The Geffen Playhouse honored actress Annette Bening and Walt Disney Company's President and CEO Robert Iger during Monday's Backstage at the Geffen, a star-studded event raising $575,000 for the Geffen's Stage for Any Age education and outreach programs. Bening and Iger were recognized with the Distinction in Theater Award and Distinction in Service Award, respectively.
Julie Andrews and
Dick Van Dyke co-chaired the evening, while talents including Broadway's
Mary Poppins star
Ashley Brown and
The Little Mermaid's Sierra Boggess, along with
Anjelica Huston,
Julie Taymor,
James Cromwell, Dena Delany,
Sharon Lawrence,
Bruce Vilanch, Jane Lynch and
Roma Downey took part in the event.
Doubling the money raised at last year's gala, the Geffen's education and outreach programs will now have the opportunity to grow up to 10 percent next year, giving the theatre a chance to reach children and community members without easy access to the arts, according to press notes.
Following the night's committee dinner, held in the restaurant NINETHIRTY at the W Los Angeles - Westwood, guests were treated to performances at the Playhouse, including a specially commissioned original scene starring Lynch and Cromwell written by Jane Anderson (
The Quality of Life). Dyke went on to perform a version of "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" while Andrews spoke about working with
Carol Burnett and
My Fair Lady co-star Rex Harrison. Bening went on to perform a spontaneous monologue from
Romeo and Juliet while accepting her award.
Broadway stars Brown and Boggess performed two Disney classics then closed the evening with a song dedicated to Iger.
And for more from James Sims visit www.simsscoop.com.
Check back Monday for Complete Photo Coverage.Photos by Lee Salem and Howard Wise.
Ashley Brown, Dick Van Dyke and Sierra Boggess sing "Supercali..."
Robert Iger and Annette Bening
Anjelica Huston and husband Robert Graham
