New York’s famed Public Theater is losing a lot of money while the lockdown continues. Their revenue stream needs a big shot in the arm so they’ve got a big fundraiser planned for June 1st streaming on their website and elsewhere.

The main event is free, and features Sting and Trudie Styler, Glenn Close, Audra McDonald, Elvis Costello, Oscar Isaac, Anne Hathaway, Antonio Banderas, Laura Benanti, Nikki M. James, John Leguizamo, and more. The show will be hosted by Jesse Tyler Ferguson, directed by Kenny Leon with music directed by Ted Sperling.

Sam Waterston, who was in so many early Public Theater productions, will be honored.

Before the event goes live on streaming, the clever people at the Public have worked out a way for top donors to host private cocktail parties with some of the stars. The donations range down from $50,000. You can read all about that here.

The Public Theater has given us a lot of historic shows, like “Hamilton,” “Hair,” and “A Chorus Line.” Not being open since March is very damaging. This is an important event that I’m happy to promote (even though there was no press release, I just cooked this up from their website).

All you rich kids who fled Manhattan for the Hamptons or Palm Beach, set up your parties now!

(c) Showbiz411 by Roger Friedman