Do Your Part To Send Aspiring Actress Katharine Robinson To Juilliard, Benefit Gala Held 7/27

Katharine Robinson [19 year old, Metuchen High School (NJ) Graduate '08] had a 1-in-1500 chance of getting into the Juilliard Drama Division. She now has one of the coveted 18 spots. Her parents feel as if they have a 1-in-a-million shot at paying for it. Undaunted and with a creative spirit her family has decided to try something...old. Yes, an old British tradition of a benefit performance to help fellow members of the theatrical community, similar to the benefit in Chaplin's film Limelight.

Send Katharine to Juilliard Gala

Affording college is tough anytime, and the current recession is proving a great equalizer. Everyone's broke! Even higher education endowments are down over 25%. Encouraged and supported by friends, the family is hosting A Gala Party & Performance to Benefit the Send Katharine to Juilliard Fund on Monday July 27th 2009 at the Baruch Performing Arts Center in New York. The event begins at 7pm, with an 8:30pm show and an auction following.

A Unique Path

In 2008, Katharine was accepted to college Theater programs, but none seemed a good fit. So she took a different path: full-time classes at HB Studio and a highly desired internship at The Public Theater in NY. She immersed herself in acting while learning first-hand what it takes to keep a successful Theater going. This path ultimately helped get her through the initial three-phase process at Juilliard. They saw her outstanding audition pieces and were intrigued by her resourceful path. Juilliard then invited 40 applicants to a rigorous weekend of workshops with the entire Drama staff, who chose the final group. When Katharine got the call from Juilliard she was speechless. She is one of only niNe Young women beginning in the Fall.

Gala Details

A Gala Party & Performance to Benefit the Send Katharine to Juilliard Fund is on Monday July 27th 2009 at the Baruch Performing Arts Center, Baruch College, 55 Lexington Ave. (enter on E. 25th St. bet. Lexington & 3rd Aves.) NYC. The event begins at 7pm, with an 8:30pm show and an auction following. Admission is $25 at the event (check/cash preferred).

The featured performers from Stand-up, Broadway & Variety are generously donating their talents. They include host Bill McCarty (regular at the Comic Strip, Rosie O'Donnell, Late Night with Conan O' Brian), David Brunetti (Broadway: Blues in the Night, Nunsense, Forever Plaid, Les Miserables) Daniel Marcus of Montclair NJ (Broadway: Pal Joey, The Adding Machine, Urinetown, 1776) and Nicole Orth-Pallavicini (Broadway: Pal Joey, Liasons Dangereuses; Manhattan Theatre Club, Barrow Street Theatre) among other guests.

If you cannot attend, but want to help out, please send your gift to The Juilliard School, Attn: Tori Brand, Office of Development, 155 W. 65th St NY, NY 10023. Make checks payable to The Juilliard School with Katharine Robinson in the memo line. Include a note that it is for Katharine Robinson's tuition. You will receive a thank you letter from Juilliard. To contribute via PayPal or to gift auction items, please contact R. David Robinson at Katharine-juilliard@mindspring.com.