After a four-year hiatus, