Monday, March 10
Sony Hall, NYC
Tonight’s Performance
Jackie Burns
Burlesque, Wicked, If/Then
Robert Creighton
Frozen, Cagney, The Lion King
RJ Creighton
Lesli Margherita
Gypsy, Matilda the Musical, Zorro (Laurence Oliver Award)
Bryonha Marie
Our Town, Book of Mormon, Prince of Broadway
Bonnie Milligan
Kimberly Akimbo (Tony Award), Titanic, Head Over Heels
Jinkx Monsoon
Pirates! The Penzance Musical, Chicago, Little Shop of Horrors, TV’s Doctor Who, RuPaul’s Drag Race
Adi Roy
Aladdin, Jagged Little Pill
Ephraim Sykes
Our Town, Hamilton, Ain’t Too Proud (Tony Nominee), Hairspray Live
Hosted by
Julie Halston
Special performances by
Jackie Burns
Robert Creighton featuring RJ Creighton
Lesli Margherita
Bryonha Marie
Bonnie Milligan
Jinkx Monsoon
Adi Roy
Ephraim Sykes
Director
Carl Andress Casting
Peter Van Dam, CSA
The TRC Company
Stylist
Charles Schoonmaker
Hair / Makeup
Alexis Ferro
Jordan Garcia
Nathan Johnson
Musical Director / Piano
Christopher McGovern
Guitar
Micah Burgess Bass
Louis Tucci
Drums
Drew Bastian
Production Coordinator
Thomas Dieter
Stage Manager
Joey Paradise
Assistant Stage Manager
Nora Brigid Monahan
Produced by
Carl Andress
D. Michael Dvorchak
Sue Frost
Julie Halston
Ed Windels
Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation
Enjoy the show!
Dear Friends,
We are so grateful to have you with us for this special evening as we celebrate the 15th anniversary of Broadway Belts for PFF! Tonight, we come together to experience the brilliance of Broadway’s brightest stars while supporting the pulmonary fibrosis community across the country. This event exists because of the vision and dedication of Julie Halston, the 2023 Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award winner and the heart behind Broadway Belts for PFF! Like many of us, Julie has a personal connection to this disease. She and her late husband, Ralph Howard, started this
benefit in memory of their friend, former Associated Press theater critic, Michael Kuchwara, never imagining that Ralph would later be diagnosed himself. Broadway Belts for PFF! is a true labor of love for Julie and her extraordinary team – Carl Andress, D. Michale Dvorchak, Sue Frost, Christopher McGovern, and Ed Windels. Year after year, they bring extraordinary energy and dedication to make this night spectacular. This program has become the single largest fundraiser for the PFF, driving critical support for those impacted by pulmonary fibrosis. This year’s milestone 25th anniversary of the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation marks a powerful moment in our shared mission. Having lost my mother
to PF, I know firsthand the urgency of this fight for a cure. So does Todd Tullis, our Ralph Howard Legacy Award honoree, who experienced the same devastating loss of his mother to this disease. Todd channeled his grief into action, becoming a monthly PFF donor and inspiring his friends and colleagues to join our cause. Thanks to dedicated supporters like Todd and you, we have built tremendous momentum through research initiatives, advocacy, education, and support programs.
Together, we’ll make more magic happen this evening. My deepest thanks for joining us tonight!
Warmly, Scott Staszak Chief Executive Officer
Thank
Producer
Leading Role
Supporting Role
Ensemble Member
Thank you, Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation for your unwavering commitment to finding a cure and giving hope and support to those afflicted.
A very special Thank You to Julie Halston, Broadway Belts and the caring and talented Broadway Community on this 15th Anniversary of bringing us together to find solutions to the impact of pulmonary fibrosis on people. A cure is possible, we must persevere.
We remember our dear friend, Ralph Howard.
