Dear Friends,
I am looking for your input =)
Recently I had the pleasure of working with the Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS team to produce, direct and also perform in a benefit entitled, “Broadway Rocks”, rock and pop songs from Broadway. The cast was all student volunteers (some with CD’s, music majors, theatre majors), who regardless of strenuous workload worked their ass off to make this happen. I even recruited artists – local and afar to design the set and display and promote their artwork. I did virtually everything (cast, advertised, directed, found venues, created the ideas, designed the website/program cover) and there was much success. I know it is nothing compared to how much money Broadway has raised, but in four days we made a great deal of money and played not only in Staten Island, but at the prestigious La MaMa E.T.C., in Manhattan, where we were sold out. Because of the large response, we are planning another show with time better and bigger. Because I want to do my best to make sure the benefit/cabaret appeals to an array of people, I’m asking your input!
I was tossing a few ideas around (the theme of Love/Revenge (songs from Broadway, Popular, Rock –leaving revenge for Act Two), “You’re Fired” (tentative title, singing songs from Broadway that were canned early on in their run (think “Dance of the Vampires”, “Merrily We Role Along”). “Cut/Uncut”: doing songs from Broadway shows that have been cut (like songs from Avenue Q, Andrew Lloyd Webber shows…) But the big one, our cast is hoping for is to do a Rent themed show coinciding with their 9th Anniversary. We would invite current, and Rent alumni as well as Broadway performers who have wanted to be in the show (i.e. John Tartaglia), to join us. I’ve noticed whenever a cast member has a concert they jazz up some Rent songs (Take Me Or Leave Me, Out Tonight, One Song Glory, I’ll Cover You, among others). So the songs would kind of be “remixed” and cast members would be invited (no real rehearsal time for cast member that already have the songs in their repertoire. Also, the show would go in a linear fashion, telling how Rent was created (using Jonathan Larson’s other songs, the 1994 New York Theatre Workshop version of “Rent”, as well as La Bohemé, giving a cast that is extensive in rock and opera a change to do both). Also excerpts from songs could be performed by the Broadway cast and the amateur cast. The audience could vote whom they liked better (I’m sure Broadway!) by “voting”: donating money to the “Amateur” or “Broadway” collection. At the end of the night we could see who won. Also it’s a great, easy way to promote the show (since we will only be doing highlights), reunite old and new cast members (also, I believe “Rent: The Movie” will be doing their exterior shots on location around that time in New York City), as well as promote theatre to people who have not experienced it –while raising a hell of a lot of money for such a noble cause. I don’t know who I would need to get permission from to attempt this. It would be great to have your support, as well as I would love as much input as I can get and as much talent as you can donate to this great cause.
With love,
Truly
Neal Bennington
NealBennington1@Hotmail.com
NealBennngton@yahoo.com
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