The starry concert performance — the second "Blast From the Past Benefit" for Amas Musical Theatre — is 7 PM Oct. 25 at the John Houseman Theatre Off-Broadway.
The Tony Award-winning musicalization of Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun has music by Judd Woldin, lyrics by Robert Britton, book by Robert Nemiroff and Charlotte Zaltzberg.
The cast will include Tony Award winner Chuck Cooper, Norm Lewis, Kenita Miller, Venida Evans, Tamara Tunie and Tony Award winner Lillias White. The evening is directed by Kevin Ramsey.
That evening, Amas will present the 2004 Rosie Award in honor of Amas founder, Rosetta LeNoire, to actor, choreographer, director and designer Geoffrey Holder; dancer-choreographer Carmen deLavallade; and Jim Turley, CEO of Ernst & Young.
Previous recipients of the Rosie Award, Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee, are co-chairs for the evening. The doors open at 6:15 PM at the Houseman, 450 W. 42nd Street, for a champagne reception. Show, dinner and raffle follows. Tickets range from $100-$450.
Raisin premiered on Broadway in 1973. The show ran for 847 performances and garnered nine Tony Award nominations, winning awards for Best Musical and Best Musical Actress (Virginia Capers). This special event marks the first revival presentation of Raisin in New York City since its award-winning turn on Broadway, according to Amas. The source play received a 2003-04 revival starring Sean Combs. For her work as the matriarch of a black family on the edge of social change, Phylicia Rashad won the 2004 Tony Award for Best Actress (Play).
The evening will also see the awarding of the second Rosetta LeNoire Scholarship to a deserving college-bound student attending Amas' arts education program, The Rosetta LeNoire Musical Theatre Academy.
The Rosie Award "is given to individuals who demonstrate extraordinary accomplishment and dedication in the theatrical arts and to corporations that work to promote opportunity and diversity."
Amas Musical Theatre is a 36-year-old multi-ethnic non-profit performing arts organization, winner of the 1999 National Medal of Arts. Amas "is grounded in non- traditional, multi-ethnic production, education and casting. Amas is devoted to the creation, development and professional production of original musical works and to the training and encouragement of new musical theatre talent. Musicals developed and produced at Amas include From My Hometown; Zanna, Don't!; Bubbling Brown Sugar; Mama, I Want to Sing; Langston Hughes' Little Ham; 4 Guys Named José and una mujer named María.
For ticket information, call (212) 563-2565 or visit www.amasmusical.org.