Doug and Gay Lane Charitable Foundation
Boehringer Ingelheim: Over a Century of Commitment to Respirator y Diseases
Boehringer Ingelheim remains committed to educating the public about pulmonary fibrosis and supporting those living with the condition, as well as their caregivers. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the advocacy organizations that play a vital role in empowering the pulmonary fibrosis community and driving positive change. Learn more about pulmonary fibrosis, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, and interstitial lung disease and hear from patients and caregivers impacted by these conditions at lungsandyou.com
At MannKind, we are committed to developing and commercializing innovative therapeutic products and devices for people living with orphan lung and endocrine diseases. With our formulation capabilities and device engineering prowess, we aim to lessen the burden of diseases such as IPF, PAH and NTM. Our signature technologies – dry-powder formulations and inhalation devices – offer rapid and convenient delivery of medicines to the deep lung where they can exert an effect locally or enter the systemic circulation.
We are driven to find new ways to change lives for the better and help more people live life more humann.
mannkindcorp.com
What is pulmonary fibrosis?
Pulmonary fibrosis (PF for short) is a disease process that causes lung scarring. This scarring of the lungs blocks the movement of oxygen into the bloodstream.
PF isn’t just one disease. It’s a family of more than 200 different lung diseases that all look similar. The PF family of lung diseases is part of an even larger group of diseases called interstitial lung diseases (also known as ILD).
Interstitial lung diseases include all the diseases that cause inflammation and/ or scarring in the part of the lungs called the air sacs (alveoli), and the tissue surrounding the air sacs. Some interstitial lung diseases don’t cause lung scarring. When an ILD does include scarring in the lung, we call it pulmonary fibrosis.
Symptoms
Shortness of breath Persistent cough
The PFF Community Registry is a series of surveys for all who have been impacted by PF. Knowledge is the first step in understanding how to positively help those who are impacted by these diseases, and your responses to our surveys can help researchers get closer to a cure. I know the power community has. And if we’re all able to come together and join this registry to offer our insights, that is where the real power lies. We need all of the voices to be able to answer the questions that we have.
Samantha Kagel Caregiver
Ralph Howard
Ralph Howard was a renowned radio personality and anchorman who is best known for his coverage of the tragedies of 9/11 and his work on The Howard Stern Show for Sirius XM. He adored his career in broadcasting and worked to educate, mentor, and inspire younger colleagues in the field. Howard was also very active in his community, serving on his co-op board, block association and community board, and volunteering at museums, The Theatre Development Fund, and Lincoln Center. Ralph and his wife, Julie Halston, were founding partners of Broadway Belts for PFF! and became leading advocates
for the PF community after his own battle with IPF. He received a life-extending lung transplant in 2010 and passed due to complications from the disease in August 2018.
The Ralph Howard Legacy Award
Ralph’s endless curiosity about the world and his direct and generous engagement with it inspired us to create The Ralph Howard Legacy Award. This award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated extraordinary commitment to the pulmonary fibrosis community and who embody Ralph’s mission of fostering and supporting talent through mentorship, opportunity, and education. The inaugural award was presented at Broadway Belts for PFF! in 2019 and will continue to be an integral part of the event as we honor Ralph and the incredible achievements and generosity of the recipients each year.
2025 Ralph Howard Legacy Award Recipient
Todd Tullis
It takes a special kind of person to remain devoted to a cause for a decade, and that’s exactly what Todd Tullis has done. Driven by the profound loss of his mother, Kathy, Todd became deeply involved with fundraising for the PFF in her memory.
After witnessing the impact of pulmonary fibrosis firsthand, and seeing the tremendous struggle of other patients and their loved ones, Todd resolved that he would do everything he could to help people battling this disease. With the strength of his mother’s legacy guiding him,
Todd set out to make a difference – and what a difference he has made.
Over the years, his commitment has been unwavering. After Kathy’s diagnosis, Todd became a monthly donor to the PFF and he began to encourage his friends and colleagues to contribute to the Foundation. His friends who knew Kathy adored her and generously donated in her memory. Others have been motivated by Todd’s social media posts, which share personal stories and photos that resonated with a wider audience. This engagement has helped bring more people to the cause, creating a growing community of supporters.
