In celebration of the opening of Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures' inaugural production Lestat, a multitude of events will be held all around Manhattan throughout the month of April.
Inspired by Anne Rice's
The Vampire Chronicles and featuring the first theatrical score from the legendary songwriting team of Elton John and Bernie Taupin,
Lestat, starring
Hugh Panaro, will open at Broadway's Palace Theatre on Tuesday, April 25.
The celebration will begin on Monday, April 17, with a benefit performance of
Lestat for the Elton John Aids Foundation with a pre-theater reception at Hard Rock Café Times Square. Tuesday, April 18 will bring the official unveiling of the free public exhibition "Sir Elton John - Elements of an Icon" at Time Warner Center. On Monday, April 24, Borders Columbus Circle in Time Warner Center will host a book signing for
Lestat visual concept designer Dave McKean. The opening night will follow.
On Monday, April 17, The Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF) will host a benefit performance of
Lestat. The benefit evening will begin at 6:00 pm, with an exclusive pre-theater reception at Hard Rock Café Times Square (1501 Broadway) with special guests Taupin, Lestat director
Robert Jess Roth and Panaro. The evening will continue with an 8:00 pm, performance of
Lestat at Broadway's Palace Theatre (1564 Broadway at 47th Street). The benefit will raise much-needed money for international AIDS prevention and treatment initiatives.
Time Warner Inc. will present "Sir Elton John - Elements of an Icon" in conjunction with Columbus Circle Experiences at Time Warner Center (10 Columbus Circle ), a free public exhibition of the dazzling costumes, imagery and accessories that celebrate the remarkable life and career of John. The exhibit will also contain original artworks by Taupin, along with costumes from the San Francisco production of
Lestat. Attendees will have the opportunity to enter to win two tickets to
Lestat on Broadway.
On Monday, April 24, at 7:00 pm,
Lestat visual concept designer McKean will sign copies of books that contain his work including
The Vampire Chronicles and
The Alchemy of MirrorMask at Borders Columbus Circle in Time Warner Center (10 Columbus Circle).
On Tuesday April 25, 2006, at 6:30 pm, Rice, John and Taupin will attend the star-studded opening night performance of
Lestat at Broadway's Palace Theatre (1564 Broadway at 47th Street).
"Lestat, Anne Rice's most celebrated and beloved literary character, is being brought to life on the stage with a score by Grammy and Academy Award winning composer Elton John and 2006 Golden Globe Award-winning lyricist Bernie Taupin in their first theatrical collaboration.
Lestat is the romantic and heartbreaking story of the extraordinary journey of a man who is thrust into the seductive and sensual world of an immortal vampire and is forced to reconcile his innate sense of good with his primal need to exist," state press notes. The show will also star
Carolee Carmello,
Jim Stanek,
Allison Fischer and others.
Tickets to the benefit performance range from $350 to $500 and can be purchased by calling (212)
219-0297 or by visiting
www.ejaf.org/lestat.
"The Elements of an Icon" exhibit will run Tuesday, April 18 through Sunday, April 30. Viewing hours are Monday through Saturday 10:00 am - 9:00 pm and Sunday 11:00 am - 7:00 pm. For further information contact Time Warner Center - The Shops at Columbus Circle at (212) 823-6300. For a full listing of activities, log onto
www.relatedexperiences.com or
www.theshopsatcolumbuscircle.com.
For more information, visit
www.lestat.com.
