NEW YORK CITY — Two time Tony Award-winning actor and West Virginia native Michael Cerveris is getting a group of bands together to perform a benefit concert in New York City this Sunday to raise funds for rebuilding efforts in wake of the June flood.
“Like so many people did from a distance — seeing what was happening in my home state and wanted to see if there was a way I could participate and help pitch in,” said Cerveris, 55, on this week’s MetroNews “Hotline.”
The “Take Me Home” show will be Sunday, Aug. 21 from 7:00-9:30 p.m. at Joe’s Pub in New York City.
Musicians from New York and West Virginia will perform, Cerveris said.
New York City artists include Michael Cerveris’ Loose Cattle, Laura Cantrell, Nellie McKay, Anders Parker, Suzzy Roche and Lucy Wainwright Roche.
West Virginia artists include Todd Burge, Tyler Childers, Larry Groce, Ona, Carmella Ramsey and The Carpenter Ants.
“We’re going to do two shows and just kind of raise awareness for the state, continue to try to raise funds for people trying to put their homes and their lives back together and just sort of try to keep people from putting West Virginia on the back burner the way it happens sometimes,” he said.
After growing up in Huntington, Cerveris said the state will always be home to him. He was born in Maryland, but spent most of his childhood in the Mountain State.
“All of what I remember from growing up really is all in Huntington,” he said. “I loved it. I still think of it as where I’m from. I started doing theater and performing and music and stuff in community theater in Huntington and in the surrounding area.”
Cerveris is best known for his roles in stage musicals and plays including the following Stephen Sondheim musicals: “Assassins”, “Sweeney Todd”, “Road Show” and “Passion”.
He won a Tony Award in 2004 for Best Featured Actor in “Assassins” as John Wilkes Booth. In 2015, he won his second Tony for Best Actor in the musical “Fun Home” as Bruce Bechdel.
Playbill.com called Cerveris “arguably the most versatile leading man on Broadway.”
“Well, I’m not going to argue with them,” Cerveris told MetroNews “Hotline” Host Dave Weekley.
“It actually makes me kind of proud,” he continued. “What I work hardest at is trying to really inhabit whatever character I’m playing completely so much so that I’m not kind of recognizable.”
Sunday’s event will be live streamed here.
Ticket prices are $25. Doors open at 6 p.m. for the first show and 9 p.m. for the second show.
For ticket information, click here.
All proceeds will go to the West Virginia Red Cross.