Celebrities Show “Love for New Federal Theatre” with Valentine’s Day Fundraiser

NEW YORK - Jan. 13, 2014 - PRLog -- Stars from Mike Tyson, Phylicia Rashad and Alicia Keys to Spike Lee, Danny Glover and Ruby Dee  show their love for New York City’s acclaimed New Federal Theatre by voicing personalized Valentine’s Day messages for fans in this fun, fund-raiser.

The “Love for New Federal Theatre” personalized celebrity messages are a $249 donation to the New Federal Theatre and can be purchased from January 12– February 5, 2014 through the website at www.lovefornewfederaltheatre.com. The celebrity Valentine’s Day message can be personalized for a friend or family member. Each message will be delivered in digital format to the cell phone or email address of the intended recipient.  The Valentine’s Day celebrity messages are available on a first come, first served basis.

Other stars showing “Love for New Federal Theatre” with Valentine’s Day personalized messages include:  Debbie Allen(“Grey’s Anatomy,” “A Different World”), Alfre Woodard (“Copper,” “Twelve Years a Slave”), Lynn Whitfield (“Eve’s Bayou,” “The Josephine Baker Story”), John Amos (“Good Times,” “Die Hard 2”), Robert Townsend (“The Parent 'Hood,” “The Five Heartbeats”), Leslie Uggams  (“Roots,” “Sugar Hill”), Melba Moore (“The Fighting Temptations,” “Falcon Crest”), Marla Gibbs (“The Jeffersons,” “227”) Robert Hooks (“N.Y.P.D.” “Star Trek III”), Avery Brooks (“Star Trek: Deep Space Nine”), Glynn Turman (“House of Lies,” “Cooley High”), Kene Holiday (“Benson,” “Matlock”) Chadwick Boseman (Jackie Robinson in “42”), Petri Hawkins Byrd (bailiff on “Judge Judy”), Lamman Rucker (“Why Did I Get Married?,” “Meet the Browns”), Imhotep Gary Byrd (“Bamboozled,” “Stevie Wonder’s Songs in the Key of Life”),  Andre De Shields  (Broadway’s “The Wiz”), Roscoe Orman (“Sesame Street”) and Ted Lange (“Love Boat,” “The First Family”).

“This is a new fundraising concept for us,’’ said Woodie King, Jr., founder and director of New Federal Theatre. “We’re really pleased that so many celebrities agreed to participate in this effort and we hope theatre fans will be as excited as we are.”

For over 40 years, under King’s direction, New Federal Theatre has been the artistic birthplace of many award-winning African American performers from stage, television and movies. Landmark theatre productions that originated at New Federal Theatre include Ntozake Shange’s “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf” and Denzel Washington’s star turn as Malcolm X in “When The Chickens Come Home to Roost.”  All proceeds from the “Love for New Federal Theatre” celebrity Valentines will support New Federal Theatre’s stage productions and community outreach.

“Love for New Federal Theatre” is produced by Kimberley LaMarque Orman. New York studio sessions are provided by Premiere Studios NY.  The studio sessions are produced by Vincent Davis. For more information, please contact lovefornewfederaltheatre@gmail.com.

About New Federal Theatre

New Federal Theatre (NFT) was founded by Woodie King, Jr. in 1970 and has consistently produced stage plays for forty-four years.  This neighborhood-based professional theatre was originally funded by the Henry Street Settlement along with a small grant from the New York State Council on the Arts.  The theatre’s first season was launched in the basement of St. Augustine’s Church on Henry Street.  In 1974, the construction of the Henry Street Settlement’s Louis Abrons Arts Center located at 466 Grand Street was completed.

NFT provides the multi-ethnic Lower East Side as well as New York metropolitan area audiences with first-rate theatre relating to the interests of different cultural groups. NFT has provided emerging playwrights with the opportunity to have their works produced; it has brought minority actors, directors and designers to national attention and sponsored a variety of ethnic theatre groups and events.  NFT also provides educational workshops in playwriting and drama workshops for adults and teens. These vocational training workshops prepare minority people for employment in theatre and theatre-related fields.  For more info on NFT, check out website at www.newfederaltheatre.com