Streep, Midler, Rivera,
Headley and Luker to Sing West Side Story
Stars from Broadway and Hollywood will
take part in a one-night-only event to raise money to create the Jay
Monahan Center for Gastrointestinal Health at New York-Presbyterian
Hospital, which is estimated to cost $9 million.
The evening organized by the Entertainment Industry Foundation
(EIF) and Katie Couric, wife of the late
Jay Monahan is entitled 42nd & Vine . . . Hollywood Hits
Broadway and will be held at New York's Waldorf-Astoria Hotel on Tuesday,
Nov. 12. The many performers will offer selections from Leonard Bernstein
and Stephen Sondheim's West Side Story.
As of press time, those scheduled to take part in the event include
Robin Williams, Susan Sarandon, Meryl Streep, Kelsey Grammar, Josh Groban,
Beyoncé Knowles, Kevin Kline, Bette Midler, Rita Moreno, Chita
Rivera, Amy Grant, Vince Gill, Tony Danza, Jesse L. Martin, Davis Gaines,
Heather Headley, Rebecca Luker and Paul Stanley as well as "Sopranos"
cast members Tony Sirico, John Ventimiglia, Steve Schirripa and Federico
Castelluccio.
In a statement, Katie Couric said, "It's rare that I'm speechless,
but that's how I feel about the incredible array of stars from
film, television, Broadway and the music industry who will perform
to benefit the Monahan Center. I can't begin to express how grateful
and touched I am by the entertainment industry's generosity both
the Foundation's help and the personal commitment of each and every
person who will participate in Hollywood Hits Broadway. November 12th
is really going to be an amazing night. Knowing that all the proceeds
will go to a great cause will make it even more so."
The "Today Show" co-host also spoke about her late husband
who died of colon cancer in 1998 and the Center that will
be named in his honor: "EIF has been an extraordinary partner in
the work I've been doing to raise awareness and research dollars for
the fight against colon cancer since losing my husband Jay to the disease
in 1998. I am thrilled to have EIF's support as we establish the Monahan
Center here in New York City. I know from personal experience what an
enormous help the Center will be to families dealing with the devastating
diagnoses of a variety of gastrointestinal cancers." The Jay Monahan
Center scheduled to open in early 2004 will be located
in the Stich building on the New York Weill Cornell campus of the New
York-Presbyterian Hospital.
Individual tickets for the Nov. 12 event begin at $2,500. For more information,
call Event Associates at (212) 245-6570 or e-mail debbief@eventassociatesinc.com.