Read on for more theatre news you may have missed in today's headlines.
Hirschfeld Prints, Signed By the Performers Featured, Up for Auction
Twenty limited-edition prints of acclaimed caricature artist Al Hirschfeld—signed by the stage and screen stars featured in the images—are being auctioned to benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and the Al Hirschfeld Foundation, in partnership with leading auction houses Christie's and Charitybuzz. The performers who have autographed the works include Kevin Bacon, Betty Buckley, Cher, Richard Gere, Joel Grey, Mark Hamill, Nathan Lane, Jessica Lange, John Malkovich, Steve Martin, Reba McEntire, Donna McKechnie, Ian McKellen, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Mandy Patinkin, Bernadette Peters, Stephen Sondheim, Patrick Stewart, Leslie Uggams, and Sam Waterston. Bidding runs through July 15. Click here to view the prints on the auction block.
New High School Performance Award Named for Brandon Victor Dixon
The National Theatre in Washington, D.C. is partnering with National High School Musical Theatre Awards (a.k.a. The Jimmy Awards) to present the Brandon Victor Dixon Awards, recognizing excellence in high school musical theatre in that area. Dixon (The Color Purple, Shuffle Along) is a Tony, Emmy, and Grammy and a native of Gaithersburg, Maryland. Schools within a 25 mile radius of The National Theatre will be eligible to nominate two students in Best Performer categories. Two BVD Award winners will then go on to compete nationally at the Jimmy Awards. For more information, visit BrandonVictorDixonAwards.com.
READ: 2021 Jimmy Awards Ceremony Announces Its 72 High School Nominees
Watch the Music Videos Created From BFRJ Fundraiser
The recent Broadway for Racial Justice Instathon fundraiser, which featured 20 Broadway performers competing on Instagram, raised over $85,000 to be used for BFRJ inititatives, including its Casting Directive and general fund. To cap off the fundraiser, BFRJ founder Brandon Michael Nase has created two videos with participants. Take a look below at "The I Love You Song" from The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, performed by Tee Boyich (Mean Girls), a leading fundraiser, along with Nase (Cats) and Bryohna Marie Parham (Porgy and Bess) and a special vocal appearance from Tony nominee Rob McClure (Chaplin). The video features an all-BIPOC creative team and band, including director Nase, music arranger Sujin Kim- Ramsey, sound engineer Gloria Kaba, and mixing master Malachi Mabson. The team also created a video of “Let Me Be Your Star” from Smash, starring Boyich and Keri René Fuller (Jagged Little Pill). Watch it here.
