CAUSE CELEBRE!

Help a good cause and have fun!

We would like to invite you to join us as our guests at the premiere of a new theatre company, Cause Célèbre. The company’s inaugural event will honor our terrific son Nick and the National Meningitis Association.

The event is Sunday, December 9th at The Players Club (16 Gramercy Park South) It begins at 6:30 and will be followed by a reception.

Here’s the info on the company and the evening:

Cause Célèbre, a new theatre company, will have its premiere on Sunday, December 9th at the Players. Created by Food For Thought’s Founding Artistic Director, Susan Charlotte, Cause Célèbre is devoted to fostering an enhanced understanding of psychological, physical and social issues. Each month a different issue will be the focal point, a different set of plays will be presented and a different group of celebrities will perform. Every month proceeds will go to a foundation connected to the cause.

The first program, to benefit the National Meningitis Association, on December 9th will be devoted to Nick Springer, who contracted “Meningococcal Meningitis” when he was fourteen and had to undergo partial amputations of all four limbs. Nick, now a college student and U.S. Paralympic Wheelchair Rugby (Murderball) Athlete, will be attending the first show of this exciting new company. The program will feature, amongst other works, a scene from Arthur Miller’s “Death of a Salesman” with actress, and sister of the playwright, Joan Copeland. The obvious question is, ‘what does this great American classic have to do with meningitis?’ Nothing, at first glance. But the evening will focus on parent/child relationships as well as the disease itself. Marian Seldes will play Hart Crane’s mother in Tennessee Williams' "Steps Must Be Gentle," followed by a new play based on Nick by Susan Charlotte directed by Antony Marsellis, and ending with Mel Brooks’ “Of Fathers and Sons.” Inspired by “Death of a Salesman,” this hilarious sketch features Bob Dishy and Judy Graubart who play a married couple of petty thieves who are devastated by the way their son has turned out – a straight A student who is a violinist! From great tragedy to great comedy to great melodies sung by KT Sullivan, this unique program will be followed by a Q&A with the performers, members of the National Meningitis Association and Nick Springer.

Other upcoming presentations include: January 30th – Marlo Thomas, Rue McClanahan and Elizabeth Wilson in a new work, will be held on January 30. Proceeds will go to St. Jude’s, the hospital started by Marlo’s father, Danny Thomas. February -- Danny Aiello will perform with proceeds going to Heartshare’s Frances Aiellos (Danny’s mother) Day Treatment Center in Bedford Stuyvesant. March 18th -- Christine Ebersole and Mercedes Ruehl in a new work dealing with the Fortune Society and prison reform. September -- a Tribute to Kitty Carlisle Hart benefiting the Glaucoma Foundation and a leading New York Museum.

For anyone who would like to make a donation to the National Meningitis Association; they are, of course, tax-deductable.