On November 8 the Philippines was hit by Typhoon Haiyan – the most powerful tropical cyclone to ever make landfall in recorded history. With a width of 370 miles and sustained winds and gusts reaching 235 mph, it made landfall a total of 6 times with a storm surge as high as 20 feet leaving most of the middle region of the Philippines flat and devastated. As of this date, 13 million people have been affected with 4.9 million of them being children. 4,200 people are dead with many more unaccounted, missing or under piles of debris. 494,611 homes were destroyed, 12,501 injured, and 2.5 million in need of food assistance.

The disaster is so big it left the entire country in shock and its government overwhelmed on how to start relief or where to begin search and rescue. It will take years to rebuild and recover and help is definitely needed.

True to its motto of “the Volunteer State” and Nashville being the center of it – we have reached out to area performing arts organization to share their talents for an evening of world class artistry and true “Nashvillian” talent to support the Philippines Disaster Relief Fund. The Fund is set-up through the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee.

“I feel it is important to do our share and what best way to do it than by generously sharing our passion and art,” shares benefit organizer and Dance Theatre of Tennessee Artistic Director Christopher Mohnani. “The response from the art community has been great and truly amazing things can happen when our generous artists collectively convene for a great cause.”

The one night only event will be held at Montgomery Bell Academy Theater on Wednesday, December 4^th, 7:30pm.  There is a suggested minimum donation of $20 that can be purchased online through NowPlayingNashville.com. You may also add an additional amount during checkout at the site.

“This evening promises to be a great celebration of how art can always change lives and how exciting it is to be part of something creatively generous in the great city of Nashville” adds Mohnani. The line up of artists are being finalized as of this writing and will include some of the most loved performers in town. Participating* artists include talents from the Tennessee Repertory Theater, Circle Players, Street Theatre Company, Studio Tenn, Playing By Air, Nashville Ballet, Dance Theatre of Tennessee, Boiler Room Theater, Actors Bridge Ensemble, Nashville Shakespeare Festival, Hume Fogg HS Theater Department under Daron Bruce, Jenny Littleton of Doyle and Debbie. Musical artists participating include Street Corner Symphony from the hit TV Show “The Sing-Off” and award winning country artist Beth Nielsen Chapman. Other acts and artists are being confirmed and finalized and will be announced at the event listing online and can be found here.