BC/EFA Receives $1.65 Million in Total This Year from Fred Ebb Foundation

The Fred Ebb Foundation (Mitchell Bernard, Trustee) has announced that its 2015 donation to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS will total $1.65 million dollars, bringing the foundation's total contribution to BC/EFA to $11.65 million since it began eleven years ago. The foundation, which is funded by royalties from the late award-winning lyricist Fred Ebb's vast catalogue of work, makes an annual donation to BC/EFA.

"Fred Ebb's brilliant legacy - created with the extraordinary John Kander - has allowed BC/EFA to increase and expand its support for The Actors Fund to over $5.1 million in 2015 alone. Fred's generosity has offered BC/EFA the opportunity to expand its support to include the Artists Health Insurance Resource Center, the Fund's Addiction and Recovery Services and the Career Center, nurture our longtime commitment to the HIV/AIDS Initiative while increasing support for such programs as the Phyllis Newman Women's Health Initiative, the Al Hirschfeld Free Clinic, the Dancers' Resource and more," said BC/EFA Executive Director Tom Viola. "Fred, your extraordinary generosity to BC/EFA has made a profound difference in the lives of thousands of your colleagues and co-workers, friends and loved ones in 'the business.' When I heard the number $1.65 million, I felt a bit like CABARET's Fraulein Schneider when presented with a gift as rare, sweet and loving as this: 'I think I will lie down for a few moments. My head is spinning.' Thank you, Fred. Your razzle-dazzle shines forever bright."

The Fred Ebb Foundation, in association with the Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) also presents an annual award, named for Mr. Ebb, to aspiring musical theatre songwriters. The Fred Ebb Award recognizes excellence in musical theatre songwriting, by a songwriter or songwriting team that has not yet achieved significant commercial success. The award is meant to encourage and support aspiring songwriters to create new works for the musical theatre, and includes a $60,000 award. This year's award was presented to Stacey Luftig and Phillip Palmer.

Past winners include John Bucchino (2005), Steve Lutvak and Robert L. Freedman (2006), Peter Mills (2007), Adam Gwon (2008), Marcy Heisler and Zina Goldrich (2009), Douglas J. Cohen (2010), Jeff Blumenkrantz (2011), Sam Willmott (2012), Michael Kooman and Christopher Dimond (2013), and Chris Miller and Nathan Tysen (2014). The 2015 Selection Committee is comprised of: Foundation Trustee Mitchell Bernard; lyricist, writer and composer Sheldon Harnick; music director David Loud; actress Kelli O'Hara; playwright and producer Tim Pinckney; and theatre producer Arthur Whitelaw.

Photo by Henry McGee