Photo Coverage: Broadway Cares LA 'Chess' Benefit

A benefit production of Chess, raising money for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, played at the Ford Amphitheatre in Los Angeles September 17, 2007 with a star-studded cast and multimedia heavy design.

The production had a rocky start, following the sudden death of its original director, and Los Angeles theatre staple, Jim Alexander, yet Purcell made a decision to push forward in getting this Tim Rice, Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus musical up and running, both for the memory of Alexander and to aide Broadway Cares.

Starring in Chess were Susan Egan (Beauty and the Beast, Cabaret), Kevin Earley (Thoroughly Modern Millie, Les Miserables), Cindy Robinson (Into The Woods, Peter Pan), Ty Taylor ("Rock Star:  INXS," We Will Rock You), Thomas Griffith (The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas), Tom Schmid (Annie Get Your Gun) and Matthew Morrison (The Light in the Piazza, Hairspray).

Photos by Ryan Miller/Capture Imaging. 

Matthew Morrison with the ensemble dancers

Ty Taylor and Cindy Robinson with the ensemble cast

Cindy Robinson and Ty Taylor

Leslie Stevens, Sandy Shimoda, Erin Stoddard, Castmember actor Ty Taylor and Jeanine Meyers

Ty Taylor

Leah Seminario pulls castmember actor Ty Taylor

Ty Taylor

Kevin Earley

Ty Taylor

Cindy Robinson and Aleks Pevec

Cindy Robinson and Kevin Earley

Thomas Ian Griffith and Tom Schmid

Kevin Earley, Ty Taylor and Matthew Morrison

Ty Taylor, Director/Producer Brian Michael Purcell and Kevin Earley

Kevin Earley, Cindy Robinson and Producer/Director Brian Michael Purcell

Julie Ann Emery, Kevin Earley, Mary Paige Keller and Thomas Ian Griffith

Director/Producer Brian Michael Purcell and wife Leah Seminario

Erin Stoddard, (Back) Matthew Morrison, (Front) Enrique Brown, Joanna Bool and Paul Romero, Jr.

Kevin Earley and Thomas Ian Griffith

Associate Choreographer Sean Havens, Choreographer AC Ciulla, Music Director/Conductor Dan Redfeld and Director/Producer Brian Michael Purcell

Marissa Jaret Winokur, Cindy Robinson, Matthew Morrison, Associate Choreographer Sean Havens and Choreographer AC Ciulla

Aleks Pevec and Director/Producer Michael Brian Purcell

Matthew Morrison and Marissa Jaret Winokur

Ty Taylor, Cindy Robinson, Kevin Earley, Susan Egan and Director/Producer Brian Michael Purcell