On Sunday, August 1, Christopher and Vicki Le Vine celebrated The Broadway Dreams Foundation's return engagement to Philadelphia with a star-studded benefit fundraiser, hosted by television and Broadway personalities Nicole Parker ("MadTv," Wicked) and Paul Canaan (MTV's "Legally Blonde," La Cage). The benefit was held at Grace Winery's outdoor amphitheatre nestled on the grounds of Sweetwater Farm Bed and Breakfast in the historic Brandywine Valley. BroadwayWorld brings you photo coverage of the event below.
Proprietors Christopher & Vicki Le Vine and winemaker Sean Kramer treated guests to an elegant buffet on the property's 50 acres overlooking picturesque Sweetwater Wood. The Broadway-style cabaret featured performances by Philadelphia youth performers along with BDF Musical Director and composer Jeremy Schonfeld (Clear Blue Tuesday, Drift), Broadway favorites Titus Burgess (Jersey Boys, Little Mermaid), Carlos Encinias (Les Miserables, Mama Mia), James Kinney (Sweet Charity) and ABC Daytime star Nicholas Rodriguez ("One Life to Live").
All proceeds from the evening benefitted The Broadway Dreams Foundation, a national non-profit performing arts training program that teaches America's youth how to kick start their career with one of a kind performance workshop taught by Broadway's brightest stars.
The Broadway Dreams Foundation has returned to Philadelphia's Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts (300 South Broad Street) August 2 - 8, 2010 to present their week-long Summer Performing Arts Intensive. Broadway's Alice Ripley, the 2009 Tony Award-winning star of Next to Normal, leads the roster of BDF teaching artists. Over the course of the week, Philadelphia's youth are receiving first-rate training in acting, dance and vocal performance by savvy Broadway veterans who will share their insider knowledge on the skills needed to succeed in show business.
At week's end, all students will perform alongside their Broadway idols in a one-night-only concert event entitled Don't Stop Believing at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts' Perelman Theatre on Saturday, August 7, 2010 at 8 pm. Tickets to Don't Stop Believing are $65 - 25.00 and are available to the public by calling the Kimmel Center Box Office on 215-893-1999 or by visiting www.kimmelcenter.org.
For more information on Sweetwater Farm, visit www.sweetwaterfarmbb.com.
For more information on The Broadway Dreams Foundation, visit www.mybroadwaydreams.com.
Photo Credit: Scott Weiner / Retna Ltd.
Nicole Parker and Nicholas Rodriguez
Nicole Parker and Nicholas Rodriguez
Chris LeVine, Vicky LeVine, Annette Tanner, Ann Ewes, and Matt Wolf
Cast of Broadway Dreams Foundation Benefit
Nicholas Rodriguez & Tyler Haines
Nicholas Rodriguez & Tyler Haines
Nicholas Rodriguez & Tyler Haines
Cast of Broadway Dreams Foundation Benefit
Rachel Hoffman, Carlos Encinias and Nicole Parker
Paul Canaan, Jeremy Shonfeld and James Kinney
Chris JeVine, Vicky LeVine, Jeff Becherer, Annette Tanner and Matt Wolf
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