Two classic ladies of the theatre, Rita Moreno, famous for playing Anita in the West Side Story film version, and Rosemary Harris, currently appearing in Waiting in the Wings at Broadway's Eugene O'Neill, were two of the "dames" at the "Nothing Like a Dame" benefit March 6 at the Richard Rodgers Theatre.
At each year's celebration, proceeds go to Phyllis Newman's Women's Health Initiative at The Actors' Fund. Newman and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS are co-producing, with this year's "Dames" including (asterisk denotes performance in a currently-running show):
Lucie Arnaz (The Shadow Box), Lauren Bacall (Waiting in the Wings*), Joy Behar, Ann Hampton Calloway (Swing!*), Caitlin Carter (Swing!*), Illeana Douglas, Sandy Duncan (Chicago), Melissa Errico (High Society), Dame Edna Everage (Dame Edna: The Royal Tour*), Lauren Flanigan, The women of Fosse*, Amanda Green, Uta Hagen (Collected Stories), Heather Headley (Aida*), Dee Hoty, Susan Marshall & Company, Marin Mazzie (Kiss Me, Kate*), Bebe Neuwirth (Chicago*), Nancy Opel (Triumph of Love), Jane Powell, The Radio City Rockettes, Chita Rivera (Kiss of the Spider Woman), Joan Rivers and Elaine Stritch (Company).