Rapp, Chinn, Sparks Among Varied Voices in June 4 Cabaret to Benefit Katrina Recovery | Playbill

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News Rapp, Chinn, Sparks Among Varied Voices in June 4 Cabaret to Benefit Katrina Recovery Def Poetry Jam veteran Staceyann Chin headlines There Has to Be a Way: A Common Ground Cabaret, a June 4 benefit to raise money for Common Ground Collective (CGC), a group doing Hurricane Katrina recovery work in New Orleans.

The 8 PM June 4 show will play the Mainstage of Playwrights Horizons on West 42nd Street in Manhattan and feature David Cale and Less the Band (featuring Adam Rapp, Paul Sparks, Ray Rizzo and Michael Chernus), among others.

The evening will be hosted by Amelia Zirin Brown, aka Lady Rizzo. To date, CGC has assisted over 50,000 New Orleans residents.

Tickets are $25, $50, and $75 and can be purchased at www.commongroundcabaret.com. Premium ticket holders ($50 and $75 ticket holders) are invited to a cocktail hour starting at 6:30 PM. There will also be a silent art auction featuring pieces donated by artists from around the country.

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The performers in this event are drawn from a diverse pool of talent:

  • Staceyann Chin is a well-known spoken word artist who appeared in Russell Simmons' Tony award-winning Def Poetry Jam as well a Hand's Afire and Unspeakable Things; her critically acclaimed one-woman shows enjoyed Off-Broadway runs at the Bleeker St Theatre. (Visit www.staceyannchin.com).
  • Returning to the Playwrights Horizons' stage after starring in his show Floyd and Clea is David Cale, Obie winner for his play Lillian, who will be premiering a new monologue.
  • Less the Band is composed of Obie-winning playwright Adam Rapp, Drama Desk award nominees Paul Sparks and Ray Rizzo, Michael Chernus and Rob Beitzel. (Visit www.lesstheband.com.)
  • Hostess Amelia Zirin Brown also goes by the name Lady Rizzo when performing with her burlesque group, Lady Rizzo and the Assettes. She also sings with Moby and occasionally surfaces in his concerts and recordings.
  • Valiant has enjoyed performances in a number of cities and has participated in festivals including the United Nation's Celebration of the Committee on the Status of Women and the Williamstown Theatre Festival. (Visit www.valiant.tamilla.com.)
  • Andrew Boyd is the co-founder of the satirical political campaign Billionaires for Bush and the author of several "serious humor" books; he will be reading selections from his new works. (Visit www.andrewboyd.com.)
  • Shorey Walker has been seen in many Off-Broadway shows, including the upcoming Seussical at the Lucille Lortel. She has also toured the country with several Broadway national tours including the title role of Peter Pan.
  • Lunchaford is the dynamic funk band composed of Ray Rizzo, Lucas Papaleais, and Kevin Meeker. Rizzo and Papleais are were Drama Desk nominees for the music the composed for Essential Self-Defense.
  • Daniel Aji Kitrosser has been performing as Patti LuPone over the past year at ChaCha's House of Ill Repute. He is also a noted children's performer and the author of several screenplays.*

    "Although Hurricane Katrina and its victims have mainly fallen off the national radar, there still remain hundreds of thousands of displaced people," according to organizers. "Several not-for-profits have stepped in to fill the void in emergency assistance, including Common Ground Collective (CGC)."

    Common Ground's mission is "to provide short term relief for victims of hurricane disasters in the gulf coast region, and long term support in rebuilding the communities affected in the New Orleans area."

    For more information, visit www.commongroundrelief.org. For more information about the June 4 event visit www.commongroundcabaret.com.

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