A company spokesperson told Playbill On-Line that the cast of the musical, which ends its run at the Broadway Theatre Jan. 1, is currently making curtain speeches following performances. The speeches remind audiences of the devastation in South Asia and ask for their help. Flyers are then distributed to the audiences with the names of various organizations that are raising funds to help the disaster relief effort. The Wonderful Town company is doing their part as well. The musical, now starring Brooke Shields, issued this statement: "[Wonderful Town] has begun to make curtain speeches and started raising monies for relief efforts for countries and people devastated by the Tsunami. The cast and producers decided to begin the fund raising over the holiday week and Brooke Shields announced to the audience that every dollar collected will be matched personally by one of the show's producers, Barry and Fran Weissler. The first evening of collection, the donations were over $6,000 from the audience members. Monies will be donated to several organizations including Doctors without Borders. Collections are expected to continue through the weekend."
Among the many organizations helping the survivors of the killer tsunamis are American Red Cross International Response Fund (www.redcross.org), AmeriCares (www.americares.org), CARE (www.care.org), Save the Children USA (www.savethechildren.org), Catholic Relief Services (www.catholicrelief.org), Doctors Without Borders (www.doctorswithoutborders.org), International Rescue Committee (www.theIRC.org), Oxfam America Asian Earthquake Fund (www.oxfamamerica.org) and Project Hope Asia Tsunami Response (www.projecthope.org).
Bombay Dreams plays the Broadway Theatre, 1681 Broadway at 53rd Street. Wonderful Town plays the Al Hirschfeld Theatre, 302 West 45th Street.