An unprecedented collaboration among North Texas performing arts groups — from the Dallas Opera to TITAS to the Dallas Wind Symphony and the Bruce Wood Dance Project — will lead to a benefit performance December 6th at the Winspear Opera House, designed to raise money for four Dallas-area AIDS service organizations. The Gathering is one of many events around the country marking the 30th year since the discovery of AIDS.
The evening, which will include theater, music, opera, video and dance, will feature a cast of 200 — with all the performers and organizations donating their time and talent.

The full release follows:

DALLAS ARTS COMMUNITY JOINS IN THE FIGHT AGAINST AIDS

One-Night-Only Performance of “A Gathering” Marks 30 Years of the Disease

(DALLAS) This year marks the 30^th year since the discovery of AIDS and it will be recognized with a benefit performance featuring an unprecedented collaboration between some of the finest performing arts organizations in Dallas.

A Gathering: The Dallas Arts Community Reflects on 30 Years of AIDS will feature twelve Dallas cultural institutions. It will be held Tuesday, December 6th at 7:00 PM in the Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center. With a cast of more than 200 performers, all organizations involved are donating their time and talent for this unique event. 100% of the proceeds will directly benefit four of Dallas’ leading AIDS service organizations.

“This is the first time so many Dallas arts organizations, a dozen in total, are coming together for any single cause, said Charles Santos, executive director of TITAS and producer of A Gathering. “It really is going to be a remarkable night of solidarity, song and dance.”

The beneficiaries of the performance will be four AIDS service organizations: Dallas Resource Center, AIDS Arms, AIDS Interfaith Network and AIDS Services of Dallas. These groups are in the forefront of the fight against AIDS, and for many years have provided services such as food banks, counseling and medical aid to thousands of people living with AIDS and HIV in North Texas.

“The funds that will be raised come at a critical time,” said Don Maison with AIDS Services of Dallas. “Many of our clients are low-income or unemployed, so our services quite literally are keeping them alive. The generosity of the artists and the audience is just overwhelming.”

A Gathering will feature a stunningly diverse range of theater, music, opera, video and dance. The evening will include original choreography created especially for A Gathering and an impressive roster of Dallas’ most accomplished vocalists, actors and dancers. The arts organizations involved include (alphabetically) the AT&T Performing Arts Center, Booker T. Washington High School of the Performing and Visual Arts, Bruce Wood Dance Project, CharlieUniformTango, Dallas Black Dance Theatre, Dallas Opera, Dallas Theater Center, Dallas Wind Symphony, SMU Meadows School of the Arts, Texas Ballet Theater, TITAS and Turtle Creek Chorale, as well as many individual artists. Local community leaders and dignitaries will also participate in the program.

Tickets for the benefit performance will range from $12-$300. Underwriting sponsorships are available and will help provide seats for clients of the beneficiary AIDS service organizations. Tickets will go on sale on October 31^st at 10AM. They can be purchased through the AT&T Performing Arts Center ticket office at www.attpac.org/gathering or 214.880.0202.

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Press Contact:

Chris Heinbaugh

AT&T Performing Arts Center

External Affairs Director

214-978-2877

[email protected]