You had me at hello! What a journey we have had! Congratulations to my dear generous and lovely friend! It’s wonderful to honor you!
~ Julie Halston
What sets Todd apart is not only the impact of his donations, but the heart and sincerity with which he advocates for people living with PF. He has embraced every opportunity to be actively involved with the PFF. Todd attended his first Broadway Belts for PFF! in 2015 where he met Julie Halston and Ralph Howard. Inspired by the experience, he realized he could make an even bigger impact as an event sponsor. As a lifelong Broadway fan and hospitality industry professional who
Congratulations, my dear friend on this amazing honor! We started attending Broadway Belts to celebrate your mom, but we keep coming back because of you. Your passion and dedication to this cause, like everything you do in life, is inspiring and motivating. Just think how many lives you’ve touched over the years, whether here or out in the community, to raise awareness of PFF and its mission to develop better treatments, and ultimately a cure, for PF. Kathy would be so proud of you, and so am I.
~Scott Thompson
Congrats Todd, on your incredible work with PFF!!! Your dedication and philanthropy is inspiring. You have honored your mother’s legacy in a truly meaningful way—carrying forward her impact and helping so many along the way.
~ Ryan Jerwers
is often on the road, it was the perfect event to support.
For Todd, this work is personal. He sees his involvement as a way to continue his mother’s legacy and contribute toward speeding the path to a cure.
Todd’s commitment to fundraising is driven by his desire to make a meaningful difference and help improve outcomes for everyone living with the disease.
Todd’s ongoing contributions have not only positively impacted people living with PF, but they have also inspired others to step forward and help.
Todd Tullis……you had me at “there is no way you are able to stay the pinnacle.”
Since that day, your smile, twinkle in your eye, and genuine happy nature have become an integral part of my life and future! You continue to impress me with your growth in life and with Broadway Belts!
~ Dr. Brad Schaeffer
His generosity serves as a powerful reminder of the vital support that families and friends of those affected by PF provide. Todd’s efforts over many years have created a powerful ripple effect, drawing more people to the cause by sparking awareness and inspiring engagement.
The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation is proud to celebrate Todd Tullis as the 2025 Ralph Howard Legacy Award recipient. Congratulations, Todd, on this extraordinary honor!
Todd is a breath of fresh air, always up for anything and full of fun and laughter. Once he learned about Broadway Belts for PFF, it naturally made sense for him to not only create more awareness for the cause, but to breathe new life into it! This event is near and dear to him, and also to my mom and me. We are grateful for all of his efforts, and I know that his beloved mom, Kathy, is as well.
~ Kitsy Rose
Todd, your commitment to the PFF and Kathy’s legacy has forged a community of supporters and created a lifelong tribute to her memory. Tonight we celebrate your vision, contribution, and overwhelming heart. We love you.
~ The “Erics” Eric Perry and Eric McCarty
Congratulations to the most generous and deserving person of this award. I am honored to know you and couldn’t be more proud of the way you keep your mother’s legacy alive.
~ Brooklyn Herzig
Congratulations to my amazing friend! Your selfless efforts and generosity are truly inspiring, and this recognition is so welldeserved.
~ Arizona (Zoe) Daines
JULIE HALSTON
Thank you for your efforts to improve the quality of life for PF patients.
Love, Daryl
Personalized care and support
You’ll have the support of your CVS Specialty® CareTeam of pharmacists and clinicians specially trained in PF.
Rx pick up or delivery
Choose Rx delivery to your home or anywhere, nationwide. Or pick it up at any CVS Pharmacy® — the choice is yours.*
All-around convenience
On CVSspecialty.com and the CVS Specialty app, you can manage your medications from your desktop or mobile device — anytime, anywhere.**
CVS Specialty is a proud supporter of the PFF and PF community.
PF (Pulmonary fibrosis). PFF (Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation).
