King and I's Montalban Joins Starry Line-Up for Leading Men IV Benefit

By Andrew Gans
and Adam Hetrick
06 May 2009

Paolo Montalban
Paolo Montalban

Paolo Montalban, who was seen on Broadway in the revivals of Pacific Overtures and The King and I, is the final addition to the starry line-up of actors who will be part of the annual The Leading Men benefit.

As previously announced, The Leading Men IV benefit concert for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS will be held May 11 at Birdland. The 7 PM concert will again be hosted by Tony nominee John Tartaglia (Avenue Q, Shrek) and will feature musical direction by Seth Rudetsky and direction by Alan Muraoka.

Montalban joins a line-up that boasts Jonathan Groff (Spring Awakening), James Barbour (A Tale of Two Cities), Norm Lewis (The Little Mermaid), Tony Yazbeck (Gypsy), Cody Green (West Side Story), Nick Adams (Guys and Dolls), Jim Caruso (Liza's at The Palace!), Michael Kadin Craig (Altar Boyz), Kevin Earley (A Tale of Two Cities), Graham Phillips (13), Nicholas Rodriguez (Tarzan), Tom Andersen, Jack Donahue, Tom Postilio and Zak Resnick.

Montalban also played Prince Christopher in the ABC-TV movie of Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Cinderella" and reprised that role onstage in Cinderella with Deborah Gibson and then Jamie-Lynn Sigler.

Wayman Wong, who originated and wrote "The Leading Men" column for Playbill.com from 2003-2006, produces the upcoming concert.

Premium tickets are $100 plus a $10 food-drink minimum. General seating is $50 plus a $10 food-drink minimum. For tickets visit www.birdlandjazz.com. Birdland is located in Manhattan at 315 West 44th Street.

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Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS is the nation's largest industry-based, nonprofit AIDS fundraising and grant-making organization. Since its founding in 1988 the organization has distributed over $150 million for services for people with AIDS, HIV or HIV-related illnesses. For more information visit www.BroadwayCares.org.