Shanti ED Kaushik Roy, American Idol star Melinda Doolittle and Aguilas Ed Eduardo Morales. Shati and Aguilas were event beneficiaries. Photo by Rink.

The 15th in a series of Richmond/Ermet AIDS Foundation (REAF) “Help Is on the Way” star-studded productions was held on Aug. 2 at Herbst Theatre, produced by Ken Henderson and Joe Seiler. Both spoke of the hard economic times resulting in many AIDS organizations very close to closing their doors. They talked of the beneficiaries of the fundraiser: Aguilas, AIDS Legal Referral Panel, PAWS, and Shanti. Over $2 million have been distributed to a total of 38 agencies by REAF over the years. That was a good reason for it to be declared by Mayor Gavin Newsom to be officially Richmond/Ermet AIDS Foundation Day. 

The show opened with actress/ singer Sharon Gless in a really funny sketch at a stage audition being turned down. Then Maureen McVerry and Woody Thompson joined a cast of the 42nd Street Moon singers and dancers to interpret the rousing “No Business Like Show Business,” the subtitle of the REAF event. Who followed but Tyne Daly reprising “Some People” from her stage role as Mama Rose in Gypsy. Absolutely stunning! The handsome Shawn Ryan warbled the countrified “I’m Checking Out” from the movie Postcards from the Edge: “I ain’t gonna live on Lonely Street No More.”

Having snatched two unsuspecting audience members onto the stage rim, he asked them to identify famous audible quotes from movies that gays can relate to. Alas, the two should have turned in their Gay Cards, because they barely got any right, including Baby Jane and All About Eve. The shame!

Wesla Whitfield (accompanied by husband Mike Greensil on piano) delivered a hotter, jazzier version of “Surrey with the Fringe on Top” from Oklahoma, and then a little cooler, and then syncopated – making the song her own. 

Dancers Cate Caplin and Gary Franco are veterans of “Help Is on the Way” shows – choreographing and performing on the REAF stage season after season. That night they whirled about like Fred and Ginger in soft shoe to “Night and Day” and “Smooth Sailing.” Gless returned, pretending to do ASL for the show, because she had obviously tied up the real signer. He escaped and she was out of yet another job. McVerry returned in a tiara to sing and act a slightly off-color comedy number, “Where in the World Is My Prince” from Jerry Herman’s Miss Spectacular: she found her rich, handsome prince, but he turned out to be gay! Davis Gaines told of his experience working with Richard Burton in Camelot “as the 34th spear carrier,” and since has had starring roles in the show. He performed a twisted version of “If Ever I Would Leave You,” turning the song around to a self-centered, self-absorbed “If Ever YOU would leave ME,” first gazing lovingly into a mirror, and then tossing black & white glossies of himself into the audience, singing, “No, never would you leave ME,” – all in a delicious deep baritone, holding the final note for, like, forever. John Lloyd Young (Frankie Valli from Jersey Boys) sang the song from the show, “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You,” and he was indeed “just too good to be true” in a melt-your-heart high tenor. Melinda Doolittle, finalist from TV’s 6th season of American Idol, gave real heart to “Home” from The Wiz.  

After intermission, the cast of Top Shelf’s Motown Madness – men and women - did a medley of Motown tunes from Martha Reeves and the Vandellas’ “Dancing in the Streets,” The Supremes’ “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” and classics by Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, the Four Tops, Smokey Robinson, and more – climaxed by the inspirational, sensational “We Are the World.” 

BaulPointPen is Paul Peglar & Ben McLain - two best friends who blend their musical ability with comedy. Their bit that night was “Audition Piece,” where McLain was trying out with Peglar on piano harassing him and unnecessarily putting him through his paces, like asking him to make a happy song sound sad and vice versa – making no sense and just truly frustrating McLain. Caplin & Franco returned to execute a sizzling tango/ dirty dancing to “Cellblock Tango” from Chicago - he spinning her up and down, over his head, through his legs, and onto the floor. Dazzling! Young returned to give a mellifluous tone to the “happily ever after in hell” of “Being Alive” from Company, building to a riveting crescendo. Disco diva Jeanie Tracy (who used to work with the late, great Sylvester and Two Tons of Fun) sang the Donna Summer hit, “Last Dance (“last chance for romance”), shimmering in fuchsia and purple sequins. Then she performed her hit, “Everybody Up” and got a lot of the audience up off their seats and dancing.

BaulPointPen returned to do almost all Robin Williams’ demented blue genie voices of “Friend Like Me” from the cartoon musical Aladdin.

Star of TV, musical theatre, and motion pictures, Joely Fisher is passionate about making the world a better place, and she works closely with children’s and AIDS charities. After giving a moving monologue about the many, many dear friends she has lost to AIDS, and then screening a slide show of some of the unknown and some of the famous (such as Ryan White), she sang a heart-wrenching “Astonishing” (“I thought our promise that we would never change and never part; I thought together, we’d amaze the world; how can I live my dreams or even start, when everything has come apart?”) from the musical Little Women. But the song did end on an upbeat: “I will be fearless, surrendering modesty and grace; I will not disappear without a trace; I’ll shout and start a riot; be anything but quiet; I’ll be astonishing!” 

Then for something different, Gless returned as Daly’s maid, strewing rose petals in Tyne’s path and swiping the floor with a feather duster. Tyne dismissed the maid, reminiscing about working “with a dear friend for six and a half years and loving every minute of it.” She was referring to Gless in TV’s Cagney and Lacey, right? Wrong! It was somebody else, to which Gless the maid flipped her the finger. Daly then sang “Row Row Row” from Ziegfeld Follies, about fooling around in a rowboat. Susan Anton - looking gorgeous as ever - sang the tender “Once Before I Go” about the late Peter Allen from The Boy from Oz, preceded by a dramatic monologue dealing with the tragedy of running out of precious time when there was more to accomplish – something anyone coping with HIV/AIDS can relate to. I don’t believe there was a dry eye in the house. 

And if not from tears of sadness, then there were tears of laughter as Gless returned one more time, trying to take over Carole Cook’s spotlight. But Cook took out a rifle and shot her dead. Attendants lifted Gless’ cold, dead body onto a stretcher and carried her away. Then Cook could again make her grand entrance, decked out in pink marabou and pink flowing material, snapping, “I never liked her!” Cook gave a very funny, very naughty standup routine with lots of gay references thrown in. This was her 13th appearance in “Help Is on the Way,” and it is always a dirty delight to have her back on the REAF stage. She sang a series of hilarious show biz parodies (i.e. “Your son will come out tomorrow”). She then gave a stirring monologue about people “sick and suffering and afraid” and needing help to go on – help such as can be found in “Help Is on the Way.” Cook narrated an introduction to a film of the late Nancy LaMott singing the signature song by David Friedman, “Help Is on the Way.” The entire cast took the stage to sing a rousing reprise of “No Business Like Show Business.” What an incredible evening! I can’t wait for REAF’s “All You Need Is Love,” a Valentine benefit. For info and to DONATE to this worthy cause, check out helpisontheway.org.