It is with deep honor, and gratitude for the journey, that I share with you about Symphony Space – Love Cures™… A Benefit of Healing for the Abused Child’s Soul. This is a part of my own personal core mission in life; to aid in the treatment, healing, and recovery of abused children. Being a survivor of child abuse myself, I will do anything and everything that I am meant to, to be a part of the healing. – Elynn Diamond
A child who has been abused is not a victim. A child who has been abused is a survivor who can acquire the understanding, knowledge and strength to heal and thrive. This child’s access to lifelong treatment should be a right.
The New York Center for Children (NYCC) is the only treatment center to respect this right and deliver personalized therapies to these children, for free, for as long as they need. NYCC has never turned a child in need away, has never required proof of insurance and has served more than 15,000 children and their families.
The Event:
Starring in Love Cures™… A Benefit Of Healing For The Abused Child’s Soul is BroadwayWorld Award Winner and International Recording Artist, Julie Budd. Our Director is the renowned Tony Award and Drama Desk Award winner Wayne Cilento.
Wayne Cilento is one of the most acclaimed triple-threats in the Entertainment Industry. Nominated for seven Tony Awards, he won his first for his breakthrough choreography on the historic Broadway production of The Who’s Tommy for which he also received the Drama Desk Award and the coveted Fred Astaire Award. His work on the West End production also resulted in an Olivier Award nomination for Best Choreography. His other six Tony Award nominations are for his choreographic work on How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying (starring Matthew Broderick), Dream: The Johnny Mercer Musical (which he also directed), the heralded 2004 revival of Sweet Charity, Baby, the current through-the-roof International hit Wicked and Bob Fosse’s Dancin (Best Featured Actor in a Musical). His Wicked work has also garnered several awards and award nominations in London, Germany, Australia, Japan, Korea and Holland.
Mr. Cilento also choreographed Elton John’s Aida on Broadway, on Tour and the European productions in Germany and Amsterdam as well as the iconic Broadway production of Jerry Herman’s Jerry’s Girls. Off-Broadway he directed and choreographed the sold-out hit, A Hot Minute, at the rock ‘n’ roll mecca, the Bottom Line. His concerts include Alicia Keys’ World Tour and the critically revered Spirit, a contemporary Native American spectacle that was later filmed for an award-winning PBS Special. In 2009 Mr. Cilento re-teamed with The Who’s Tommy director Des McAnuff on the circus-version of A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum at the renowned Stratford Festival. Their La Jolla Playhouse production had previously won Mr. Cilento the San Diego Drama Critics Award and Drama League Award. As a performer he was a member of the original Broadway casts of A Chorus Line (in which he played ‘Mike’ and introduced “I Can Do That”), The Act, Seesaw, Perfectly Frank, Irene, Big Deal and Rachel Lily Rosenblum.
Wayne was the choreographer for the Warner Brother’s feature Winter’s Tale, starring Colin Farrell and Russell Crowe, produced by Marc Platt. His choreographic career was launched by his universally praised work in over 100 national commercials including high profile spots for Visa, Joe Boxer, Dr. Pepper, Burger King, McDonalds, Kmart, and Dairy Queen. He has also directed and choreographed major national and international concerts for Liza Minnelli, Barry Manilow, Chita Rivera, Billy Joel, Donna Summer, Pete Townsend, Alicia Keys and The Jonas Brothers. Recent works include the Broadway Musical Holler If Ya Hear Me and the acclaimed Broadway legacy project, American Dance Machine.
Host: Deborah Yates
Featured Broadway Performers and Recording Artists include: (in alphabetical order)
Victoria Lecta Cave, Deanna Cipolla, Cheyenne Elliott, Nathalie Enterline, Sean Harkness, Danny Kean, Laurie Krauz, Trevor McQueen, Jay Montgomery, Kurt Peterson, Ariana Simo and Joanne Weaver.
Special Guest Artist: Reuben de Maid
Special appearance by Elizabeth Núñez and the Young People’s Chorus of New York City.
Guest Speakers:
Christine Crowther, Executive Director of NYCC
Rob Davis, Founder of Hedge Funds Care/Help For Children
On stage, throughout the entire benefit concert, will be a live band with 7 award-winning musicians. We will have a host and hostess, there will be celebrity guest speakers, including a guest speaker from The New York Center for Children, as well as having a video about NYCC played during the event. The creative channel for our benefit will be through music, song, dance and the spoken word shared from the heart.
Love Cures™… A Benefit of Healing for the Abused Child’s Soul truly shall be an inspiring evening embraced with illumination, hope and love!
Our creative team, musicians and production group:
Director: Wayne Cilento
Musical Director: Daryl Kojak www.darylkojak.com
Guest Musical Director: Herb Bernstein https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herb_Bernstein
Lighting Designer: Michael Megliola www.michaelmegliola.com
Musicians: (in alphabetical order)
Herb Bernstein: Piano and Musical Director for Julie Budd
Sean Harkness: Guitar
Charles Kiger: Percussion
Daryl Kojak: Piano and Musical Director for Love Cures™…
Sam Lazzara: Drums
Bob Magnuson: Saxophone/Flute/Clarinet
Art Weiss: Synthesizer
David Winograd: Bass
Producer: Elynn Diamond www.elynndiamond.com
Producer: Rick Traum http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0871199/bio
Production Assistant: Annette Coppola
Production Assistant: Mary Leggio
Production Stage Manager: Elise Reaves
Publicist: Stacy Callahan
Executive Producer: Elynn Diamond
100% of all the net proceeds from ticket sales will be going directly to The New York Center For Children for the treatment and healing of abused children. – Elynn Diamond, Executive Producer
Symphony Space – Love Cures™… A Benefit of Healing
Symphony Space – Love Cures™… A Benefit of Healing