Broadway World
THE LAVENDER EFFECT(R) Presents Live Virtual Pride Parade, May 30
BWW Desk
May 29, 2021

Come celebrate this year’s PRIDE live with THE LAVENDER EFFECT Star-studded Live Virtual Pride Parade which will be broadcast on Sunday, May 30, 2021 at 12 noon PST/3p EST via YouTube.com/c/TheLavenderEffect.

This year’s Virtual PRIDE Parade’s Host will be Alec Mapa. Mapa’s TV and film credits include Ugly Betty, Switched at Birth, Doom Patrol, You Don’t Mess with The Zohan and Connie and Carla. He lives in Los Angeles with his husband Jamison and Son Zion.

The Virtual Pride Parade will launch Pride Month and benefit THE LAVENDER EFFECT’s mission to Advance the Future of LGBTQ+ Heritage & Culture. While many local Pride celebrations again are being canceled or modified this year due to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, many members of the community will not be able to gather in person, so this live virtual event will safely bring the LGBTQ+ community together from across the nation to celebrate Pride.

This year marks the 51st Anniversary of the first PRIDE marches across the nation in June 1970, commemorating the anniversary of the Stonewall uprising, and protesting for LGBTQ+ equality.

THE LAVENDER EFFECT has another stellar roster of some of the most well-known LGBTQ+ celebrities and allies, non-profits, and activists from around the globe, to help to bring the community together including:

• Lily Tomlin (Tony, Emmy and Grammy Winner; Grace & Frankie; 9 to 5)
• Betty Buckley (Tony Award winner for Cats, Eight is Enough)
• Kathryn Hahn (WandaVision; Bad Moms)
• Sally Kirkland (Golden Globe Winner for Anna)
• Alexandra Billings (Transparent)
• Bruce Vilanch (Emmy Winner; comedian writer/actor)
• Michael Musto (journalist)
• Jason Stuart (Smothered; comedian)
• Drew Droege (Heathers)
• Kay Sedia (AJ and the Queen; Chico’s Angels)
• Mel England (Best Day Ever)
• Charles Busch (Drama Desk Award-winning Playwright & Actor)
• City of West Hollywood
• Colors Youth Counseling
• Congregation Kol Ami
• Freedom to Marry
• Gay Elder Circle
• IMRU Radio
• LA LGBT Center
• PFLAG LA
• PFLAG National
• Project Angel Food
• Project 10 & Friends of Project 10

Last year, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns, THE LAVENDER EFFECT hosted the first “Virtual Pride Parade” to celebrate Pride and bring the LGBTQ+ community together. The live fundraising event featured celebrities, national LGBTQ+ organizations and politicians and over 10,000 viewed from around the country.

“As the LGBTQ+ community comes together for PRIDE again this year, we continue to find ourselves in a new normal. Once again, PRIDE will be celebrated safely throughout the country this year. We wanted to continue our outreach to everyone with our 2nd Virtual PRIDE Parade online this year.” said Andy Sacher, Founder & Executive Director of THE LAVENDER EFFECT. He continued “We celebrate our LGBTQ+ PRIDE with our diverse sisters & brothers in a way that everyone can join, no matter where they are or how they express their PRIDE!”

THE LAVENDER EFFECT is a nonprofit project of Community Partners that is advancing the future of LGBTQ Heritage & Culture. The organization helps to reduce shame, combat homophobia, and empower LGBTQ+ youth through programs like the Virtual Pride Parade, Oral History Projects, and educational programs. For more information, please visit http://www.TheLavenderEffect.org.

The post Bruce Vilanch, Lily Tomlin, Betty Buckley Judith Light, And More Celebrate Virtual Pride Sunday, May 30, 2021 first appeared on We Got Bruce!.

Tony Award winners Betty Buckley and Lillias White and original Rent star Anthony Rapp are among Broadway performers lined up to spend One Night With the Stars, a benefit for Wigs & Wishes, the charity that provides wigs and grants wishes to women and children who have lost their hair and are otherwise suffering from cancer.

Broadway, TV, film, and music stars recently added to the 7:30 PM December 4 concert at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City include Fran Drescher, Constantine Maroulis, Darci Lynne, Tom Bergeron, Carrie Ann Inaba, Jesse Medeles, Cheryl Burke, and the duo Tabitha & Napoleon D’umo (a.k.a. Nappytabs).

They will appear alongside the previously announced Mandy Gonzalez, Lainie Kazan, Telly Leung, Noah Galvin, Bruce Vilanch, Jon Jon Briones, Jennifer Gambatese, Jordin Sparks, Natasha Bedingfield, Sofia Carson, Sal Valentinetti, James Maslow, and Sharon Catherine Brown. Lineup subject to change. Billy Blanks Jr. is scheduled to direct.

