Lea Michele, Erich Bergen And More Join Darren Criss In Center Theatre Group's 'A Grand Night' Benefit

Center Theatre Group has announced additional performers and two special guests for "A Grand Night," a one-night-only event on Monday, April 22 featuring a 5:30 p.m. pre-show reception in the Ahmanson lobby, a 7 p.m. performance in the Mark Taper Forum and a post-show gala dinner on the stage of the Ahmanson Theatre. Tickets are also available for the performance only starting at $100.

Meet the Cast

Lea Michele ("Spring Awakening," "Glee") and "Falsettos" cast members Nick Adams ("La Cage aux Folles," "Priscilla Queen of the Desert"), Nick Blaemire ("Cry- Baby," "tick...tick...Boom!"), Audrey Cardwell (First National Tours of "Bright Star" and "Cinderella"), Eden Espinosa ("Wicked," "Rent"), Thatcher Jacobs, Bryonha Marie Parham ("Ragtime," "Porgy and Bess") and Max von Essen ("An American in Paris," "Anastasia") will join the previously announced Obba Babatundé ("Dreamgirls,""Jelly's Last Jam"), Erich Bergen ("Jersey Boys," "Madame Secretary"), Darren Criss ("Glee," "Hedwig and the Angry Inch"), Barrett Foa ("Avenue Q," "NCIS: Los Angeles"), Katie Lowes ("Scandal," "Waitress"), Adam Pascal ("Rent," "Something Rotten") and Adam Shapiro ("Waitress," "The Affair"). Carmen Cusack and Zooey Deschanel will no longer be performing at the Taper.

Dominique Morisseau, who wrote the book for recent Ahmanson hit and current Broadway smash "Ain't Too Proud" will be a special guest as will Casey Nicholaw who made his directorial debut with "The Drowsy Chaperone" at the Ahmanson and is currently represented on Broadway with "The Prom," "Mean Girls," "Aladdin" and "The Book Of Mormon" (also coming to the Ahmanson in 2020).

About Center Theatre Group

For over 50 years, Center Theatre Group has developed or presented countless landmark musicals. "A Grand Night" will feature a one-night-only musical performance that highlights some of the greatest moments from Center Theatre Group's history and a sneak peek at seasons to come.

The 2019 gala dinner on the Ahmanson Theatre stage will be hosted by Jana Bezdek and Trevor Bezdek. Karla Ahmanson and William H. Ahmanson, Kiki Ramos Gindler and David Gindler, Patricia Glaser and Sam Mudie, Ellyn Lindsay and William Lindsay, Laura Rosenwald and Jamie Rosenwald will serve as gala co-chairs, with Matthew Walden and Richard Weitz as gala performance co-chairs.

Center Theatre Group, one of the nation's preeminent arts and cultural organizations, is Los Angeles' leading nonprofit theatre company, which, under Artistic Director Michael Ritchie, programs seasons at the 736-seat Mark Taper Forum and 1600 to 2100-seat Ahmanson Theatre at The Music Center in Downtown Los Angeles, and the 317-seat Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City.

The company has played a part in many legendary musical theatre works, and collaborated with major actors, singers, writers and composers, from Neil Simon and Lena Horne to Neil Patrick Harris and Lin-Manuel Miranda. Last year alone, Center Theatre Group produced the innovative "Soft Power," hosted the Broadway-bound hit "Ain't Too Proud" and presented the blockbuster tour of "Dear Evan Hansen."

Gala dinner tickets start at $5,000 and include a pre-performance reception, prime seating locations for the performance and an unforgettable dinner on stage at the Ahmanson Theatre. Dinner tickets can be reserved by calling (213) 972-3192 or by emailing gala@ctgla.org. Performance only tickets start at $100 and are available for purchase on our website at CTGLA.org/AGrandNight. Proceeds from the 2019 Gala will support the ongoing impact Center Theatre Group strives to make in the community, by producing the highest quality work on our stages and programming a range of educational opportunities for students and audiences of all ages and backgrounds.

The Mark Taper Forum and Ahmanson Theatre are located at The Music Center, 135 N. Grand Avenue in Downtown L.A. 90012.

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