia Murney, Orfeh, Brad Oscar, Seth Rudetsky, Jason Michael Snow and The Tapaholics.

The Gala was directed by Joe DiPietro with music direction by Seth Rudetsky.  The Only Make Believe Gala is sponsored by Disney.  The McGraw-Hill Companies, Morgan Stanley, and McKee Nelson LLP were the evening's benefactors.  Dena Hammerstein founded the not-for-profit Only Make Believe in 1999 in memory of her late husband, Broadway producer and director James Hammerstein, to bring live interactive theater free-of-charge to children living with chronic illnesses and disabilities. In 2007, Only Make Believe will partner with 23 medical institutions bringing the magic of theater to over 2500 children.  Cumulatively, since its debut, Only Make Believe has presented more than 1,000 shows to over than 13,500 children in 32 medical institutions throughout New York City. For more information visit www.onlymakebelieve.org.

Photos by Linda Lenzi