.png)
WWO Benefit, with Murphy, De Haas and Others, Honors Christine Ebersole, Oct. 24
By: BWW News Desk Oct. 06, 2005
Ebersole "will be honored for her contributions to the adoption community and for bringing attention to the plight of orphaned children all over the world," according to a press article. The evening will feature performances by Ebersole, Tony Award-winner Donna Murphy (Wonderful Town, Passion), Darius de Haas (Marie Christine, Rent), jazz pianist and performer Billy Stritch (42nd Street, Minnelli on Minnelli), and cabaret and theatre star Ann Hampton Callaway (Swing!). Tony Award-winner Kathleen Marshall (Two Gentlemen of Verona, Wonderful Town) will direct and choreograph the benefit.
Emceed by news anchor Cindy Tsu, the benefit will also feature a guest appearance by Angelina Jolie, film star, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Goodwill Ambassador and adoptive mother of two. Andre Braugher, who appears on TV's "Homicide," will also narrate a short film about WWO.
"I am thrilled to be honored by Worldwide Orphans Foundation at its inaugural fundraiser," stated Ebersole. "As an adoptive mother, I feel it is essential to raise awareness about adoption and the dilemma of the children who remain orphaned. I hope this event will serve to turn up the volume for WWO at this auspicious time -- as children in Ethiopia receive their first antiretroviral medicines for HIV/AIDS and because November is National Adoption Month."
Christine
Ebersole recently joined the cast of "Related," a new comedy drama that premiered yesterday, October 5th, on the WB. She will also be seen in Grey Gardens: A New Musical at Playwrights Horizons in spring of 2006. Ebersole won the 2001 Best Actress in a Musical Tony for her performance in the revival of 42nd Street. Other Broadway credits include Dinner at Eight (for which she was also nominated for a Tony), The Best Man, Getting Away with Murder, Harrigan 'n Hart, the 1980 revival of Camelot, the 1979 revival of Oklahoma!, On the Twentieth Century and Angel Street. She has appeared on screen in the 1993 TV movie of Gypsy (as Tessie Tura), My Girl 2, Amadeus and Tootsie. She was also a cast member on the soap One Life to Live from 1983 to 1985, winning an Emmy nomination for her performance. In Your Dreams, with Billy Stritch, is her recent CD.
"The mission of Worldwide Orphans Foundation is to identify the
immediate and long-term medical, developmental, social and emotional
needs of children living in orphanages and to provide direct services
to improve their quality of life. Founded in 1997 by renowned adoption
medicine specialist, Dr. Jane Aronson, WWO has established humanitarian
programs in Ethiopia, Viet Nam, Bulgaria, Serbia/Montenegro,
Azerbaijan, and China."
For more information, please visit www.wwo.org.
Videos