Actor's Fund Benefit Concerts

[ashley0139]

Posted: 10/3/06 at 9:29pm

I know little to nothing about these concerts. How often are they performed? Once a year? Could someone explain how they came about and why and all that stuff. I love the Hair recording and what I've heard of the Chess stuff, etc. But I don't really know much about them. Any info would be great!

[NathanLaneStalker]

Posted: 10/3/06 at 9:30pm

I think once a year.

Didn't they do Hair last year? and I know they've done Funny Girl and Pippin as well!

[ashley0139]

Posted: 10/3/06 at 9:33pm

Hair was 2 years ago. 2004 I think. Have they done one yet this year/are they doing one?

[NathanLaneStalker]

Posted: 10/3/06 at 9:36pm

They're doing The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas!

I have one on DVD. It was a Kander & Ebb review called Sing Happy they did in LA in October 2003.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 10/3/06 at 9:42pm

They are done once a year and always in the Fall. Each show is put together by Seth Rudetsky, who also conducts the orchestra, which use the chosen show's original orchestrations. The first show (back in September 2001, about a week and a half after the events of 9/11) was DREAMGIRLS (which was recorded and released as a double-CD), though aside from HAIR, all the other concerts have gone unrecorded, unfortunately.

The other concerts were: FUNNY GIRL (2002), CHESS (2003), HAIR (2004) and last year's ON THE TWENTIETH CENTURY (2005).
Link to info on this year's concert: BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS

[sweetestsiren]

Posted: 10/3/06 at 9:44pm

As far as the big Actor's Fund of America benefit concerts that they do every year, I think that they started with Dreamgirls in 2001. They've been:

2001: Dreamgirls
2002: Funny Girl
2003: Chess
2004: Hair
2005: On the Twentieth Century
2006: Best Little Whorehouse in Texas

Pippin was a World AIDS Day benefit, which isn't done by the same organization.

Edit: Aaand someone beat me to it. Updated On: 10/3/06 at 09:44 PM

[NathanLaneStalker]

Posted: 10/3/06 at 9:47pm

Oh sorry.

I forgot about Chess and Dreamgirls!

there was a West Side Story one in LA...was that done by them?

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 10/3/06 at 10:11pm

I know they've done Funny Girl and Pippin as well!

PIPPIN was a World AIDS Day Concert, not an Actors Fund Concert.

[ashley0139]

Posted: 10/3/06 at 10:18pm

I love that it's always such top notch people. Very cool stuff. And it's the day before my birthday this year.