News

NEWS RELEASE

Charity partners to entertain and inspire

Empower New Mexico is pleased to announce a special spring series of theatrical weekends at the Lensic entitled “A Broadway Series”.  The series will be produced by AgeNation.

Three critically acclaimed Broadway productions – A Tribute to Ella Fitzgerald, May 7, 8, 9, featuring Freda Payne, star of Jelly’s Last Jam, Sophisticated Ladies and Blues in the Night. Variety says, “Payne bears a remarkable resemblance to the legendary singer’s sound, and has mastered the wordless scatting style developed by Ella.” The New Amsterdam News reports, “Payne conjures the spirit of Ella…she’s off the charts with Ella-tonian fever.”

Say Good Night Gracie, The Love, Laughter and Life of George Burns by Rupert Holms, June 4, 5, 6. About this Tony nominated play, the New York Times review says, “You’ll be in heaven yourself, at least, for an hour and a half.” And from The New Yorker, “Rupert Holmes’ touching and hilarious play is a showcase for an era!”

Ethel Merman’s Broadway, June 25, 26, 27, featuring the remarkable Rita McKenzie, is described by The Hollywood Reporter as “a captivating, compelling and lyrical solo tour de force salute to Merman, the Queen of Broadway.” Jerry Herman composer of Mame and Hello Dolly says, “McKenzie is delicious in this remarkable tribute.”

In the tradition Empower New Mexico established with its first Santa Fe production at the Santa Fe Opera featuring Roberta Flack and Shawn Colvin called “A Musical Celebration Across Generations” last September, A Broadway Series is designed to entertain and uplift audiences and to raise awareness and funds to support Empower New Mexico’s mission of informing, inspiring and engaging individuals in the second half of life on the critical challenges and important opportunities facing them as a result of the demographic revolution that will soon find 50% of our population here in New Mexico and around the country over 50 for the first time in history.

Each of the Saturday Evening performances will be preceded by the presentation of an AgeNation Achievement Award. This award honors individuals from various fields including: the arts, sciences, education, humanities, health, public service, entertainment, and social and civic engagement whose lives and work serve as models of inspiration and encouragement to others. Recipients will be announced in early April.

These events will also raise funds to help support other vital Empower New Mexico programs in 2010: Navigating The Future Dialogues, a series of open forums designed to inform and engage Santa Feans on critical issues relating to eldership and aging; Navigating The Future Conference, a thought leader conference at the Albuquerque Convention Center in October featuring world-class experts and authors; and Inspire New Mexico, a state wide public service radio and television campaign designed to assist both older and younger New Mexican’s to redefine aging and better understand the opportunities available to them. Funds raised from A Broadway Series will also support the work of other non-profit organizations that serve vulnerable segments of our aging constituency.

Empower New Mexico will host, and AgeNation, a private sector, Santa Fe based digital media and events company, will produce the series. AgeNation’s mission is to help catalyze a lifestyle revolution that promotes living consciously and aging wisely in the 21st Century.

Additional collaborators participating in this new model of private-public sector partnership include: American Airlines/American Eagle, our exclusive transportation partner; The Hotel Santa Fe Hacienda and Spa, (our exclusive hotel partner); Nambe, the creator of the AgeNation Life Achievement Award; The Santa Fe Convention and Visitors Bureau; The New Mexican, The Reporter, Hutton Broadcasting, our media partners; and The Lensic Performing Arts Center, and Collected Works Bookstore.

Look for more information soon on the Navigating The Future Dialogues.

### End ###