Mario Cantone and Rachel Dratch helped kick off the 25th anniversary of Only Make Believe. (All photos: Jason Steinberg)
Broadway’s finest celebrated the 25th anniversary of Only Make Believe, an inspirational, joyous organization that creates interactive theater with children who have severe medical conditions and disabilities.
The nonprofit has brought theater into hospitals and schools for special needs children throughout New York, all without charge.
To date, Only Make Believe has inspired more than 100,000 children through performance.
The gala, which took place at the St. James Theatre (current home to Sunset Boulevard), embodies the spirit of theatrical performers. It demonstrates their passion for inspiring and helping others through imagination.
The goal at this generous event was to raise money and awareness.
Many stars of stage and screen dedicated their time and talent for the gala, offering humor and grace throughout the evening.
They spoke with The New York Independent on the event’s red carpet.
The performers included Brad Oscar (Wicked), Rachel Dratch (POTUS, SNL), Mario Cantone (And Just Like That), Lena Hall (Hedwig and the Angry Inch), Montego Glover (Memphis), and Brian Stokes Mitchell (Ragtime, The Gilded Age).
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Brad Oscar (Photo: Nick Step)
Brad Oscar, who has worked with Only Make Believe since a benefit in 2001, compared the magic of taking on the role of the Wizard in Broadway’s Wicked to how children feel when they get to experience the power of Only Make Believe.
“It is overwhelming to be a part of something that is bigger than all of us in that way,” he said of the long-running musical. “It’s such an iconic piece, so it’s special to know that every night, as it celebrates its 21st anniversary, it still pretty much sells out.”
Montego Glover
He reflected on how Wicked provided the opportunity to “make believe.” “We talk about storytelling and the effect it has on kids, and every night when I come out of that stage door, there are kids having their first experience seeing a show that big and monumental in its own way. You can see how inspired and overwhelmed they are by the entire experience. That’s everything to me! Only Make Believe does the same thing. We go in and tell stories, we engage, and we ideally help children escape. It’s a very similar feeling.” As for the actor playing the Wizard in the film opening this month? “That Goldblum guy isn’t so bad.”
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Montego Glover enjoys staying connected to children and supporting them through Only Make Believe. Before taking the stage for the opening number, she reflected on the organization’s anniversary. “There will always be sick children and they will always need our help,” she said.
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Lena hall
Fresh off of wrapping TNT’s “Snowpiercer,” Lena Hall took to the gala’s stage for the finale, a rousing performance of Cher’s “Believe.”
“Only Make Believe helps children heal because laughter helps you heal, as does getting out of your head,” she said. “There’s something that’s truly important about theatre and creativity that a lot of people push to the side. I always find it interesting when someone doesn’t think that music, plays, creative writing, or painting are creative.” Hall also hinted at her completely original new album, which she hopes to release soon.
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Mario Cantone
After recently wrapping the third season of HBO’s “And Just Like That,” Mario Cantone brought laughs to the evening due to his care for Only Make Believe’s mission. “I love that they bring theatre to any ill, low income child that wants to see theatre, and hopefully it sparks their interest and they can just enjoy it,” he said.
“I think it’s a good thing to expose them so they see that theatre is the ground floor of entertainment. Not everybody can do it!” Cantone says he came out of the womb wearing a mic, always singing in his living room for family. He credited his late sister with helping him “make believe.” “I used to go to her college and watch her perform when I was 2 years old. She’s the one that got me into it. It’s her fault!” he said.
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Rachel Dratch
Rachel Dratch was nominated for a 2022 Tony Award for her side-splitting performance in POTUS, and revealed that she would like to return to New York theatre with another big comedy.
“I would like it to be a rollicking comedy; something in which I can go all out,” she said, as she considered how audiences would have responded to POTUS today, with the election right around the corner.
“Tensions about the election are so high, that I think audiences would be more manic. Everyone wants a release from all of the tension,” she said, before sharing with attendees at the gala that she loves Only Make Believe’s cause and would do anything to raise money for kids.
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Brian Stokes Mitchell
In the upcoming season of HBO’s “The Gilded Age,” Brian Stokes Mitchell gets to play make believe in transformative period dress, so there is no one better to speak to how theatre and taking on a different role can be life-changing.
“Being on the show inspires me greatly,” he said. “What we do every day as performers is play make believe. To be able to share that with other people and let them see what the world was like in the past or what the world might be now, is special. To actually be a part of a gala for an organization that is bringing that magic to children that normally wouldn’t have that opportunity is pretty marvelous.”