Alma Powell to be Honored at Theatre Lab Annual Cabaret Benefit 11/6

The Theatre Lab, Washington DC's largest independent theatre school, will honor youth advocate and author Alma Powell as part of its annual Cabaret Benefit Dinner and Auction on Sunday, November 6. The event will be held at The Mayflower Hotel in Washington.

Ms. Powell is currently the chair of America's Promise Alliance, and helps lead the efforts of hundreds of the Alliance's partner organizations in their work to provide a variety of resources to children nationwide to help them succeed both in and out of school.

A longtime advocate for the arts, Ms. Powell has held a leadership role on The Kennedy Center's Board of Community and Friends. While her husband, Gen. Colin Powell, served as Chairman of the Joint Cheifs of Staff and Secretary of State, she also served as Advisor to the Red Cross of the Military District of Washington and, subsequently, as honorary president of the Associates of the American Foreign Service Worldwide.

Through her work with youth, performing artists, and those in the military, Ms. Powell is perfectly aligned with The Theatre Lab's mission to transform lives through theatre education. The Theatre Lab's unique drama training programs reach disadvantaged children and teens, emerging theatre artists, and wounded veterans, among many others.

"We are very excited to have the chance to pay tribute to someone who has worked so diligently for so many years to help make sure that everyone can reach his or her full potential," said Theatre Lab Co-Executive Director Deb Gottesman.

The Theatre Lab's Cabaret Benefit raises funds to support its educational and outreach initiatives, including its award-winning Life Stories program (subject of the 2014 award-winning documentary "How I Got Over," now available on Netflix-see trailer here), which trains incarcerated youth, homeless women, seniors, veterans and more to create original dramatic works from their real-life experiences. The benefit will feature a silent and live auction, and performances by Theatre Lab students. Last year's benefit raised over $250,000 to fund financial aid and Theatre Lab programming.

The evening begins at 5:00 pm with cocktails and a silent auction. Dinner begins at 7:00 pm with performances, honoree presentations, and a live auction. Tickets for the event may be purchased online or by calling (202) 824-0449.

The Theatre Lab is the largest independent theatre school in Washington, offering classes since 1992 for students of all ages and experience levels. The Theatre Lab is also well known for its community outreach, and has been recognized as one of the 50 top arts- and humanities- based programs in the country serving youth outside of school hours by the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities. The school offers hundreds of scholarships to children, teens, and adults who wouldn't otherwise be able to study acting, as well as Life Stories, a groundbreaking program that brings the tools and techniques of storytelling and filmmaking to marginalized or disadvantaged groups of people.

To post a comment, you must register and login.