Laura Osnes to Headline Nashville Children's Theatre's GRAND NIGHT Benefit

Broadway star and two-time Tony Award nominee Laura Osnes will headline Nashville Children's Theatre's Grand Night benefit, set for Saturday, April 14. Nashville Children's Theatre is the nation's oldest professional theater for young audiences.

Chaired by Jamie Eskind, NCT's Grand Night will take on a decidedly theatrical ambience - in "Grand Hollywood style" - showcasing the talents of Osnes, Broadway's Cinderella, while guests enjoy gourmet hors d'oeuvres, fine wines and a multi-course dinner served on the main stage, along with dancing to the music of the Blue Tones late into the evening in NCT's Copeland Studio. Dress for the evening is described as an intriguing blend of "festive chic" and "Hollywood glamour."

Osnes most recently completed a starring run in the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical Bandstand (Drama Desk, Drama League nominations). Among her other Broadway credits include the title role of Cinderella in Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella (Drama Desk Award; Tony, Outer Critics Circle, Drama League, Astaire nominations); Bonnie Parker in Bonnie and Clyde (Tony Award nomination) after originating the role at Asolo Repertory Theatre and La Jolla Playhouse (San Diego Theatre Critics Circle Award); Hope Harcourt in the Tony Award-winning revival of Anything Goes (Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and Astaire Award nominations); Nellie Forbush in Lincoln Center Theater's acclaimed Tony Award-winning revival of South Pacific; and Sandy in the most recent revival Broadway revival of Grease.

Other New York and regional highlights of Osnes' resume include Crazy For You (Manhattan Concert Productions); The Blueprint Specials (Public Theatre); The Threepenny Opera (Atlantic Theater); City Center Encores! productions of The Band Wagon; Randy Newman's Faust; Pipe Dream; The Sound of Music (Carnegie Hall); Carousel opposite Steven Pasquale (Lyric Opera of Chicago); and Broadway: Three Generations (Kennedy Center).

Osnes has been seen on CBS' Elementary, in the HBO pilot The Miraculous Year, Live From Lincoln Center: Bernstein on Broadway, Sondheim: The Birthday Concert, HBO's documentary Six By Sondheim, and in Kennedy Center Honors' tributes to Barbara Cook (2011) and Dustin Hoffman (2012). She has appeared on the concert stage and in cabaret performances with Michael Feinstein, the New York Philharmonic, The New York Pops, The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, The Boston Pops, The San Francisco Symphony and The National Symphony Orchestra.

Funds raised via NCT's Grand Night help to provide ticket assistance to over 22,000 students and teachers. Additionally, over 200 drama camp and class scholarships are made available to families who would not otherwise be able to experience the community and fun of drama education, and at-risk youth are able to participate in after-school and in-school drama workshops.

NCT's 2018 celebration of Grand Night will be held at The Martin Center for Nashville Children's Theatre, 25 Middleton Street in Nashville's SoBro neighborhood. Free valet parking will be available.

Guests can attend Grand Night by purchasing a table of ten seats at $2,500 or individual tickets at $250 apiece. Tickets (single and table) can be purchased online at NashvilleChildrensTheatre.org/grand-night-and-day. Questions about tickets should be directed to Reed Hummell, NCT Director of Development at (615)252-46561 or by email at RHummell@nashvillect.org.

Grand Night Patron Party on Tuesday, March 6: On Tuesday, March 6, NCT will host a patron party at Woolworth on 5th. The event will provide food and drinks, but the highlight of the evening will be the announcement of NCT's 2018-19 season as well as a reveal of the theatre's new logo!

Tickets for the Patron Party are included with the purchase of a Patron Level package that provides admission to Grand Night and to the Grand Day carnival on Sunday, April 22. There are a range of Patron Level Packages, and details can be found at NashvilleCT.org. Individual tickets to the Patron party are available for $50 apiece.

About Nashville Children's Theatre: Founded in 1931 by the Junior League of Nashville, Nashville Children's Theatre is the oldest professional children's theatre in the United States. A national leader in theatre arts and education programs for young people, NCT was ranked by TIME Magazine as one of the top five children's theatre's in the country. Lead funding for NCT's programs is provided by Metro Nashville Arts Commission, Tennessee Arts Commission, The Shubert Foundation, The Memorial Foundation, The National Endowment for the Arts, and The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee.

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