CANADA - Well, here goes something! Olivier Award winning and Tony nominated producer Michael Rubinoff has put together a fundraiser for the AFC that brings viewers across the country in 24 hours. Co-hosted by Rubinoff, Second City’s Ashley Botting, and playwright Nick Green (that’s me!) the telethon will start at 2pm EDT on March 25, and feature prominent artists and artistic directors from beloved theatres all over Canada.

Here’s the link to the stream, which should be pretty magical.

The AFC is experiencing an unprecedented increase in demand due to COVID-19. Through compassionate and confidential support, the AFC helps Canadian entertainment professionals when they are at their most vulnerable to maintain health, dignity and ability to work. In this time of hardship, the organisation expects to expend 70% of its average yearly emergency financial aid budget on meeting requests for help that have come in just during the last week.

SCHEDULE

2:00 PM – Introduction

2:15 PM – The AFC David Hope, Executive Director

2:45 PM – Come From Away Petrina Bromley

3:00 PM – Artistic Fraud Robert Chafe, Steve O’Connell, National Arts Centre Jillian Keiley, Jesse LaVercombe 

3:30 PM – Arts and Culture Centres of Newfoundland and Labrador Aiden Flynn

3:45 PM – 2b Theatre Christian Barry and Anthony Black

4:00 PM – Charlottetown Festival Adam Brazier, Dean Constable, Michelle Bouey;

4:30 PM – Theatre New Brunswick Natasha MacLellan, Michelle Raine

4:45 PM – Theatre Aquarius Ron Ulrich, Sarah Strange, Valerie Boyle

5:00 PM – Buddies In Bad Times Evalyn Parry, Tawiah M’Carthy

5:15 PM – Social Distancing Festival Nick Green

5:30 PM – Dear Evan Hansen North American Tour Jessica Sherman; Alessandro Costantini

6:00 PM – Neptune Theatre Jeremy Webb, Shawn Wright

6:30 PM – Segal Centre with Lisa Rubin, Louise Pitre, Joe Matheson, Jonathan Patterson and Chris Barillaro

7:00 PM – Second City Ashley Botting; Nigel Downer, Tricia Black, Natalie Metcalfe

7:15 PM – Host Check In

7:30 PM – Outside the March Julie Tepperman; Mitchell Cushman

7:45 PM – Special Guest

8:00 PM – Musical Stage Co. Mitchell Marcus, Britta Johnson

8:30 PM – Grand Theatre Dennis Garnhum, Deb Harvey, Alexis Gordon

9:00 PM – Steven Gallagher and Matt Murray

9:15 PM – Talk is Free Arkady Spivak

9:30 PM – Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre Kelly Thornton, Ryan James Miller

9:45 PM – Winnipeg Jewish Theatre with Ari Weinberg

10:00 PM – The Globe Theatre Geoff Whynot, Marianne Woods

10:30 PM – Colleen Dauncey and Akiva Romer-Segal

10:45 PM – Thom Allison

11:00 PM – Citadel Theatre Daryl Cloran, Oscar Derkx, Belinda Cornish

11:30 PM – Arts Club Ashlie Corcoran, Naomi Wright

11:45 PM – Stage West Calgary Kira Campbell

12: 00 PM – Host Check In/Donation Update & Interview with Sheridan Alumni Kelsey Verzotti, Joel Cumber, and Georgia Bennett

12:15 PM – Social Distancing Festival

2:00 AM – Global Class of 2020 Interviews and performances by theatre students from around the world.

5:00 AM – Disney Shanghai Dave Bennett, Gloria Guo

5:30 AM – Come From Away Brian Mosher

6:30 AM – Sheep Soup UK Ben Welch, Adam Lenson, Nic Harvey, Rob Green

7:00 AM – TBC

7:30 AM – Young People’s Theatre  Allen MacInnis, Neil Bartram, Brian Hill

8:00 AM – Kevin Wong and Daniel Abrahamson

8:30 AM – Host Check In

9:00 AM – Native Earth Keith Barker, Herbie Barnes

9:30 AM – Canadian Stage Brendan Healy

9:45 AM – TBC

10:00 AM – Shaw Festival Tim Carroll, Kimberly Rampersad, Julie Lumsden

10:30 AM – Tarragon with Richard Rose, Herbie Barnes

10:45 AM – Nightwood Theatre Andrea Donaldson 

11:00 AM – Canadians on Broadway Danielle Wade (Mean Girls National Tour), Jeigh Madjus (Moulin Rouge!), David Hein (Come From Away), Irene Sankoff (Come From Away), Astrid Van Wieren (Come From Away)

12:00 PM –Charlotte Moore, Trish Lindstrom and Vanessa Sears

1:00 PM – Drayton Entertainment with Alex Mustakas, David Connolly, AJ Bridel

1:15 PM – CAEA Arden Ryshpan (Executive Director)

1:30 PM – Final Host Check In