In celebration of its tenth anniversary, weSPARK, the cancer support center founded by actress Wendie Jo Sperber and serving the greater Los Angeles area with freeservices for cancer patients and their families, presents "Broadway Tonight!" at the historic 2200-seat Alex Theatre Performing Arts and Entertainment Center in Glendale on October 4, 2010 at 8:00 p.m.
"It is with great pleasure that we present the Producing/Directing/Writing team of Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale with 'The Heart of weSPARK' Award and Missy Halperin, Senior Vice President of Talent Relations for Fox Broadcasting, with 'The Commitment to Care Award,' says actress and weSPARK Program Director Nancy Allen. "These three giants of the entertainment industry have devoted their time and interest to assist weSPARK since its inception."
Producer/Director Barbara Epstein has assembled a spectacular cast that includes: Alonzo Bodden (Last Comic Standing), Wayne Brady (Let's Make a Deal), Marc Cherry (Desperate Housewives), Michael Chiklis (No Ordinary Family, The Shield), Teri Hatcher (Desperate Housewives), Megan Hilty (9 To 5), Randy Jackson (American Idol), Camryn Manheim (Ghost Whisperer, The Practice), Eric McCormack (Will and Grace), Matthew Morrison (Glee), and Adam Pascal (Rent).
In 1997, actress and mother Wendie Jo Sperber was diagnosed with stage one breast cancer. Faced with sterile hospitals and clinics in the San Fernando Valley, Wendie was determined to open an independently-run cancer support facility in a home-like setting. In 2001, weSPARK Cancer Support Center opened its doors in Sherman Oaks. Wendie lost her battle with cancer in 2005, but her legacy continues. Today, weSPARK serves the cancer community through a roster of over 40 expert facilitators and instructors with a wide variety of programs designed to heal the mind, body and spirit of those whose lives are affected by cancer.
To purchase tickets to weSPARK Presents "Broadway Tonight", please visit www.alextheatre.org. The cast list is subject to availability and may change the night of the show. To make a donation to support weSPARK's free cancer support services, or for more information regarding weSPARK Cancer Support Center, visit: www.wespark.org.
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weSPARK is proud that Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale have been members of its Founder's Circle since its inception in 2001. The filmmaking team is responsible for the iconic Academy Award nominated Back to the Future trilogy. Academy Award Winning Director of Forrest Gump, Robert Zemeckis is also known for such smash hits as Cast Away, Polar Express, Romancing the Stone, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, and Beowulf. Along with his major movie credits including 1941, I Wanna Hold Your Hand, Used Cars and Back tot the Future, Bob Gale has written for comics including Marvel Comics' Ant-Man's Big Christmas and DC Comics' Batman. Bob Gale also helped develop the arcade game Tattoo Assassins.
weSPARK is thrilled to have Missy Halperin as an active and invaluable member of their Board of Directors for the past eight years. Missy Halperin is Senior Vice President, Talent Relations for Fox Broadcasting Company, a position she's held since November 1998. She is primarily responsible for organizing appearances by FOX talent and securing their participation in various functions both within and outside the company. Ms. Halperin began her career at HBO, but has been with FOX almost since its inception. Ms. Halperin has worked with the casts of early FOX hits such as "21 Jump Street," "Married...With Children" and "Beverly Hills, 90210" as well as those of current favorites "Glee", "American Idol", "House" and "24".
Barbara Epstein(Creator/Producer/Director) has produced and/or directed over 50 musicals, plays, stunt shows and industrials. She is best known to Los Angeles theatre audiences for her award-winning, long running musical revue, A5678. Her innovative reputation in the worldwide resort theme park industry is "the person who brought theatre to theme parks" with such shows as Disney's Broadway at the Top, Universal's Wild West Stunt Show, The Flintstones Show and Beetlejuice's Rockin' Graveyard Revue...to name a few. Three original shows she created run currently on Azamara Cruise Line and, most recently, she directed the UK premiere of Irving Berlin's White Christmas. As an associate producer on Broadway, her credits include Damn Yankees, Rent, Avenue Q and Ragtime.
