On February 27 Broadway stars gathered at the Edison Ballroom in NY to raise awareness and money for the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation through performance.
One of Broadway’s finest Julie Halston (You Can’t Take It With You) hosted the event which included performances by Stephanie J. Block (Falsettos), Mario Cantone ( “The View”), Robert Creighton (Cagney), Mandy Gonzalez (Hamilton), Randy Graff (City of Angels) and Stephanie Mills (The Wiz), among others.
The star-studded group gathered to raise awareness of Pulmonary Fibrosis after having heard Halston’s story and having known someone who was suffering from progressive disease. Julie Halston’s husband, newscaster Ralph Howard was diagnosed with the Pulmonary Fibrosis in 2010. Halston has been hosting the event titled Broadway Belts for Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (PFF) for over seven years now and the event has raised nearly $500,000 for the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation, its largest fundraiser for the foundation.
“The Associated Press Drama Critic Mike Kuchwara passed away from this disease (Pulmonary Fibrosis), at the very same time that my husband, Ralph Howard was diagnosed with it…they were friends,” Julie Halston shares. “We had never heard of it and we knew nothing about it, but my husband was lucky enough to get a lung transplant. So we decided as a little memorial to Michael, we’d put on a show. He was the drama critic and he loved musicals,” Halston continued.
To get people involved Halston invited some of her Broadway friends to perform, but may heard of the event and reached out separately in later years.
Each star on the set list would be signing, dancing, performing a duet, or comedic act. Stars from Liza Minnelli to Tony Danza have performed at event in years since.
Halston hopes that people learn more about the disease and how many people it affects every year, and that through their efforts (through donating) they can not only help patients with treatments and care, but that they can get research going that will help.
“You think of breath and we take it for granted until someone you love gets sick,” says Stephanie J. Block who performed the song “Holding to the Ground” at the event. “Anytime I can use my talent to bring awareness to the disease itself and raising money it, I’m there.
James Snyder from “In Transit” also performed at the charity dinner and sang “Streets of Dublin” from the show “A Man of No Importance.”
Synder shared his thoughts on the event’s importance and what it meant to him: “I think it’s about friendship and it’s about community and that’s why I’m here, to support Julie and all of the people in that room who have affected,” Snyder said.
The event was a hotel catered dinner, with plates bought from sponsors. Producers, singers, and friends and family were attendance. Patients suffering from Pulmonary Fibrosis were also seated, many of them near with doctors.
NBC’S Gus Rosendale, Orfeh (Legally Blonde), T. Oliver Reid (Sister Act) and Lucas Steele closed out stellar cast the for the evening.
To donate to the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation you can visit: http://pulmonaryfibrosis.org.
