ONE NIGHT ONLY “SEASONS AT THE FOUR SEASONS” BC/EFA Fight AIDS BENEFIT CONCERT ++ Philly World AIDS Day Event Info

Today is World AIDS Day (This post is dedicated to my best friends Shawn Conley, Michael Root and Wayne Cohen who all died from the disease.) Monday night at the Four Season’s nearly 400 people sold out the ballroom to raise money for Broadway Cares Equity Fights AIDS and raise well over $200,000 in the process.
A figure that excited and astounded the organizers. Way to go Philly!!!
( founded in October, 1987 by the Council of Actors’ Equity Association. Money raised through the efforts of Equity theatre companies across the country was specifically earmarked for The Actors’ Fund’s AIDS Initiative. They award grants to organizations across the country. Some of the money raised Monday night will stay in the Philadelphia area.)

Swing actor Jared Bradshaw welcomes the guests (A “swing” is an understudy (usually a chorus member as well) who understudies several parts.) According to BroadwayWorld.com The “Seasons at the Four Seasons” is the effort of the “Jersey Boys” 1st National Tour cast/crew donating their time, talent, and voices to the ‘City of Brotherly Love’ helping to raise awareness for BC/EFA. A portion of the proceeds will also benefit local Philadelphia charities. Slated performers include: Matt Bailey, Candi Boyd, Jared Bradshaw, Joseph Leo Bwarie, Christopher Deangelis, John Michael Dias, John Edwards, Alayna Gallo, John Gardiner, Steve Gouveia,Buck Hujabre, Denise Payne, Courter Simmons, Joseph Siravo, Ryan Strand, Lauren Tartaglia, Kara Tremel, Quinn VanAntwerp and Kevin Worley.
My favorite Jeweler John Wind donated several pieces to the auction. I hear he’s interested in doing so at every Broadway Cares event since his mission is also to wipe out this horrible disease.The sports memorabilia did very well too. A signed bat by Shane Victorino at last peek was at $200, a ball by Cole Hamels sold for $150; John tells me he got a note from one of the Jersey Boys after they saw a write up about him in the Philadelphia Style Magazine, which was in his hotel room. I did a little Christmas shopping and picked up something for my niece, who’s a big fan of the show, but that’s all I can tell you I have a hard time keeping secrets when it comes to gifts.

Nancy Cygan, Betty Christian and Marianne Gardoski check out the silent auction items. They are big Jersey Boys fans.
Diane and Jeff Van Duyne

Linda Aversa-Caldwell, Delores Aversa, fresh face Quinn VanAntwerp who plays co-host’s Lisa Gaudio’s dad Bob, who wrote 80% of the Four Seasons songs.
Brianna D’Amico, mom Lisa Gaudio, guest, Jerry Blavet, Allan Domb, guest and Kristen Foote. (Kristen, Sabrina, Nicole and I are featured in a fun article in PhillyMag.com this month. Go give us some positive smiley love please.)
Senator Larry Farnesse and Erin Elmore enjoyed the South Philly cuisine of pasta, pizza, anti-pasta
A signed Where Magazine in the Live Auction went for $150
On with the show

We’re Going Hoping, Philadelphia Way with Christopher De Angelis and gang
Steve Gouveia with a few fans that follow the touring cast around the country. Hannah Caldwell from Texas, Danette M Pawloski, Buffalo NY, Pamela Maser and Shelley Greenberg both from DC, and Julie Moore, Indianapolis. Some of these girls have seen the show 30 times, and one of them already bought a ticket to the next stop, Boston. Steve tells me the boys are honored and feel a little like the Grateful Dead having such devoted followers.

Buck Hujabre (Bob Gaudio -Understudy), with Lisa Carideo and Bill Lowa

Frankie’s song
Joseph Leo Bwarie with fans Monica D’Imperio, Ashley Pracillo and Lauren Lovett posing for Luisa D’Imperio taking the picture. Not in this picture is a line to the left of folks looking for their close up with the Frankie Valli star of the Jersey Boys.

The Boys auctioning themselves off for breakfast went for $5,000
A one of a kind guitar signed by Frankie Valli, Bob Gaudio and the entire touring cast of the Jersey Boys. Cast members Kara Tremel and Joseph Leo Bwarie do the honors. The bidding for the guitar started at $2,000, was frenzied and sold for $22,500, when the crowd erupted in cheering and gratitude. Lisa Gaudio tells me that it was a lot of hard work to get this guitar signed. She and her husband Jimmy traveled up to NYC for the Jersey Boys 5th Anniversary Party last weekend. But because of timing and weather issues they were only able to get her dad’s signature on the piece. It was never the right time to get Frankie graph. They ended up going to AC, where Frankie was performing, to finally get his John Handcock on the piece.John Michael Dias, who plays the singer with the famous falsetto during matinees, said he considers it a privilege to be the “fifth person ever cast as Frankie Valli.” He won the part after 13 auditions over two years. he’s also an artist and painted the above picture that was also used as a stage prop during the Jersey Boys show.
Denise Payne, Candi Boyd, Kara Tremel

Philly’s legendary Radio DJ Jerry Blavat was the MC for the Live Auction, with long time friend Carol Tamburino

Some of the items up for bid at the live auction were Frankie Valli & Bob Gaudio signed lyrics of Sherry and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You.” Joseph Leo Bwarie Courter Simmons check out the treasured pieces.
The Philadelphia engagement of the Tony, Grammy and Olivier Award-winning musical JERSEY BOYS broke the box office record at the Forrest Theatre for the sixth time, grossing $1,451,273 for the week ending November 28. This tops the previous record of $1,401,420, which they set the week ending November 21.

The Jersey Boys sing the Beach Boys

Social Registered: Happy Shipley, Ed Shipley and Janice N. Wetherill with Kurt and Kirk Kirkpatrick and John Wind Happy’s goal in life is to eradicate AIDS from the world. She’s also found a new love John Wind’s jewelery and bought every piece at the silent auction. It’s feel good jewelery as proceeds go to fight AIDS.
Sabrina Tamburino-Thorne and Steve Thorne with a few of their prized possessions that helped the boys earn more than $200,000 for the ONE NIGHT ONLY “SEASONS AT THE FOUR SEASONS” BC/EFA Fight AIDS BENEFIT CONCERT

Philadelphia WORLD AIDS DAY Event

PHILADELPHIA ORGANIZATIONS AND PERFORMING ARTISTS MARK WORLD AIDS DAY
WITH EMCEE JACK MACKENROTH

Broad Street Ministry, 315 S. Broad St.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010, 5:30 – 7:30 pm
The Philadelphia World AIDS Day event will combine artistic performances, visual art displays, commemorative ceremonies, and FREE HIV counseling and rapid tests. Rapid HIV tests provide a result in 20 minutes. Information about HIV and AIDS services in the Philadelphia region will also be available. Rev. Bill Golderer, the convening minister of Broad Street Ministry, stresses that while the venue is indeed a church hall, this event is strictly
a secular one. Also included in the evening is a FREE dinner for all guests.

http://www.aidsfundphilly.org or 215-731-9255

For World AIDS Day on December 1, 2010, over twenty local organizations have banded together to create a community event that both remembers the lives lost to this disease, as well as celebrates the lives of those living with HIV and AIDS.
Performances by the Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus; Smoke, Lilies and Jade; and others will be highlights of the
evening.