Always For Daniel: A Celebration of the Life of Daniel James McClung, Featuring Rory O'Malley, Julia Murney & More, Will Play 54 Below

Rory O’Malley, Julia Murney, Jenni Barber and more will perform at 54 Below to pay tribute to the late playwright Daniel James McClung, who passed away earlier this year in a high-rise fire at the Strand apartment building in Manhattan. Always For Daniel: A Celebration of the Life of Daniel James McClung will take place on June 2. Proceeds from the benefit will go to Muhlenberg College Theatre and Dance, McClung’s alma mater, where a scholarship will be established in his name.

In addition to O’Malley, Murney and Barber (Wicked), the benefit will include performances from The Skivvies (Lauren Molina and Nick Cearley), Chelsea Packard, Jason Michael Snow, Tamika Sonja Lawrence, Dana Steingold, Joelle Lurie and Michael Zahler. The evening will feature the music of Judy Garland and Ella Fitzgerald, re-imagined.

McClung passed away on January 5 after a fire broke out in the Strand Condominium. He was 27 years old. His husband, Michael Cohen, suffered smoke inhalation while attempting to escape. McClung’s plays include Inamorato, Flimsy Things and The Paper Nautilus, which were workshopped with Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, PS 122 and AliveWire Theatrics. To learn more about the memorial scholarship fund, and to make a donation, visit AlwaysForDaniel.com.