Actors' Fund Presents 'Vampire Lesbians of Sodom' with Charles Busch, Julie Halston and More March 28

The Actors' Fund of America is proud to present Charles Busch AND Julie Halston: TOGETHER ON BROADWAY, a special one-night-only benefit extravaganza at Broadway's Music Box Theatre (239 West 45th Street) on Monday, March 28, 2005.

Featuring performances from an all-star Broadway company, including Brent Barrett, Rebecca Luker, Mario Cantone, Phyllis Newman, Bruce Vilanch and Ruth Williamson, TOGETHER ON BROADWAY is an outrageous evening of hilarious songs and sketches, plus a complete twentieth anniversary production of Busch's legendary camp classic Vampire Lesbians of Sodom.

TOGETHER ON BROADWAY is a celebration of Charles Busch and Julie Halston's twenty-plus years of friendship and collaboration. They were founding members of Theatre-in-Limbo and have previously appeared together Off-Broadway in Vampire Lesbians of Sodom, The Lady in Question, Red Scare on Sunset and You Should Be So Lucky.

Staged by long-time Busch collaborator Carl Andress with musical direction by Jesse Vargas, the first half of the evening will feature a classic variety show format, full of original sketches, solo pieces and musical numbers from Busch and Halston, joined by Broadway luminaries Brent Barrett and Rebecca Luker, and supported by a ten-member dancing chorus. The evening is choreographed by Christopher Gattelli with special music by Seth Rudetsky.

Charles Busch's camp classic Vampire Lesbians of Sodom opened in June 1985 and ran for five years, making it one of the longest running plays in Off-Broadway history. It tells the tale of two ageless vampiresses who carry on a bitter feud that begins in ancient Sodom, continues in 1920s Hollywood and carries through to present-day Las Vegas.

To celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the original production, the second half of TOGETHER ON BROADWAY features Charles and Julie in a complete production of the entire one-act play, along with original cast members Andy Halliday and Theresa Aceves. Ruth Williamson (La Cage Aux Folles, "Nip/Tuck") will be playing the key role of Oatsie Carewe, the snooping gossip columnist. A number of special guest stars – including Phyllis Newman, Mario Cantone and Bruce Vilanch and more – are slated to make guest appearances throughout the performance.

Since their last stage appearance together in 1994, Julie Halston has appeared onstage in The Man Who Came to Dinner, The Women, Gypsy, Twentieth Century, White Chocolate and on television in "Sex and the City." She is currently appearing as Prudy Pingleton in Hairspray on Broadway. Charles Busch is the Tony nominated playwright of The Tale of the Allergist's Wife and writer and star of the films Psycho Beach Party and Die Mommie Die! In 2003, he received a Drama Desk Award for career achievement as both playwright and performer.

The TOGETHER ON BROADWAY Benefit Committee includes Doug Cramer, Scott Durkin, Rosie O'Donnell, Isabel Rose, Daryl Roth, Jeff Melnick, Carol Shorenstein Hays, Valerie Harper, Niclas Nagler, Randall L. Wreghitt, Thomas Keegan and Jamie DeRoy.

Tickets for the benefit are scaled from $50 - $1,000 and are now available by calling The Actors' Fund at (212) 221-7300 ext. 133. Sponsorship opportunities are also available. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit www.actorsfund.org.

ABOUT THE ACTORS' FUND OF AMERICA

The Actors' Fund of America, founded in 1882, is the national human service organization helping all entertainment professionals in theatre, television, film, music, opera and dance. The Actors' Fund's broad spectrum of programs - designed to address the specific needs of our community - includes comprehensive social services, financial assistance, supportive and affordable housing, career counseling, and skilled nursing and assisted living care. Administered from our offices in New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago, these programs help people solve problems and make positive changes in their lives. The Fund is always there; helping our colleagues in their times of need throughout their lives so that they need not face a crisis alone. In addition to assisting close to 16,000 people a year through human service programs, The Actors' Fund's free clinic provides screenings and health services over 1,000 entertainment professionals. And, more than 200,000 people across the country visited our AHIRC website to learn about ways to obtain appropriate health insurance and health care. Please visit our website at www.actorsfund.org to learn more about The Actors' Fund's programs