Helen Mirren & Kelli O'Hara to Host Stuttering Association For The Young's 14th Annual Benefit Gala

SAY: The Stuttering Association for the Young will host its 14th Annual Benefit Gala, on Monday, May 2, 2016, to celebrate the courage and achievements of more than 70 million people who stutter, including 5% of all children. SAY Founder Taro Alexander said "Our Annual Benefit Gala reminds us all that every voice matters. Not some. Not most. But every voice."

The event will recognize individuals who inspire young people who stutter, this year's honorees are Joe Moglia (SAY: Hero Award) and Evan R. Bell (SAY: Budd Mayer Advocacy Award). "I am honored to be recognized by SAY and to help kids find acceptance and belief in themselves. To everyone that stutters, know that we want to hear your voice," said Joe Moglia. Honoree Evan R. Bell noted, "I will never forget the first time I watched these brave kids get up on stage 14 years ago. They stole my heart with their courage and joy on their faces, and made me remember my own struggle to find my voice as a child. I have been watching them literally grow up on stage, seeing their emerging confidence and strong camaraderie that has been monumental in their lives."

The evening will be hosted by Oscar and Tony winner Helen Mirren and Tony Award winner and former SAY honoree Kelli O'Hara, and will be directed by Taro Alexander with musical direction by Everett Bradley. Helen Mirren said "I'm thrilled to host this exciting gala with my friend Kelli O'Hara, and am honored to take the stage with the inspiring children of SAY." Kelli O'Hara added "I have been inspired for 13 years by the work SAY has been doing. As a parent and a person who has benefited from using my voice to express myself all my life, I want to do everything I can to support an organization for kids that honors their self-expression and helps them find their voices."

The evening will be hosted at The Skirball Center for the Performing Arts at NYU. The 6:30PM performance, featuring the young members of SAY along with celebrity friends will be followed by a dinner and live auction. Lauren Ambrose, Prince Amukamara, Lazaro Arbos, Brandon Victor Dixon, Rachel Dratch, Victor Garber, James Naughton, Dr. Alan Rabinowitz, Daphne Rubin-Vega, and Fisher Stevens are also scheduled to attend, with more celebrities to be announced. Gala Co-Chairs include: Evan & Barbara Bell, Bettina & Michael Klein, Fred Nelson, Fred & Maria Ragucci, and TD Ameritrade, and Gala Vice-Chairs include Nancy & Bob Downey, and Camilla & Matt Slauson. To learn more about purchasing tickets & tables, visit: www.SAY.org/Gala.

The Stuttering Association for the Young is a national 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that empowers, educates, and supports young people who stutter and the world that surrounds them. Through summer camp, speech therapy, and creative expression, SAY builds a community of acceptance where young people who stutter gain confidence and communication skills. Since 2001, SAY has offered comprehensive and innovative programs that address the physical, social, and emotional impacts of stuttering. This year alone, SAY will award over $400,000 in financial aid to families in need. To date, no child has been turned away due to a family's inability to pay. Your support helps SAY continue this important legacy.

Joe Moglia coached football for 16 years before joining Merrill Lynch in1984. Over 17 years, he went from the #1 producer as a institutional bond salesman and ultimately served on both the institutional and private client executive committees. Mr. Moglia became TD Ameritrade's CEO in 2001, and in seven years, shareholders earned a 500% return, market cap increased from $700 million to $10 billion, and client assets grew from $24 to $280 billion. In 2008, Mr. Moglia became Chairman of the Board, and returned to coaching. Currently Head Football Coach & Chair of Athletics at Coastal Carolina University, Joe has been part of seven championship teams in the last 9 years, with four National Playoffs & three Conference Championships; named Conference Coach of the Year twice; AFCA Regional Coach of the Year in 2014; won the prestigious Eddie Robinson Award for National Coach of the Year in 2015; inducted into four Halls of Fame and received three Honorary Doctorates.

Evan R. Bell is the epitome of everything the Budd Mayer Advocacy Award represents. For over a decade he has been a powerful advocate in every way, including his crucial advisory role on SAY's Board. Mr. Bell's business acumen is matched only by his passion and huge heart. He has personally helped so many children from families-in-need attend SAY programs. Mr. Bell is the Managing Partner of Bell and Co., CPA's, a New York business management firm established in 1982. Named as one of the "Top Power Business Managers" by Variety and The Hollywood Reporter, Mr. Bell offers expertise in managing clients' personal financial affairs, defining goals and strategies for lifelong financial independence.

Helen Mirren is one of the most well-known and respected actresses with an international career that spans stage, screen and television. She has won many awards for her powerful and versatile performances, most notably the Academy Award for the film The Queen. In television she is known for her role as DCI Jane Tennison in Prime Suspect, her Emmy Award-winning performance in Elizabeth 1 and most recently Phil Spector for which she won Best Actress at the SAG awards. Mirren's recent film projects include, playing Hedda Hopper in Trumbo and the thriller Eye In The Sky about drone warfare. She was awarded the prestigious BAFTA Fellowship in 2014. She recently reprised her role as Queen Elizabeth II on Broadway in The Audience, to acclaimed reviews and won a Tony Award for Best Actress.

Kelli O'Hara has unequivocally established herself as one of Broadway's great leading ladies. She won a 2015 Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical for her performance in The King and I. She has delivered powerful performances on Broadway since 2003, receiving numerous Tony, Drama Desk, Drama League, & Outer Critics Circle nominations. Kelli O'Hara has also received critical acclaim for her performances with the New York Philharmonic and Metropolitan Opera; has sold out solo shows at Carnegie Hall & Town Hall; is a frequent guest artist on the PBS Memorial Day and July 4th telecasts; has performed several times as part of the Kennedy Center Honors; and in addition to numerous film and television roles, she has released two solo albums.

All celebrities listed are currently scheduled to appear.