By Abbe Sparks…

Supporters of The Sanctuary at St. Paul & St. Andrew United Methodist Church gathered Monday night for a star-studded, staged live reading of “All About Eve”.

Celebrity artists, elected officials, preservationists, and community leaders joined local supporters in The Sanctuary at St. Paul & St. Andrew United Methodist Church Monday night for a star-studded, staged LIVE reading of “All About Eve” in a galant fundraising effort to save an Historic Landmark from demolition — West Park Presbyterian Church on the Upper West Side – one of NYC’s last affordable arts hubs.

Directed by Scott Wittman, the reading was put on by cultural organization the Center at West Park (CWP) and starred Scarlett Johansson, Alec Baldwin, J. Smith Cameron, Nicole Ari Parker, Michael Mastro, John Benjamin Hickey, Charles Busch, Ella Stiller, Luke Kirby, and Charles Everett, with piano accompaniment by Marc Shaiman. Tickets ranged from $250 to $5,000. Of course, no one was turned away, as there was also a “pay-what-you-can” ticket for $5 and up. Funds raised are earmarked for renovations and rent  increases at the Church. 

An integral part of theater and other performing arts in New York City are the houses aka venues that offer performance space and/or a home to countless artistic companies. Whether it’s a show in development, an off-broadway bound production or a sanctuary to arts groups, many of the City’s Churches have played that role. 

West Park Presbyterian Church, a 135-year-old historic landmark has served as the home to The Center at West Park (CWP), a cultural organization that — until July — has hosted more than 800 productions, including more than 2,600 artists and presented to more than 54,000 audience members. The church also houses seven community and performance spaces under one roof. 

CWP was evicted from the church in July after a court battle and fortunately, has found a temporary home in The Sanctuary at the Upper West Side’s St. Paul & St. Andrew United Methodist Church. The threat of demolition and loss of home remains. A

The fundraising evening opened with introductions by the CWP executive director, Debby Hirshman, stressing the urgency and importance of preserving this beloved performance space housed in the Upper West Side Cathedral. cultural and historic institution. New York City Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams followed, reiterating the importance of the arts and culture to NYC, himself included as a former actor. Remarks by native New Yorker and actor Mark Ruffalo, a huge supporter of CWP came next via a recorded video.

A talk-back about the classic storyline, its characters and the reason why these actors participated in this reading ensued, moderated by Turner Classic Movies Dave Karger. 

The ultimate goal was to send a clear message: New York City must act now to protect this beloved landmark Church and vital community and cultural hub that is home to The Center at West Park. There is currently a $33 million dollar offer on the table from a developer, so the threat looms large.

Many notable New Yorkers already support this message including Mark Ruffalo, Matthew Broderick, Laurence Fishburne, Julianna Margulies, Fisher Stevens, Mark Levine, Brad Hoylman-Sigal, Gale Brewer, and more.

“There’s nothing wrong with development, but not at the cost of places like this!” – Mark Ruffalo

D-Day is December 9th, where a final board meeting to decide the fate of the Church will be decided. It is imperative that anyone and everyone who loves the arts, theatre, live performance, community, history and NYC voice their thoughts either in person or via zoom.For more information on how to support and save the Church and cultural hub from demolition, visit: https://www.centeratwestpark.org/lpc