You’re a longtime supporter of The Actors Fund, the national human services organization that helps everyone in performing arts and entertainment in times of need, crisis or transition. How did you first become involved with The Fund? I’ve always appreciated and supported The Actors Fund. I really got to know how much it has done when I was invited to perform in a benefit concert in 2005. A Wonderful Life—a musical version of the classic Frank Capra film—was a one-night-only event. As you know, it has beautiful music by Joe Raposo and lyrics and book by Sheldon Harnick. It was a joy being on stage for such a worthy cause with The Fund’s Chairman Brian Stokes Mitchell, Judy Kuhn, Karen Ziemba and a fantastic cast. Hurricanes were such a devastation for thousands this past year. I understand The Actors Fund provided help for the arts community? Yes, they were able to provide emergency financial assistance to actors, dancers, musicians and so many who work in arts and entertainment in the areas impacted by the disaster. The Actors Fund responds quickly when a crisis occurs, as they did with Katrina, Sandy, 9/11 and more. It’s a nimble human services organization that walks-the-walk in a remarkable way.
David Hyde Pierce speaks about his role as director of It Shoulda Been You. Access to affordable health care is such a hot topic these days. I understand The Fund opened The Samuel J. Friedman Health Center for the Performing Arts at their main office in Times Square. And this past spring you appeared in promotional videos to help spread the word. Can you tell us about why The Fund is focused on health care for the arts community? Finding quality medical care can be confusing for anyone who isn’t covered by an employer or union health plan, which is often the case for people in arts and entertainment. So access to good, quality and affordable health care is a major focus for The Actors Fund.
Brian Hargrove, David Hyde Pierce, The Actors Fund Chairman Brian Stokes Mitchell at The Actors Fund Annual Gala in 2015. Photo: Anita & Steve Shevett
The Fund has provided our community with personalized health insurance counseling, guidance and enrollment support. 14 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | OCTOBER 2017
In fact, they’ve been ahead of the curve on health insurance enrollment for years. Since the late 90s, The Fund has provided our community nationally with personalized health insurance counseling, guidance and enrollment support, as well as referrals to health care resources. The Fund even operated a free medical clinic which has evolved into the primary care Friedman Health Center for the Performing Arts. It’s right in the heart of Times Square and provides for continuity of care for those who cycle on and off their union plans and other types of insurance, allowing our community to stay with the same doctor. Also, it’s in partnership with Mount Sinai, so the care is top notch, and there are plans in place to add specialty services targeted to our entertainment community’s needs. One of The Fund’s best-known facilities is The Lillian Booth Actors Home in Englewood, New Jersey, which provides assisted living, skilled nursing and now short-term rehabilitation services to those who dedicated a major portion of their professional lives to arts and entertainment and their immediate families. The Actors Fund Home is in the middle of a major expansion and renovation. How’s that going? Well. They just finished the first phase of its expansion with the opening of The Shubert Pavilion. The ribbon cutting is October 6th. We had significant support from the Shubert Organization, The Walt Disney Company, the Waldman Foundation, and all the essential entertainment unions and hundreds of individual donors. This new wing houses a rehabilitation center and 25 subacute beds for people recovering from illness or surgery as they prepare for a safe return to their private homes. It even has a state-of-theart gym with physical, occupational and speech therapies and a hydrotherapy pool. I’m really proud of all these services available to our elders in the arts—those who worked on stage and screen, and behind the scenes. It’s a fitting tribute to their work that they have a safe and welcoming place to go for rehab services or to enjoy their “golden years.”