If you like celebs, the music of Marvin Hamlisch and you are very rich, then the One Thrilling Combination gala on June 23rd is the place for you. The gala will celebrate the 40th anniversary of Hamlisch’s LGBT-inclusive A Chorus with a selection of tunes from the show and Marvin’s other efforts, such as the musicals They’re Playing Our Song, The Goodbye Girl, and the Sweet Smell of Success, as well as the film The Way We Were.
There are plenty of gay stars lining up for the charity event, with Zachary Quinto, his ex Jonathan Groff, Jesse Tyler Ferguson Billy Porter, and Claybourne Elder all set to perform. They’ll be joined by the likes of Martha Plimpton, John Lithgow, Sutton Foster, Joshua Bell, Lindsay Mendez, Krysta Rodriguez, Marissa McGowan, Laura Shoop, Peter Dugan, Nikka Graff Lanzarone, Jessica Wu, Mylinda Hull, Brooke Sunny Moriber, and Nicole Lewis.
It’s all in an effort to raise funds for the Public Theater, where A Chorus Line first debuted. Public Theater artistic director Oskar Eustis commented, “Marvin Hamlisch was one of the great spirits of American music, and A Chorus Line was a show that changed everything about how musicals were made. It also created the Public Theater we cherish today. This gala will honor that amazing show and thank Marvin Hamlisch for his extraordinary gifts to us all.”
That’s certainly an impressive list and it should be one hell of a night. There are a few drawbacks though, one if that you’ll need to be able to get to the Delacorte Theater in New York City’s Central Park on June 23rd, and the second is that the cheapest ticket costs $650. At least for that you’ll get cocktails, dinner, and a dessert reception.
Hamilisch died in 2012 shortly after completing his part of the music for Behind The Candelabra.