Benefits combine creativity, fundraising

Buying a ticket for a benefit concert didn't always mean you would get a great show in return for doing the right thing.

The old formula was that entertainers -- stressed for time but always willing to help a cause -- would be randomly thrown together for individual segments, with little time allotted for rehearsals.

That's changed a lot lately, particularly after the arrival of Broadway musicals on the Strip. The most prominent model has been "God Lives in Glass," a new work written by Keith Thompson and performed by cast members of shows such as "Mamma Mia!" Several performances in local churches showed how to combine a creative endeavor with a fundraiser.

The next effort for many of the "Glass" folk who perform in "Phantom -- The Las Vegas Spectacular" is the "Phantom Family Holiday Concert," benefiting Family Promise on Dec. 9 at the College of Southern Nevada.

Now some performers are so motivated, the charity isn't always the instigator. Those behind an upcoming tribute to Broadway composer William Finn picked their beneficiary, the Las Vegas Rape Crisis Center, through a Google search and surprised the center with a cold call.

After several months on the Strip, actors in "Monty Python's Spamalot" were "itching to work on some new material," explains Adam Fitzgerald, managing artistic director for Playhouse West in Walnut Creek, Calif.

Steven Strafford, who plays several "Spamalot" roles including the hilarious Prince Herbert, is a big fan of composer Finn ("The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee"). He pushed for a local version of a concert he had seen at Joe's Pub in New York. A phone call to Finn gave carte blanche for "Infinite Joy -- The Songs of William Finn" on Dec. 15 at Krave nightclub.

Today, the music of "The Wizard of Oz" composer Harold Arlen gives cohesion to the "Night of 1,000 Stars" at the Las Vegas Hilton. Las Vegas cabaret singer George Bugatti is currently touring with Arlen's son Sam in a tribute called "Wizard." He and show organizer Jonathan Scott hit upon the idea to open today's benefit with a "Wizard" segment, then have guest stars including Paige O'Hara and The Scintas do Arlen songs as well.

"I think it was intriguing to them," Scott says. "Now they're doing it out of respect for the cause (Family and Child Treatment of Southern Nevada) and out of respect to the music."

Bugatti says the ensemble behind "Wizard" will perform about 20 minutes of the show before handing it off to the other guest stars. He's done previous "Night" benefits on his own, but today's sweetens the deal. "This is something we've lived and worked and put our hearts and souls into," he says. "It's been Sam's life work to get Harold's name out there."

Mike Weatherford's entertainment column appears Thursdays and Sundays. Contact him at 383-0288 or e-mail him at mweatherford@reviewjournal.com.