As they sing in the iconic Broadway musical “42nd Street,” “the stars are gonna twinkle and shine.”
Only they won’t be shining on the Great White Way – not just yet. Instead many of them will be twinkling virtually at the Music Conservatory of Westchester’s 19th annual gala Sept. 23.
The event will feature performances and special appearances by:
- Two-time Tony Award winner and Achievement in the Arts honoree Christine Ebersole;
- Emcee and WQXR radio host Elliott Forrest;
- “Saturday Night Live” alumnus Fred Armisen;
- Grammy Award-nominated singer-pianist Billy Stritch;
- Grammy Award-nominated guitarist and Major League Baseball Hall of Famer Bernie Williams;
- Two-time Tony Award nominee Kate Baldwin (“Hello, Dolly!” and “Finian’s Rainbow”);
- Two-time Tony Award-nominee Alex Brightman (“Beetlejuice,” “School of Rock”);
- Tony Award nominee Lilli Cooper (“Tootsie”);
- Broadway star Gizel Jimenez (“Wicked”);
- Rising Broadway star Ruby Shadley.
Due to the pandemic, the White Plains-based nonprofit community music school has been offering online lessons to the more than 3,000 students it serves throughout the greater Westchester County region. Despite the challenges this presents, the conservatory has continued its dedication to providing quality music education to students of all ages, abilities and backgrounds.
Proceeds from the annual fundraiser will be used to improve the lives of children and adults with disabilities in the Music Therapy Program, U.S. military veterans with combat-related injuries in the Healing Our Heroes Program and children whose only opportunity to participate in music training is through the Scholarship Program.
“You are the future of art,” Tony Award nominee Lilli Cooper said in a message to conservatory students. “And a big thanks to the music conservatory for helping our youth find their voices.”
For more on this and the conservatory’s 19th annual fundraising Golf & Tennis Classic, which will precede the gala on Sept. 21 at Brae Burn Country Club, visit https://musicconservatory.org/support-us/annual-golf-tennis-classic-and-gala/.