Tickets cost $66 to $1,006. Net proceeds for the 7:30 PM concert will go to the Wigs & Wishes foundation, which was launched by celebrity hairstylist Martino Cartier.

Wigs & Wishes held its annual gala October 22 in New Jersey.

Lillias White has been a special guest performer on Playbill’s Broadway on the High Seas cruises. Tickets are now on sale for Playbill’s Broadway on the High Seas July 2018 cruise to Iceland, accompanied by Judy Kuhn, Christine Ebersole, Rob McClure, Jarrod Spector, Carmen Cusack, and Sierra Boggess.

The post Reminder: Bruce Vilanch, Constantine Maroulis, Fran Drescher Entertain At “One Night With The Stars” Benefit first appeared on We Got Bruce!.

Wigs & Wishes provides professional wigs & grants wishes for women & children battling cancer…

Wigs & Wishes will present “One Night with the Stars” on December 4, 2017 in New York City at Madison Square Garden. The Garden Theater holds 5700 seats.

Ticket prices range from $66 to $1006 for VIP seating that includes celebrity meet and greet, swag bag and seating in the first three rows. Tickets can be purchased HERE.

The all-star Broadway, TV, pop and film star line-up for “One Night with the Stars” includes performances by Jordin Sparks, Betty Buckley, Natasha Bedingfield, Sofia Carson, Noah Galvin, Mandy Gonzalez, Sal Valentinetti, James Maslow, Lillias White, Lainie Kazan, Anthony Rapp, Jon Jon Briones, Jenn Gambatese, Sharon Catherine Brown, Telly Leung, Tom Bergeron, Bruce Vilanch, and a Special All Star Performance created by Nappytabs.

“One Night with the Stars” is directed by Billy Blanks Jr. who has been the performance director at the newly renovated Wall Street Theater in Norwalk, CT for the past year.

Below, check out a short video about Wigs & Wishes!

Famed hairstylist, Martino Cartier is the founder of the non-profit Wigs & Wishes charity providing high end wigs and granting once in a lifetime wishes for children battling cancer. Inspired by his dear friend’s brave battle and triumph over cancer, Martino Cartier set out to create a network of fellow salon owners, stylists and beauty industry experts united in their mission to ease the stress and pain felt by women battling cancer and suffering from hair loss as well as granting wishes to children. Some of the recent wishes granted include a day playing basketball with legendary player Shaquille O’Neal and a personal facetime conversation with Taylor Swift. Visit www.martinocartier.com for more information.

Celebrity Stylist, Martino Cartier, is a successful salon owner with a staff of over 50. He has been featured on Bravo TV, Modern Salon Magazine, Vogue, Launchpad, Behind the Chair, Salon Today, and The Golden Globes. Before creating his own brand, Martino By Martino Cartier, he was the International Artistic Director for Keratin Complex and the Global Artistic Director for Hotheads. Martino and his team have been featured at all of the major hair shows in North America including Waldorf Astoria Intercoiffure and Fontainebleau Intercoiffure. Martino has been featured along with Tabatha Coffey, Kim Vo, Ken Paves, John Frieda and many more at the Stylist Choice Awards.

Jordin Sparks, Betty Buckley and More to Headline ONE NIGHT WITH THE STARS for Wigs & WishesSelf-taught and working professionally from his youth, Billy Blanks Jr. gained much exposure and experience in the world of dance and entertainment as a young teen who choreographed school musical productions and created after school dance groups. He has been featured in music videos with Paula Abdul, Madonna, Crystal Method, Quincy Jones, and Babyface. His TV credits include: American Dreams, The Practice, Sister Sister, Kids Incorporated, Homeboys From Outer Space, My Cousin Skeeter, and The Tonight Show. He starred in the touring company Fame and went on to direct and choreograph the We Sparkle Take II Celebrity Concert with Tom Hanks, Jason Alexander, Brian Cranston, Joey Lawrence, Britney Spears, Michael Chiklis, Hal Sparks, and the cast of Will & Grace. He launched the MoveTube network at www.youtube.com/channel/UCv1ooht_32QrbfsfeikldjQ and is currently producer and director at the Wall Street Theater in CT. Billy Blanks Jr. is the creator of Dance It Out® (DIO®) one of the most successful dance fitness programs worldwide. He is the son of Tae Bo® creator Billy Blanks.

The post Bruce Vilanch, Betty Buckley and More to Headline ONE NIGHT WITH THE STARS for Wigs & Wishes first appeared on We Got Bruce!.