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Classic Stage Company Announces 2025 Classics Gone Mad! Benefit Event
The Classic Stage Company (CSC) is gearing up for its highly anticipated 2025 event, Classics Gone Mad!, a fundraising extravaganza hosted by renowned stage and screen actor Nina West. Known for her role in “Hairspray” and as the beloved Miss Congeniality from Season 11 of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” West will make her Off-Broadway hosting debut at this vibrant event. The evening, directed by CSC Associate Board members Cara Akselrad and Eric Ulloa, promises to showcase an engaging mix of performances that highlight the legendary musical contributions of John Kander and Fred Ebb.
This year’s Classics Gone Mad! is scheduled for Monday, April 7, at 7 PM at CSC’s Lynn F. Angelson Theater. Tickets and various sponsorship packages are currently available for purchase.
Producing Artistic Director Jill Rafson expressed her enthusiasm, stating, “Classics Gone Mad! is one of my favorite events we produce each year. The show gives us a chance to appreciate the legends of our art form in such a fun way. Audiences in years past have enjoyed an unforgettable experience, and we know the songs of Kander and Ebb will be prime material for antics to ensue. I’m also delighted to have the fabulous Nina West leading this evening—this is going to be a night you won’t want to miss!”
Attendees can expect a blend of theatrical performance and lively celebration at this event, which is designed to be part show and part party, completely unscripted and created with input from the audience. The festivities will culminate in an afterparty featuring a singalong led by pianist Brandon James Gwinn at a nearby speakeasy.
This year’s lineup of performers includes an impressive roster: Tony Award nominee Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer from “Spamalot,” Olivier Award winner Lesli Margherita from “Gypsy,” John Riddle from “Frozen,” and the theatrical duo The Skivvies, featuring Nick Cearley and Lauren Molina. Additional performers such as Tony Award nominee Ethan Slater, renowned for his work in “Wicked,” and Jessica Vosk from “Hell’s Kitchen,” will also join the celebration, with more participants to be announced as the date approaches.
Tickets for Classics Gone Mad! start at $100, with a variety of giving levels available. Proceeds from the event support CSC’s mission of producing thought-provoking theater and bringing the classics to the forefront for thousands of New York City students each year.
In addition to the benefit event, CSC is set to launch performances of Alice Childress’s “Wine in the Wilderness,” directed by Tony Award winner LaChanze, starting on March 6. This production, featuring Olivia Washington and Grantham Coleman, will hold its official opening on March 24 and run until April 13. Tickets for this production are already on sale at www.classicstage.org.
Looking ahead to May, CSC will present William Inge’s “Bus Stop,” directed by Jack Cummings III, in collaboration with The National Asian American Theatre Company (NAATCO) and Transport Group. CSC also offers memberships starting at $50, which includes guaranteed access to discounted tickets for both “Wine in the Wilderness” and “Bus Stop.”
Source
www.broadwayworld.com