On November 17, Tony Award winner and Marvel Avenger Scarlett Johansson will lead an all-star staged reading of Joseph L. Mankiewicz’s 1950 film All About Eve. The event is scheduled for 7 PM at 263 West 86th Street, located in New York’s Upper West Side, and will support the Center at West Park along with efforts to preserve the historic West Park Presbyterian Church.
Distinguished Cast and Creative Team Join the Benefit
The reading features a notable lineup including Alec Baldwin, J. Smith Cameron, Luke Kirby, Nicole Ari Parker, John Benjamin Hickey, Michael Mastro, Charles Busch, Ella Stiller, and Charles Everett. Accompanying the cast is the Tony-winning composing duo of Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman, with Wittman directing the performance and Shaiman providing piano accompaniment.
Story of All About Eve: Ambition and Rivalry in the Theatre World
All About Eve centers on the young, aspiring actress Eve Harrington, whose admiration for Broadway star Margo Channing evolves into a dangerous rivalry as Eve infiltrates Margo’s circle, threatening her career. Based on Mary Orr’s short story, the original 1950 film is a well-regarded classic that won the Academy Award for Best Picture. Its cast included celebrated actors Bette Davis, Anne Baxter, Celeste Holm, Thelma Ritter, and Marilyn Monroe.
Community Effort to Save Historic West Park Presbyterian Church
The Center at West Park is a community organization and theatre group currently based at St. Paul and St. Andrew’s Church, located at 86th Street and West End Avenue, continuing its programming there after leaving its former home. The landmark West Park Presbyterian Church, more than 140 years old, is threatened by a plan from its owners who have applied to the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission to remove its landmark status to enable a high-rise development.
The Center is actively campaigning to preserve the church and has previously organized benefit readings, including the production of Hold On to Me Darling featuring Matt Damon.
Significance of the Event and Preservation Campaign
This reading not only brings together celebrated talent but also highlights the ongoing efforts to protect a vital piece of New York’s cultural and architectural heritage. Supporting the Center at West Park aids both the continuation of its artistic programming and the fight to maintain one of the city’s historic landmarks. The event exemplifies the intersection of the arts and community activism in the city.
