Michael Feinstein, Molly Pope & More Join NIGHT OF A THOUSAND JUDYS LINEUP

Michael Feinstein, Molly Pope, John Early and Jonah Verdon will join the previously announced headliners Melissa Errico, Liz Callaway, The Skivvies, Michael McElroy, Lauren Worsham, Cyrille Aimee, Rachel York, Adam Kantor, Randy Graff, Kim David Smith, Danielle Grabianowski, Julie Hill, Josh Sharp and Aaron Jackson to headline the fifth annual "Night Of A Thousand Judys" - presented by The Meeting* hosted by Justin Sayre - on Monday, June 1. The Pride concert to benefit The Ali Forney Center will take place at Merkin Concert Hall at the Kaufman Center (129 West 67th Street in Manhattan). Called "a rambunctious, uproarious, unpredictable all-star concert" by The Wall Street Journal, "Night Of A Thousand Judys" will honor the iconic Judy Garland with special skits, tributes and songs from her legendary career as movie star, recording artist and stage performer. There will be a pre-show VIP reception at 6:30 PM and the performance at 8:00 PM.

The show is written and hosted by Justin Sayre and directed by Peter James Cook. Lance Horne is the event's music supervisor, with Steven Jamail serving as music director. Adam Fleming is the evening's choreographer. "Night Of A Thousand Judys" is produced by Dan Fortune and Adam J. Rosen, with Dan Fortune serving as executive producer. Additional special guests will be announced.

The first four sold-out annual concerts featured the talents as R&B legends Martha Wash and Sarah Dash; jazz vocalists Madeleine Peyroux, Jane Monheit and Jessica Molaskey & John Pizzarelli; singer/songwriters Nellie McKay and Erin McKeown; Broadway ladies Carolee Carmello, Jackie Hoffman, Tonya Pinkins and leading men Howard McGillin, Telly Leung, Rory O'Malley and Daniel Reichard; downtown stars Justin Vivian Bond, Bridget Everett and Lady Rizo; nightlife fixtures Karen Mason, Maude Maggart and Karen Akers; and New York personalities Michael Musto, Austin Scarlett and Frank DeCaro, among many others.

A special new episode of Sparkle & Circulate with Justin Sayre - the official podcast of the International Order of Sodomites - features an in-depth interview with Carl Siciliano, founder of the Ali Forney Center, that explores the history and mission of the organization. It's available on iTunes here, along with previous conversations with Randy Harrison, Michael Musto, Frank DeCaro, Jeffery Self, Kim David Smith and R&B legend Sarah Dash.

"Night Of A Thousand Judys" is a special presentation of The Meeting* hosted by Justin Sayre, the acclaimed comedy/variety show known for a signature blend of outrageous comedy, politics, culture and everything in between. The Meeting* is currently enjoying a successful monthly run at Joe's Pub, which hosted of the first "Night of a Thousand Judys" in 2011. The Meeting* - which enjoyed successful runs at the Broadway nightclub 54 Below in New York and the Bootleg Theater in Los Angeles - recently made its Bay Area debut at Oasis in San Francisco. The show has been hailed as "delicious and delightfully droll" by The New York Post and "hilarious and sardonic" by The Village Voice. A recent story for Slate.com called the evening "so deliciously icy that it left me shivering with fear and delight." Justin Sayre and The Meeting* were named among the Top nightclub shows of 2013 by Time Out New York, and received the 2012 Bistro Award for "Comedy Artistry" and a 2011 MAC Award nomination for Best Male Comedy Performance. Each month, the I.O.S gathers to honor an artist or a cultural work that is iconic to the gay community. Justin Sayre, the show's creator, writer and host, serves as the Chairman of the Board of the International Order of Sodomites and brings his singular wit to essential business of the day through such regular features such as "Letters to the Chairman" and "New Rulings from the Board." www.InternationalOrderofSodomites.com

The Ali Forney Center is the nation's largest and most comprehensive organization dedicated to homeless LGBT youth. AFC's goal is to provide them with the support and services they need to escape the streets and begin to live healthy and independent lives. For more information on The Ali Forney Center, visit www.aliforneycenter.org

"Just like Judy we always come back," says Justin. "Every year, the love we have for this show and the tremendous work of The Ali Forney Center only gets deeper and deeper. It's the privilege of my whole year to work with our Judy's Family which every year gets bigger and bigger. For 2015, expect a lot of great music brought to you by some of the most exciting performers in New York and the world, all paying homage to the great lady herself, but also giving their time and talents to the brave young people at AFC. There's No Place Like Home, and we want that to be true for everyone. We work with the AFC to make that a reality."

JUSTIN SAYRE was described by Michael Musto in The Village Voice as "Oscar Wilde meets Whoopi Goldberg." In a recent story for Edge New York, Steve Weinstein said "Comedian, raconteur, performing artist, gay rights activist and sexual outlaw: I'm not sure Justin Sayre is classifiable. The veteran performer is on his way to becoming a Downtown Manhattan institution along the lines of Charles Ludlum or Charles Busch." Justin is a child of Forty Fort, Pennsylvania who demonstrated a supernatural instinct for "camp" at an early age. With a voice straight out the MGM finishing school for girls, he moved to New York believing it was still 1947. He was terribly misinformed. As an actor, he has worked and studied with some of the finest professionals in the city. As a comedian, Sayre is regular guest at Homo-Comicus at the Gotham Comedy Club and contributing writer to "Murray Hill's ShowBiz" on MTVX. As a gay, Justin has excelled at scarf placement, devilish quips, and a healthy but firm love of the American musical. An evening of his short plays, Justin Sayre Is Alive and Well... Writing - called one of the "Top 10 Events on the New York Stage" by the New York Daily News - sold out two shows at Ars Nova in 2012. Sayre's play, The Click of the Lock, was a finalist for the Eugene O'Neill Theater Conference and debuted at The Cherry Lane Theatre starring Randy Harrison. Sayre is a regular contributor to The Huffington Post and Flavorwire, as well offering playful and witty love advice at The Date Report. His debut young adult novel Husky will be released by Penguin Books in September 2015. He is currently a staff writer for "2 Broke Girls" on CBS-TV and recently appeared opposite Lisa Kudrow on HBO's "The Comeback."

PETER JAMES COOK is a Brooklyn-based writer, director and performer. Directing: Never Sleep Alone (Joe's Pub), Game Play (Ars Nova), Just Right, Just Now (Lesser America), Raptured (Play Co.), Twelfth Night (Stella Adler), TRAVIS (Ars Nova), The Tempest (Porpentine), Sailor Man (NY Int'l Fringe - Outstanding Play), Straight Up Vampire (Joe's Pub), The Nosemaker's Apprentice (The Brick). Peter is a Drama League directing fellow, and the Literary & Humanities Manager at Theatre for a New Audience.

"Night Of A Thousand Judys" - a special presentation of The Meeting* hosted by Justin Sayre - will take place at Merkin Concert Hall at the Kaufman Center, located at 129 West 67th Street, New York, NY 10023, on Monday, June 1. Tickets are $30, $60, $100 and $250. The $100 seats include a VIP pre-show reception at 6:30 PM, a deluxe gift bag and preferred seating. The $250 seats include these features in addition to premium seating and an exclusive poster signed by the cast. Tickets are on sale now here.

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