Benefit Concert for The Trevor Project

Last week, I had the immense pleasure of performing in a concert of original music by composer-lyricist, Andy Monroe. This concert was a benefit for The Trevor Project  (preventing suicide among LGBTQ youth) and was a catalogue of Andy's music, some of it performed by Andy himself.

Andy and I worked together a few years ago on the musical, The Tragic and Horrible Life of the Singing Nun. I played the title character and won the NYMF Award of Excellence.

I sang a song from The Singing Nun and from one of Andy's other works, "Chasing Garbo," based on the 1980s film, Garbo Talks. It was an incredible treat to perform this material, simply because Andy's music is so much fun!

And I was in great company! My co-star from The Singing Nun, Tracey Gilbert, sang a song from the show, and it made me nostalgic to play these characters again. They're such sweetheart heroines!

Jeannine Frumness performed a song from the award-winning Off Broadway show, The Kid, and Matt Hardy sang the title song. Jeannine then joined Jon-Michael Reese and Raissa Katona Bennett in Andy's latest project, Drive.

Raissa had played Christine in Phantom, and I got such a thrill out of that because it was the first musical I saw when I moved to Manhattan.

Marc Beja and Kate O'Boyle Anderson sang a song from Sally Peaches, and Kate joined Tracey, Jon-Michael, Matt Hardy and Kevin Dozier for Andy's 15 minute musical The Life and Times of Joe Jefferson Blow.

Zach Berger (above right with Jon-Michael Reese) played the title role in this charming musical about the birth, life and death of a simple man who wanted to do great things. Zach was also my partner in Chasing Garbo, and it was such a delight to work with him.

The entire evening was hosted by Andy's partner, George DeMarco (far right with Kevin Dozier, David Gerard and his partner), and we ended the night by singing "Happy Birthday" to Andy. It was a gift to share so much love and music with such talented artists.

Happy Birthday, Andy! :)