*Specialty delivery options are available where allowed by law. In-store pick up is currently not available in Oklahoma. Puerto Rico requires first-fill prescriptions to be transmitted directly to the dispensing specialty pharmacy. Products are dispensed by CVS Specialty and certain services are only accessed by calling CVS Specialty directly. Certain specialty medication may not qualify. Services are also available at Long’s Drugs locations.
**Patients can register online and use our mobile app once they’ve received their first medication shipment. If they haven’t received their first medication shipment, they can pre-register at CVSspecialty.com/digital.
©2025 CVS Specialty. All rights reserved. 75-57242A 022725
In tribute to
Michael Kuchwara
Broadway Belts for PFF! began 15 years ago as a tribute to beloved Associated Press (AP) Theater Critic, Michael Kuchwara, after he succumbed to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in May 2010. Kuchwara was known for his kindness, generosity, and easyging personality.
He had a devout love of theater, especially musical theater, from a very young age. During his 40 year career with the AP and with his appointment to the national theater desk in 1984, he reviewed nearly every production that came through New York as well as many regional arenas, and his work appeared in thousands of papers and on websites around the world.
Illustration by Justin “Squigs” Robertson
NYP/Columbia PFF Care Center & Price
Center for Comprehensive Chest Care
Congratulates Broadway Belts for leadership, vision, and support for patients with Pulmonary Fibrosis.
NYP/Columbia PFF Care Center & Price
Center for Comprehensive Chest Care
Congratulates Broadway Belts for leadership, vision, and support for patients with Pulmonary Fibrosis.
Columbia
Thoracic Surgery
Lung Transplant Program
Pulmonary Fibrosis Center
Congratulations to Ralph Howard Legacy Award honoree Todd Tullis and the entire PFF team for your wonderful work!
And brava to our dear friend, Julie Halston, on the 15th Broadway Belts — nearly $4 million raised and so much progress in the fight against PF! Your dedication to the cause is inspiring!
With love and admiration, Larry Kanter and Shelly London
P.J. and Sonal Kamani
Sonal and PJ Kamani and the entire Kamani and Parekh families are proud to support Broadway Belts and the PFF in Tribute to our dearly departed Sarla Kamani, Sudha Parekh, Ashwin Kamani and Kiran Parekh
In honor of my Dad, Dodd Harvey:
Living a life of joy, generosity, and love is our highest calling, but it’s harder than it looks. Pulmonary Fibrosis doesn’t make it any easier.
Dad, you sure do make it look easy with your zest for life, genuine curiosity about everyone you meet, and generosity of spirit.
Tonight we honor everyone battling this terrible disease, and I am so grateful to each and every one of you for raising funds and awareness of PF for victims and survivors alike.
Megan Harvey
Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS Is proud to be a longtime supporter of Broadway Belts for PFF.
We salute Julie Halston, honoree Todd Tullis and the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation for the compassionate support brought to those affected by PF. We miss our pals, Ralph Howard, Michael Kuchwara and Scott Barnes.
Thank you Julie, David, Bill, Scott and the PFF team who make Broadway Belts for PFF! such an incredible evening. We are proud to support this event!
Diane and Dave Steffy
A heartfelt Thank You
Bill Butler
Dot Coyle
Gary Gersh
Rebecca Hall
Michelle Kittrell
Rachel Orkin-Ramey
The PFF Board of Directors
Justin “Squigs” Robertson
Tom Viola
Danny Whitman
The presenters wish to express our gratitude to the the following organizations:
ACTOR’S EQUITY ASSOCIATION
AMERICAN GUILD OF MUSICAL ARTISTS
AMERICAN GUILD OF VARIETY ARTISTS
SAG-AFTRA through Theater Authority, Inc. for their cooperation in permitting the Artists to appear on this program.
A special thanks to tonight’s performers who have so generously donated their time and talents.
Our Mission
The mission of the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation is to accelerate the development of new treatments and ultimately a cure for pulmonary fibrosis. Until this goal is achieved, the PFF is committed to advancing improved care of patients with PF and providing unequaled support and education resources for patients, caregivers, family members, and health care providers. For more information, visit pulmonaryfibrosis.org Support Us Tap