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The 10th Annual
BROADWAY BELTS FOR PFF!
A Benefit for the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation
Celebrated Broadway Producer DARYL ROTH
and Raised Nearly $400,000
NEW YORK CITY, March 5: The 10th Annual BROADWAY
BELTS FOR PFF! honoring
12-time Tony Award-Winning Broadway producer Daryl
Roth and
hosted by Broadway’s Julie
Halston (Tootsie,
You Can’t Take it With You, Sex and the City) took
place at the Edison Ballroom, with over 300 guests in
attendance. The event, which featured Broadway stars performing
some of their favorite songs and original pieces, raised funds
to fight pulmonary fibrosis (PF), a life-threatening, complex
disease that causes progressive scarring in the lungs. PF
affects 200,000 Americans annually, and 50,000 new cases are
diagnosed each year. This year’s event raised nearly $400,000,
bringing the ten-year total to over $2 million.
“Julie Halston and her extraordinary team generously showcased
the best of Broadway in an inspiring evening that raised crucial
funds for research and programs for people living with pulmonary
fibrosis,” said William Schmidt, president and CEO of the
Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation.
“We applaud and heartily thank all those who performed and all
those who supported our 10th-anniversary celebration,” he said.
BROADWAY BELTS FOR PFF!
is the largest single fundraiser for the Chicago-based Pulmonary
Fibrosis Foundation.
The star-studded event featured performances by Sierra
Boggess (School
of Rock, It Shoulda Been You), Charles
Busch (The
Confession of Lily Dare, The
Divine Sister, Tony
Award-Nominee for Broadway’s The
Tale of the Allergist’s Wife), Robert
Creighton (Frozen; Cagney, Fred
Astaire Award-Winner), J.
Harrison Ghee (Kinky
Boots, upcoming Mrs.
Doubtfire), Stephanie
Gibson (Rodgers &
Hammerstein’s Cinderella,
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory ), Jason
Gotay (Evita, upcoming Between
the Lines), Lisa
Howard (Escape
to Margaritaville, It Shoulda Been You), Orfeh (Tony
Award-Nominee for Broadway’s Legally
Blonde, Pretty Woman),
Tony Award-Winner Bernadette
Peters (Hello
Dolly!, Follies, A Little Night Music), and
New York Yankees legend and Latin Grammy-Nominee, Bernie
Williams, whose
father passed away from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
Daryl Roth was honored with the Ralph
Howard Legacy Award. This
award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated an
extraordinary commitment to the pulmonary fibrosis community and
embody Howard’s mission of fostering and supporting talent
through mentorship, opportunity, and education. Roth was
lauded for her brilliant career and her unwavering support
of BROADWAY
BELTS FOR PFF!.
Roth has produced over 120 productions on and off-Broadway,
including 7 Pulitzer Prize-winning plays, and is the proud
recipient of 12 Tony Awards and London’s Olivier Award.
"Our performers and producers share their special gifts of
Broadway to help confront and cure this disease," said Julie
Halston. "I am especially grateful to my dear friend, Daryl
Roth, who received the Ralph Howard Legacy Award for her
dedication to the PF community."
BROADWAY BELTS FOR PFF! began
as a tribute to Michael Kuchwara, Associated Press theater
critic, who died suddenly of pulmonary fibrosis in 2010. Julie
Halston, a founding partner of the event, is one of the PFF’s
leading advocates nationwide and shines as the evening’s witty
and dynamic host.
Halston’s motivation for participating in BROADWAY
BELTS FOR PFF! is
very personal as her husband, New York newscaster Ralph Howard,
was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis and received a
life-extending lung transplant. Howard, a generous volunteer to
both the PFF and many other organizations and lover of all
things New York, succumbed to complications from the disease in
August 2018.
BROADWAY BELTS FOR PFF! was
directed by Carl
Andress (The
Confession of Lily Dare, The Divine Sister)
with Christopher
McGovern (Cagney)
as Musical Director, Ed
Windels as
Music Coordinator, and Greg
Santos as
Stage Manager. The benefit was produced for the tenth straight
year by D.
Michael Dvorchak, Sue Frost (Memphis,
Come From Away), Julie
Halston, and Ed
Windels.
To make a donation or to receive updates on the 2021 event,
please visit BroadwayBeltsforPFF.org.
About the PFF:
The mission of the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation is to mobilize
people and resources to provide access to high-quality care and
lead research for a cure so people with pulmonary fibrosis will
live longer, healthier lives. The PFF collaborates with
physicians, organizations, patients, and caregivers worldwide.
For more information, visit
www.PulmonaryFibrosis.org
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