Fall 2012 - The Actors Fund

More documents

Recommendations

Info

4 sPecial Performances anD events { } special Actors Fund Performances and events Casts, musicians, stage managers and countless others regularly donate their time & talent for our legendary Special Performances & Events! Some recent highlights… PHOTOS | actorsfund.org/photos VIDEOS | youtube.com/actorsfundorg 2012 Gala Jerry Stiller, Anne Meara, Harry Belafonte and Trustee David Steiner were honored at our Annual Gala on May 21 in New York. The Book of Mormon Los Angeles The company raised more than $200,000 at their Special Performance at Los Angeles’ Pantages Theatre in October. Trustee Annette Bening, with stars Jared Gertner and Gavin Creel, thanked the company before the show. Special Events Grey’s Anatomy—The Songs Beneath the Show The cast and creator of ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy went from Seattle Grace to the stage at UCLA’s Royce Hall on March 18, performing a live benefi t concert that raised more than $100,000 for The Fund’s programs and services! Featuring cast members Sara Ramirez, Chandra Wilson, Kevin McKidd, Justin Chambers, Jessica Capshaw, James Pickens Jr., Sarah Drew, Kim Raver, Sandra Oh and Eric Dane, the two-hour event featured 11 songs, including tracks from the March 2011 musical episode “Song Beneath the Song.” “The fans make it possible for us to be the lucky ones,” said the executive producer Shonda Rhimes to a sold-out crowd, encouraging concertgoers to support The Actors Fund. “I believe in the joy I get from watching TV, film and theater, and a $25 donation to The Actors Fund would be saying you believe in the arts, too.” Thanks to everyone at Grey’s for their incredible support! www.actorsfund.org /theactorsfund @theactorsfund Board of Trustees Brian Stokes Mitchell Chairman of the Board Marc Grodman, M.D. Secretary Abby Schroeder Assistant Secretary John A. Duncan, Jr. Treasurer Steve Kalafer Assistant Treasurer Philip S. Birsh Vice Chair Bebe Neuwirth Vice Chair Philip J. Smith Vice Chair Joseph P. Benincasa President and CEO Rita Wilson at Geffen Playhouse Rita performed an electrifying sold out benefi t concert of selections from her AM/FM album for Geffen’s Community Educational Program and The Fund. Special thanks to SAG-AFTRA Co-President and Trustee Ken Howard who kicked off the show with Geffen Artistic Director Randall Arney to speak about our fundraising partnership. Charlotte gave through a Charitable Gift Annuity “I’ve enjoyed great success in fi lm, television and on Broadway. But not everyone in show biz is so blessed. I feel good knowing my support assures there’s a place in our community where people can go for help when they need it, and be treated with dignity and respect. It’s like a family.” Charlotte gives back to the arts community by including The Fund in her estate plans as part of the Edwin Forrest Society. Her career in show business includes Tony-nominated turns in Pickwick (1966) and Morning, Noon and Night (1969), and her Emmy-nominated portrayal of Edna Garrett in TV’s The Facts of Life. To learn more, call Wally Munro, Director of Planned Giving, at 212.221.7300 ext. 128, email wmunro@actorsfund.org or visit actorsfund.org. Charlotte Rae with Western Region Director Keith McNutt Producer’s Picks Bravo to the producers of these shows who recently donated “Producer’s Picks,” so 100% of your ticket purchase price supports our programs! Billy Elliot Los Angeles Bring It On End of the Rainbow Evita The Gershwins’ Porgy & Bess Ghost Nice Work if You Can Get It Other Desert Cities Peter and the Starcatcher Spider Man Turn Off the Dark A Streetcar Named Desire Don’t miss Brian Stokes Mitchell on October 31 at Alice Tully Hall. A Gala Evening to benefi t The Fund and Lincoln Center! Special Performances Kudos to these casts who donated shows to raise much-needed funds for our community! Gore Vidal’s The Best Man The Book of Mormon—Los Angeles & NYC Jersey Boys The Lion King, Greenville, SC Once One Man, Two Guvnors Rock of Ages mark your calendar Visit actorsfund.org and join us for these upcoming events! october 31 Brian Stokes Mitchell Simply Broadway at Lincoln Center New York november 18 The Lion King 15th Anniversary New York In New York, call 212.221.7300 ext. 133 In Los Angeles, call 323.933.9244 ext. 458 Alec Baldwin Annette Bening Jed W. Bernstein Jeffrey Bolton John Breglio Ebs Burnough James J. Claffey, Jr. Nancy Coyne Merle Debuskey Rick Elice Janice Reals Ellig Joyce Gordon Marc Hostetter Ken Howard David Henry Hwang Anita Jaffe Kate Edelman Johnson Michael Kerker Stewart F. Lane Paul Libin Matthew Loeb Kristen Madsen Kevin McCollum Lin-Manuel Miranda James L. Nederlander Martha Nelson Phyllis Newman Lee H. Perlman Harold Prince Roberta Reardon Charlotte St. Martin Thomas Schumacher David Steiner Edward D. Turen Tom Viola Honey Waldman Jomarie Ward Joseph H. Wender B.D. Wong Nick Wyman George Zuber Acknowledgements Official Airline Become a Part of tHe legacy Offi cial NYC Hotel
