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Rubinstein, York and Guzman Join Oct. 2 Actors' Fund Benefit Reading of Casablanca

By: Sep. 21, 2005
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Tony Award-winner John Rubinstein, film star Michael York and Los Angeles Opera star Suzanna Guzman have signed on to the all-star Actors' Fund of America benefit reading of Casablanca. Starring Anne Heche, Christian Slater and an array of other stars, Casablanca will look at its audience on October 2nd at 4 PM at Hollywood's Pantages Theatre.

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The cast list to date includes Slater as Rick, Heche as Ilse, Rubinstein as Victor, York as Strasser, Guzman as Yvonne, Ian Abercrombie as Carl, Thora Birch as Anina Brandel, Dan Castellaneta as Ugarte, Bruce Davison as Emil, Andre De Shields as Sam, Henry Gibson as Berger, Edward Herrmann as Louis Renault, Ken Howard as Ferrari, Tom McGowan as Heinze, and Hal Sparks as Jan Brandel. A VIP Ticket pre-reception will be hosted by Angela Lansbury. The reading will be directed by Tony Award-winner Peter Hunt (1776), with David Rambo providing the stage adaptation.

An all-time movie classic, the 1945 film starred Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman and Paul Henreid. It was directed by Michael Curtiz, and won Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Screenplay (for Julius J. Epstein, Philip G. Epstein and Howard Koch). "Casablanca is the ultimate love story," according to press notes. "Set in the gateway city of Casablanca during the Second World War, when Morocco was part of the Vichy government, the script masterfully evokes the intertwining acts of bravery, betrayal, intrigue and courage which go hand-in-hand with the personal cost of occupation and war. Ultimately, Casablanca is about the transformative power of love."

Casablanca is the Actors' Fund's third annual on-stage reading of a classic film screenplay. Casablanca was preceded by a 2003 reading of Joseph L. Mankiewicz's All About Eve, with Stockard Channing, Kirk Douglas, Calista Flockhart and Tim Curry and last year's all-star reading of Sunset Boulevard featuring Anjelica Huston, Patrick Wilson and Sir Ben Kingsley.

"The Actors' Fund is a national non-profit organization that provides for the social welfare of all entertainment professionals. With a broad spectrum of programs, including health care services, a comprehensive AIDS initiative, supportive housing and a woman's health initiative, The Actors' Fund is the safety net that the entire entertainment community - from film editors and screenwriters, to musicians and dancers -- can depend on. The Fund provides these essential services to over 7,500 people yearly with the same indomitable spirit that they have demonstrated for over 120 years."

VIP tickets are available at $250,$500/$1,000/$2,500, and include a cast party. Non-VIP tickets range from $28.00 to $153.00. Call 323-933-9244 x 54 or visit www.actorsfund.org for VIP tickets. Non-VIP tickets available through TicketMaster 213-365-3500 or www.ticketmaster.com.






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