The Ali Forney Center's OASIS: A VIRTUAL VARIETY SHOW Featuring Jeremy Pope, Keala Settle and More Raises $70k

The Ali Forney Center, the nation's largest LGBTQ teen and young adult homeless shelter and services organization, presented its 11th annual Oasis: A Virtual Variety Show summer benefit virtually yesterday, August 19. Non-binary actor and LGBTQ activist Tommy Dorfman, theatrical producer Ryan Ratelle and creative director Sam Ratelle were the event's Co-Chairs. Oasis: A Virtual Variety Show so far has raised almost $70k in for the Ali Forney Center from online and text donations from the event. OASIS: Virtual Variety Show may be viewed until July 31st on YouTube star Benito Skinner's page and on the AFC websie.

The 2020 Oasis took on a new life as a 1970s influenced variety show. Dorfman hosted a cavalcade of LGBTQ identifying celebrities and allies including 2020 Emmy nominee Jeremy Pope; Lena Dunham, Dove Cameron, Cindy Crawford, Michelle Visage, Brandon Flynn, Miss Jay Alexander, Kaia Gerber, Marc Jacobs, Margaret Cho, Jeremy Pope, Keala Settle, Tan France, Antoni Porowski, Hari Nef, Renée Taylor, Cindy Williams, Bruce Villanch, Crystal Methyd, Lena Hall, Jinkx Monsoon, Ginger Minj, Latrice Royale, Jackie Cox, Vanessa "Vanjie" Mateo, Nina West, Benny Drama, Bowen Yang, Judy Gold, Janaya Future Khan, Nick Adams, Joel Kim Booster, Geoffrey Mac, Tyler Neasloney, Jake Dupree and many more.

The evening, directed by Alan Souza and written by Nick Sahoyah, included musical performances, a surprise appearance by Lily Tomlin, and spoofs of classic game Visag-ywood Squares with Michelle Visage; Notlywed Game with Hari Nef (Kaia Gerber / Tommy Dorfman vs. Tan France / Antoni Porowsk)i; a racy Dating Game with Latrice Royale and its version of American's Next Top Model with celebrity judge Marc Jabobs.

Top Notch Virtual will provide Oasis' production management; casting by Creative Casting's Jill Demling and Brian Anstey edited the show.

A silent auction of donated items, including a one-on-one Topeka chats with the band Haim, Brandon Flynn and Kaia Gerber and, once we are all able to dine inside again, a champagne dinner with Renee Taylor (Silvia Fine, The Nanny) are available to view on the AFC Oasis website. Bidding will close on August 31st.

Oasis began as a small cocktail party in New York City with a performance by RuPaul's Drag Race season 3 contestant and All Star's finalist, Jujubee, in 2009 and has since grown to a more than 1000 person cocktail event and auction featuring hosts such as Parker Posey, Kalen Allen, Bevy Smith and performances from Alaska, Asia O'Hara, Ginger Minj, Detox, Aquaria among others. Oasis has raised more than $1million for AFC's homeless LGBTQ youth.

"So excited to devote my time to producing and hosting this fundraiser for Ali Forney Center," said Dorfman. "It's imperative that they get the support they really need; when they cannot do in person fundraising for safety issues, we have to come together virtually.

watch!