Cast Members from American Idiot, Wicked, Scottsboro Boys and South Pacific Will Be Friends With Benefits

By Adam Hetrick
22 Apr 2010

Max von Essen, Alysha Umphress, Kristy Cates, Sean Bradford and Andrew Sumonsky will perform in the 11th installment of Friends with Benefits, a benefit for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS May 17.

Mamma Mia! cast member Gerard Salvador and MAC Award winner Amy Wolk serve as hosts for the 9:30 PM event at the Metropolitan Room. Since its inception, the cabaret evening has raised nearly $10,000.

In addition to von Essen (Xanadu), Umphress (American Idiot), Cates (Wicked), Bradford (Scottsboro Boys) and Sumonsky (South Pacific), Brent Black (Mamma Mia!), Carole J. Bufford, Anthony CeFala (Mamma Mia!), Felicity Claire (Mamma Mia!), Stacia Fernandez (Drowsy Chaperone, Mamma Mia!), Rashad Naylor (Jersey Boys), Sara Schmidt (Jersey Boys) and composer Bobby Cronin.

MAC Award winner Steven Ray Watkins serves as musical director.

The Metropolitan Room is located in Manhattan at 34 West 22nd Street. There is a $20 cover charge and a two-drink minimum; call (212) 206-0440 for reservations.

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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 call (212) 840-0770 or visit www.bcefa.org.