LAByrinth Theater Announces 'Easy Action' Ticket for Celebrity Charades 2008

LAByrinth Theater Company (John Ortiz, Artistic Director; Philip Seymour Hoffman, Co-Artistic Director; John Gould Rubin, Co-Artistic & Executive Director) announces a $100 “Easy Action” ticket for their 6th Annual Gala Benefit “Celebrity Charades 2008: We Will Rock You” on Monday, October 20, 2008 at event venue Terminal 5 (610 West 56th Street, at 11th Avenue).

The annual fund-raiser is sponsored by GQ, IWC Schaffhausen and Diet Coke, with Event Co-Hosts Jeffrey A. Horwitz, Nardello & Co., Paradigm, Starkey Hearing Foundation, and Jackie Judd, Susan Kahn, and Debbie Ohanian.

LAByrinth Theater Company enters the arena of power chords and monster riffs to present Celebrity Charades 2008: this year's event will be a battle of the bands, invoking the theme "We Will Rock You."

To celebrate LAB Member Ana Ortiz's return to New York (with the relocation of filming for "Ugly Betty") and her first involvement in Celebrity Charades, her co-competitors are teaching her how to play the game.  A series of tongue-in-cheek internet videos is being released on LABtheater.org, featuring Bob Balaban, Sam Rockwell, Yul Vázquez, Cynthia Rowley, Eric Bogosian and others 'helping' her to win.

Also new is the $100 Easy Action ticket, which has just been put on sale.  This standing room ticket includes all the excitement of Celebrity Charades 2008 and – like other, more expensive tickets – an open bar and invitation to LAB's private aftershow party.

The entertainment begins at 6:30 p.m. with a VIP Reception and Dinner, during which LAB Member Stephen McKinley Henderson will present The 2008 Dave Hoghe Award to producer Carole Shorenstein Hays, in recognition of her artistic courage and outstanding dedication to LAByrinth Theater Company. Past recipients of this annual award have included Madonna, George C. Wolfe, Ira Pittelman, Daryl Roth and Bennington College.

At 8:00 p.m., the charades fun begins. It's The Battle of the Bands, as four teams of celebrities thrash it out for 90 minutes in three fearless sets of speed-charades. Referee Eric Bogosian will preside over the Charades while, between games, John Patrick Shanley will host a live auction, featuring LAByrinth's unique money-can't-buy experiences – including a chance to play Charades with the celebrities.

Joining the previously announced star-studded roster of players is Bob Balaban (“Seinfeld,” Gosford Park), Alan Cumming (Cabaret, The Seagull), Bobby Cannavale (“Will & Grace,” “Cupid”), Billy Crudup (The Coast of Utopia), Edie Falco (“The Sopranos”), Craig “muMs” Grant (“Oz,” LAB’s A View from 151st Street), Joe Pantoliano (“The Sopranos,” Memento), fashion designer Cynthia Rowley, Justin Theroux (Zoolander, Tropic Thunder writer), David Schwimmer ("Friends"), and Kristin Wiig (“Saturday Night Live”).  Filling out the celebrity roster are LAB's Artistic Directors John Ortiz and Philip Seymour Hoffman alongside LAB Members Ana Ortiz (LAB's A Winter Party, "Ugly Betty"), Judy Reyes (LAB's Guinea Pig Solo, "Scrubs"), Daphne Rubin-Vega (LAB's Jack Goes Boating, Rent), and Yul Vázquez (LAB's The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, American Gangster), with celebrity guests Rachel Dratch ("Saturday Night Live"), Richard Kind ("Spin City"), Aasif Mandvi ("The Daily Show"), and Christopher Meloni ("Law & Order: SVU").  All appearances are subject to availability, and cannot be guaranteed.  In previous years, players have included Kristen Johnston, Andie MacDowell, Julianna Margulies, Edward Norton, Amy Poehler, Robin Williams, and Elijah Wood.

An open bar will be available for all attendees (including the $100 Easy Action standing room ticket holders) and all ticket holders receive an invitation to LAB's private aftershow party, featuring music from Celebrity DJ G. Brown.

Ticket prices for The Battle of the Bands at 8:00 p.m. start with the newly-added Easy Action ($100: Standing room), Candy Harlot ($250: Table seat), and the Harem Scarem ($750: Table for 4). Tickets to attend the VIP Reception & Dinner at 6:30 p.m. include the Twisted Sister ($1,100), the Whitesnake ($3,500: Pedestal Table for 4), the Steel Dragon ($10,000: Priority Table for 10) and the King Kobra (SOLD OUT! $15,000: Premium Table for 10).

To purchase tickets, call (212) 513 1014, e-mail charades@LABtheater.org, or visit LABtheater.org.  All proceeds will benefit LAByrinth Theater Company’s 17th season in 2008/09, hosted by The Public Theater.  More information, booking details, and videos are available at LABtheater.org.

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