More Stars Announced for 9/20 Hair Concert
A new list of headliners have been added to the all-star Actors' Fund of America benefit concert of Hair. Laura Benanti, Shoshana Bean, Wayne Brady, Lea DeLaria, Raul Esparza, Ana Gasteyer, Annie Golden, Jackie Hoffman, Michael McKean, Euan Morton, Anisha Nagarajan, Nancy Opel, Orfeh and the cast of off-Broadway's Toxic Audio will all join the previously-announced batch of stars in the show, set to take place on September 20 at the New Amsterdam Theatre.
Benanti, last seen on Broadway in the original company of Nine, earned Tony nominations for her work in both Swing! and Into the Woods. Bean, who is taking over the standby position for the role of Elphaba in Wicked later this month, appeared in the original company of Hairspray. Emmy-winning TV personality Wayne Brady starts performances as Billy Flynn in the hit Broadway revival of Chicago on September 9. Comedian-turned-actor DeLaria has starred in On the Town, The Rocky Horror Show and Little Fish. A 2004 Tony nominee for his work in Taboo, Esparza has also appeared on Broadway in The Rocky Horror Show and off-Broadway in The Normal Heart and tick, tick...BOOM!. Gasteyer appeared as one of the rotating Fanny Brices in the Actors' Fund concert of Funny Girl and also was seen as Columbia in The Rocky Horror Show. Golden, who played Jeannie in the 1979 film version of Hair, has been seen on Broadway in Hair, Leader of the Pack, Ah, Wilderness!, On the Town and The Full Monty. Funny lady Hoffman is currently playing a number of twisted characters in the Broadway production of Hairspray and performing her solo show The Kvetching Continues at Joe's Pub. Also in Hairspray is McKean, best known for his work in TV's Laverne and Shirley and films like This Is Spinal Top, Best in Show and A Mighty Wind. Euan Morton was a nominated for a Tony Award for his performance as Boy George in Taboo. Nagarajan is making her Broadway debut as the leading lady of Broadway's Bombay Dreams. Fiddler on the Roof star Opel has appeared on Broadway in Evita, Sunday in the Park With George, Anything Goes, Triumph of Love and Urinetown. Orfeh appeared in the 2001 Actors' Fund concert of Dreamgirls and on Broadway in Footloose, The Gershwin's Fascinating Rhythm and Saturday Night Fever in addition to playing Janis Joplin in the off-Broadway musical Love, Janis.
Proceeds from Hair benefit The Actor's Fund, which is the only national nonprofit organization that provides for the social welfare of all entertainment professionals. Programs include nursing home and assisted living care facilities, senior and disabled programs, mental health services, chemical dependency services, services to employable professionals, the Phyllis Newman Women's Health Initiative, AIDS Initiative and supportive housing.
Hair will take place on Monday September 20 at 7:30pm at the New Amsterdam Theatre. Visit the Actors' Fund website or call 212-221-7300 for tickets to the event, which range in price from $75 to $2,500.
