D AV I D PAT R I C K C O L U M B I A N E W YO R K P H I L H A R M O N I C ’ S F A M I LY B E N E F I T
Sarah Jane and Trevor Gibbons and their children
Karen and Jamie LeFrak with his kids
helm—and it’s a beautiful example of what can be done and how we can do it for ourselves and others. That sense and energy has always been in the room during those benefit evenings (and luncheons). So I wondered how a “virtual” can maintain, let alone “top” that. And I found out, on that Thursday night. I had my dinner early enough so that I could be ready to watch at 8 p.m., I mean…where’s the auditorium? Where’s the big stage for the podiums, for Sir Elton’s piano and orchestra; for the research awards? That’s a lot of the evening. Where they gonna put it? Public philanthropic events each have their own especial mood of interest and excitement, and that comes from the 36 QUEST
Ann Barish and Denise LeFrak
Maxwell Federbush, Stephanie Sirota and Robin van Bokhorst
Holly Andersen, Margo Nederlander, Kathleen Kirchgaessner and Francine LeFrak
presence of the guests. How you put that on a small screen in someone’s living room and make the viewer feel like a guest? Answer: you don’t. You do something entirely different. You put the show in everyone’s living room. If I were to criticize, I would have made it twice in length. Because it was such a wonderful evening, in my home, by myself. Enjoying the company, the message, the songs, the laughs, the speeches; everything was an ace. Oh, one other criticism: if it were national, millions of Americans could have had a great time and learned something important, and got an inkling of better times head. Not in the auditorium. The night opened with the Broad-
way’s Norbert Leo Butz. He’s one of those brilliant actors that when you see him in a role, you think that’s what he’s like in real life. Then the next time you see him, he’s another character and it’s the same story. Brando could do that. On this night he was face on up close to the camera, your neighbor, the guy next door, looking like he’s in his office or apartment, looking anxious to tell us something, but with a slight grin. And it’s a song we know: “Something’s Comin’” “Could be, who knows? There’s something due any day. I will know right away, Soon as it shows…” West Side Story; Stephen Sondheim. But Norbert Leo was singing us the story, it was more this person with his face right
Serena Boardman and Joanna Baker de Neufville
up to the screen. In your living room. And at moments he looked like he was gonna break out in laughter—at what was coming up for you, the guests/audience. This was a TV show. But it a personal-ness to it. Everything, everyone was there for you. It was personal like Norbert’s song, followed by more song, more music and more personal appearances. There was something a little bit of home-movie about it. But in no way amateurish. It was casual, informal but professional, and full of color and light. YOU were the audience and all of the guests and performers and speakers were directing it at YOU. There were stories of recoveries, of miracles, of friendships and
LINSLEY LINDEKINS; CHRIS LEE
Katherine Birch and daughter