5 Programs & Services Our LA Clients Share Their Stories Bill Makeup Artist “[Intake Social Worker] Annie Keating, [Career Counselor] JoAnne Webb and others at The Fund in LA have been terrific, and treat everyone with a warm respect as valuable people—despite the fact they are in a difficult situation.” A veteran of the industry, Bill has been a member of IATSE Local 706 Makeup Artists and Hairdressers for over 25 years, as well as a SAG actor for 9 years and puppeteer for more than 30. Bill’s finances have taken a huge hit in the last few years because of the economic downturn (see “Responding to Unique Economic Challenges in LA”), so he hasn’t had steady work at which he’s received union rates since 2007. Because crew unions have taken financial hits from all sides, many of his peers who work below the line are becoming increasingly desperate, stressed, frustrated and angry because of ongoing wage decreases—and the feeling that the situation is not going to improve. “In the California film business, at least for crewmembers, we are back in the Old West, and it is every man for himself,” says Bill. “People are desperate and will take any work they can get.” Bill found out about The Fund through his unions, and has been fortunate enough to receive financial assistance twice since 2007. He’s also attended the Baby Boomer Breakfasts organized by Joanne Webb. “I think it helped alleviate that feeling of desperation that can grab a person, especially a creative person, and that can cause them to shut off entirely. It was like a support group.” Bill believes it’s going to take a long time for the situation in LA to turn around, but in the meantime, he’s grateful The Fund is there to help everyone. “I think there can be no question about The Actors Fund’s vital role in what are sure to be some very rough times yet to come,” says Bill. “During that time, a lot of people will be hurting financially, and will likely need to transition to other professions, or temporarily get assistance while doing so. I know the program has been life-saving to me, and when I get to the position that I can support The Fund, I will gladly do so.” Stephanie Actor / Singer “The doctor at Venice Family Clinic...made it possible to be seen by someone, and ensured I got the medical attention I needed. I’m grateful to The Actors Fund.” An actor/singer/professional clown, Stephanie was born into a family of Los Angeles entertainers. Though she works regularly in her various fields, in 2009, unable to meet the minimum requirements for her union health insurance, Stephanie turned to The Fund when she realized she needed to be seen by a doctor. She had received emails about The Fund’s partnership with the Performing Artists Clinic at the Venice Family Clinic, which offers free medical services to low-income musicians, dancers, actors and other performing artists, and decided to go. After Clinic Director Dr. Myles Spar did some preliminary tests, he sent her to a volunteer doctor for additional testing and it was discovered that she had a growth that needed to be removed. He referred her to a teaching hospital where the surgery was performed at no cost. “Once you lose your insurance…you have to look around,” says Stephanie. “This was a legitimate doctor who knew a legitimate doctor, and I felt OK about it…I would never have gotten the surgery, I wouldn’t have known where to go—the whole thing started with The Actors Fund. I don’t know if I’d even be around anymore if I hadn’t.” She’s also happy that, if she needs to, she can go back to the Venice Family Clinic, as it’s available via the new Healthy Way LA program, which helps people get seen by doctors—and also covers emergency care. “I didn’t know what was going to happen to me,” she recalls, “but it ended up being OK. I’m really grateful to The Actors Fund, I have to tell you. They took care of all of it.” Dori Actor / Producer / Political Activist Susan Costume Designer “[If you wonder why The Actors Fund is so important,] I would say that when I look at the way the entertainment industry feeds the psyche of our society—because our society loves entertainment— The Actors Fund is servicing the people that create that.” Working in LA since 1981, Susan started in theatre as a costume artist, but quickly transitioned to the 80s world of music videos and commercials, which catapulted her into designing the costumes for the 1992 film The Bodyguard. She ended up primarily doing costume design and styling for commercials, and has been a member of the Costume Designers Guild IATSE Local 892 