Broadway Pals Enter the Ring for PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD Benefit Gala

"What do you do when you have to stop dancing?" This is the question Zack asks the dancers at the end of A Chorus Line. Original Broadway cast member Carole Schweid has a unique answer to that question.

For almost fifteen years, she has been Artistic Director of the popular lunchtime play-reading series, Play With Your Food in Westport, Fairfield, and Greenwich, CT. They are having a Gala Saturday, November 5th to celebrate the opening of their fifteenth season and invite the public to join the party.

With the help of choreographer Andrea Metchick, friends from the neighborhood, who just happen to be accomplished Broadway performers - including Dodie Petit (Cats), Jodi Stevens (Jeckle and Hyde), along with Ms. Schweid (A Chorus Line) - will be stepping into the ring to entertain the crowd. Broadway Conductor, Arranger, Musical Director and Grammy Award winner Paul Bogaev, longtime friend and colleague will be on hand at the keyboard. Kim Maresca, recently a sensation off Broadway in Ruthless!, and other accomplished performers who have worked with Play With Your Food over the years will add their talent to the program. Noted musician Jim Clark will provide the brass.

"Play With Your Food specializes in staged readings of one-act plays. When we discovered Lindsay Joy's play Clinch at Gleason's Gym in Brooklyn a few years ago, we knew we had found a real gem," reports PWYF Co-Founder Nancy Diamond. "The play is a wedding. It was written to take place inside a Boxing Ring. Since the Gala will take place at Calasanz' Boxing Arena, we knew we had to have it as part of our program." The Cast will include original cast members Kara Young, Cassandra Paras, and Terra Mackintosh along with PWYF "favorite" Chris Wilkes.

A short live auction to raise funds will include tickets to Hello Dolly, starring Bette Midler, opera at the Met, and Dear Evan Hansen about to open on Broadway. "It's amazing. One of the writers of Dear Evan Hansen is Justin Paul," states Producer Diana Muller. "Justin grew up in Westport. It's been wonderful to see this young man's his career grow and flourish." "This much talent in one town," Managing Director Inge Maki adds, "is an honor to celebrate!"

The Gala will take place on Saturday, November 5th at Calasanz Boxing Arena, 507 Westport Avenue in Norwalk from 6:30 - 9 pm. In addition to the one-of-a-kind entertainment that audiences relish from Play With Your Food, the evening includes tastings from popular area restaurants and caterers along with cocktails sponsored by Tito's Handcrafted Vodka. Tickets are $175 each and can be purchased at jibproductions.org or by calling the box office at 203.293.8729.

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