Artists Giving Back to Host 'SONGS OF HEALING' Benefit for Donica Lynn

Artists Giving Back, a local not-for-profit that specializes in fundraising through the arts, is throwing a benefit concert called AGB Presents: Songs of Healing a Benefit for Donica Lynn.

The concert will be held at Hamburger Mary's (5400 N Clark St) on Monday, February 13th starting at 8 pm. Entry to the event will be a $10 donation at the door with all the proceeds from the evening going to Chicago performer Donica Lynn.

Lynn, who won a Jeff Award last year for her performance in Porchlight Music Theatre's production of Dreamgirls is a three-time brain cancer survivor who had her first scare at the age of 12. She has just undergone another round of chemo therapy, which left her with immense medical bills not covered by her insurance that she needs to pay while supporting her family, including 3 daughters.

To show their love and support performers from all over the Chicago theater community are coming together for a one night only concert to help Lynn raise the money she needs to pay off her medical bills. The program for the evening has been selected by the Artist Director of Refuge Theatre Project, Christopher Pazdernik, who will be acting as host for the evening and who worked with Lynn while assistant directing Dreamgirls. The list of performers that Pazdernik and AGB has put together for the event contains

talent from across the Chicago theater community including Lynn's cast mates from Dreamgirls Katherine Thomas, Caleb Blaze, Jared Grant, Eric Lewis, Reneisha Jenkins and Matthew Hunter (who is co-Music Directing with Aaron Benham of Theo Ubique and Baliwick) as well as many other performers who work with theater companies like Mercury Theater Chicago, Light Opera Works, PULSE Theatre, and Underscore Theater among many others.

One especially notable performer will be Lynn's ten year old daughter, Sidra Henderson, who has performed in a number of high profile musicals in Chicago including, Porchlight's productions of Far From Heaven and The Rink, and Mercury Theater Chicago's production of The Color Purple. Sidra has been an important source of support for Lynn during her treatments and is excited to be able to be part of the event.

In addition to lending their performers to the event, local theater companies like Porchlight Music Theatre, Redtwist Theatre, Underscore Theatre, About Face Theatre and Refuge Theatre Project have all donated tickets to shows from their 2017 seasons to be raffled off. Jacob Leatherman, owner of Lakeview hair salon BLOWN by bocaj and one of the producers of the event is also donating haircuts and stylings at his salon that will be raffled off among other prizes. Not only will the raffle help to raise additional funds for Lynn, but it also cementing the community aspect of the event, showing the tight bond of the Chicago theatre community and its love for Lynn.

PERFORMERS:

Aaron Mitchell Reese

Billy Dawson

Bradley Halverson

Caleb Baze

Eric Lewis

Jared David Michael Grant

Jessica Nicole

Jon Schneidman

Katherine Thomas

Larry Trice

Michael Ferraro

Peter Ruger

Reneisha Jenkins

Tyler Symonè Franklin

Leah Pawlik

Doug Pawlik

Brian Nelson

Randall Chism

Molly Callinan

Sidra Henderson

Music directors

Aaron Benham

Matthew Hunter

HOST: Christopher Pazdernik

For more information about the event, visit www.facebook.com/AGBChicago.

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