for about 20 years. But when the economy took a nosedive in 2008, she went from doing 3 or 4 commercials a month to 3 or 4 a year. In 2009 she reached out to The Actors Fund. “They were just an incredible resource for just being around people who are having the same experiences.” She participated in the Baby Boomers group, and worked closely with Career Counselor Joanne Webb exploring other options for employment. That time with AWP helped her feel free enough to reclassify herself and try some other things, including working as a Costume Supervisor. She eventually landed a gig on a film that enabled her to join the Motion Picture Costumers Union IATSE Local 705, which allowed her to expand her ability to work. Today she’s a costumer on a TV series. “The way I’ve adjusted is to reclassify and reinvent,” says Susan, “and The Actors Fund is the place where someone like myself can come in and explore those possibilities. I think that’s really important for anybody to kind of look at what they’re doing in their lives and reevaluate and so forth.” As she’s witnessed the changes in the industry making it more difficult for her and her peers to find work, Susan has realized just how important organizations like The Actors Fund are. “I’ve sat in groups with directors and producers and people from every single aspect of the industry, above the line and below the line, and we’re all hurting, we’re all affected by this,” says Susan. “I feel like those people contributing to The Actors Fund are helping to support an industry that’s really vital to the mental health of our society.” “The Actors Fund is there for anyone in the entertainment industry for emergency help. When it comes to special programs, such as the HIV/ AIDS Initiative, donors should know their support really helps people get back into life.” In 2005, after a brush with death as a result of his illness, Dori was in dire need of assistance, and through word of mouth he learned about The Fund. Initially, it was given through emergency financial aid and ongoing counseling, but later, The Fund really started to come through for Dori—especially when it came time to apply for Social Security Disability. Due to residual effects caused by the virus, Dori had difficulty writing so his counselor at The Fund spent three days filling out the 100-page application as Dori dictated his answers. And he credits the government’s rapid approval—less than three months—to the help he received from that counselor. “Even some friends...who are in the industry and know about [The Fund] aren’t aware that it’s open to more than just actors,” says Dori. “They also don’t know how specific The Fund gets when you have a catastrophic illness, and the work that it does. So they’re all pretty amazed. And they actually have donated to The Fund because of the help I’ve received—and continue to receive.” As time went on and feeling somewhat stronger, Dori was ready to get back into life. He decided he wanted to use his experience to help raise awareness, especially as his case as a straight male infected by a woman is not perceived as a usual one. With this in mind, The Fund encouraged him to take advantage of the Willard Swire Scholarship, which provides financial support to qualified Actors Fund clients making a transition to a new career. This opportunity “was a blessing,” and enabled him to take a certificate program in International Studies with an emphasis on Middle Eastern Politics at UCLA. As a result, Dori found a position and worked for two years as Director of Development/Media for the Safe Haven Project, a Global non-profit dedicated to HIV-positive youth. He created a promotional film for the organization, and worked at its site in Ghana. “This is where The Actors Fund was really instrumental in helping me get back into living,” he explains. “I decided I really needed to do something with my experience, and dovetail that with my 30 years in the entertainment industry. The Actors Fund helped me go back to school, and acquire the knowledge I needed. I wanted to work in Africa, and I knew it was important to understand the Muslim culture, because 70% of Africa is Muslim. And this really helped me get back into life and living again…it’s a simple as that.” His counselor at the time, Linda Zimmerman (who Dori credits with helping him “navigate through the murky waters”), presented the idea of moving into the Palm View. He became a resident in March. Now happily settled in, he’s currently using his skills in a variety of other projects, including a documentary based on children with HIV, and becoming a motivational speaker.
Page 1 and 2: THE NEWSLETTER OF THE ACTORS FUND F
Page 3: 3Programs & Services Spotlight Los

Fall 2012 - The Actors Fund

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?