'Gimme A Break' Honors Transport Group's Freitag & King 12/3

Transport Group, the winner of a special 2007 Drama Desk Award and a 2007 Obie Award, will present "Gimme A Break," a benefit honoring Transport Group board member and Broadway producer Barbara Freitag and writer/director/producer Michael Patrick King (who has co-written Transport Group's next production, the musical Marcy in the Galaxy), on Monday, December 3 at 6:30PM.

"Gimme A Break" begins with a cocktail reception followed by a performance featuring Broadway stars sharing their "big break" experiences through stories and songs.  Julie Halston (Hairspray, Gypsy, CBS' "The Class") will serve as the evening's host.  At the event Transport Group will also present two Humanitarian Awards, given annually in recognition of an individual's outstanding contributions to Transport Group and the American theatre.   This year's recipients are Barbara Freitag and Michael Patrick King. 

The evening's performers include: Anne Meara, Jerry Stiller, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Mario Cantone, Danny Burstein, David Pittu, Ashley Brown, Seth Rudetsky, Hunter Bell, Jeff Bowen, Jerry Dixon, Sean Palmer.

Barbara Freitag has served on the Board of Directors of Transport Group since the company's inception in 2001, and recently pioneered "The First One Hundred," a group of donors who have made a significant multi-year commitment to Transport Group.  As a founding member of the Board of Directors she has been instrumental in the development of the company's productions and events, informed by her love of the theater and her professional experience as a commercial theatrical producer.  Ms. Freitag's Broadway production credits include Butley with Nathan Lane, Legally Blonde (2007 Drama Desk Award nominee), and The Drowsy Chaperone (2006 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical, 2006 Tony Award Nominee).

Michael Patrick King is best known as the two-time Emmy Award-winning director, producer, and writer for the HBO series Sex and the City.  He was also the creator, director, and writer for the HBO series The Comeback, starring Lisa Kudrow for which he received an Emmy nomination.  Other television credits include Murphy Brown (Emmy nomination), Will & Grace, and Cybill.  Mr. King started his career in New York as a playwright and standup comic.  His short plays have been produced in New York, Los Angeles and at the HBO Aspen Comedy Festival.   He served as the artistic director of "arcade...a performance space," which he founded in LA, dedicated to launching new and exciting work.  Transport Group will produce a new musical, Marcy in the Galaxy, co-written by Mr. King and Nancy Shayne in the Spring of 2008.

"Gimme A Break" plays Monday, December 3, at the Asia Society and Museum (725 Park Avenue at 70 Street).  Cocktails are at 6:30PM; performance at 7:30PM.  Tickets begin at $250 and may be purchased by visiting www.transportgroup.org or by phoning (212) 352-3101.

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