Yes, I know the Actors Fund is now called the Entertainment Community Fund. Blech.
Anyway, when it was called the Actors Fund, each Broadway show would have a benefit performance with all proceeds going to the charity.
Not Scott Rudin’s show. I constantly reported on cheapo Rudin either staging these things at midnight, when no one could go, and/or he’d cut the price to shreds so the Fund would receive very little. He was not a nice guy.
But now Rudin is gone. His big show this season was “The Music Man,” but Rudin got tossed from Broadway (no one misses him). Barry Diller is the producer of “The Music Man,” a show that is so successful it takes in $3 million a week. Hugh Jackman was smart: I’m told he took a percentage interest rather than a salary. He’s an investor.
Diller, who’s very philanthropic–he gave NYC an island park — is adding a performance to “The Music Man” for the ECF aka Actors Fund on August 28th at 8pm. The ticket prices are normal, but there are a couple of options for premium seats and a cocktail party. Even those aren’t terribly expensive.
Nice deal, and good to see Diller erase Rudin’s bad habits.
