An Enchanted Land to raise funds for Haiti

On Saturday, Nov. 26, The Cambridge Players are bringing a world premiere Broadway musical to the stage at Clubhouse 3. It will begin at 7 p.m. and tickets are $10.

“One Enchanted Land,” written by the late Dale Wasserman was created sometime in the 1990s, but outside of a Los Angeles reading it has never been performed as the company will present it for Laguna Woods.

All proceeds from the performance and a silent auction will be given to the Haiti Relief Fund (www.haitirelieffund.org).

The items and memorabilia for the silent auction will be donated by village resident and stage/screen actress Juanita Moore (“Imitation of Life,” original member of The Cambridge Players) and actress Lynn Hamilton (“The Waltons,” “The Practice”). There will also be a no host bar. The evening is expected to bring top-notch Broadway tunes and talent to Laguna Woods.

Kirk Kelly-Kahn, grandson of Moore and CEO of Cambridge Players-The Next Generation, said his grandmother actually came up with the idea of helping the victims of the Haiti catastrophe and bringing a Broadway review to the village. The show seemed to be a perfect fit and although all the professionals who will be performing are donating their time to the fundraiser, it’s Kahn’s hope that the group will use this as a springboard to actually move the show to a venue on Broadway!

Others who are in the cast are: Broadway star Amentha Dymally, Star Search winner Angela Teek, The Enchanted star Maiya Sykes and opera star Nerek Metso.

The Cambridge Players was a Black Theatre Troupe originally founded by Edmund Cambridge who was also a founder of New York’s Negro Ensemble Company. Juanita Moore was one of the original members of the troupe. Both Moore and her grandson started out as dancers – Kahn being a protégé of Mikhail Baryshnikov from the ages of 14-18. Moore encouraged Kahn to bring the company back into existence in January 2008.

Tickets are on sale now, for more information call Marge at 580-0058.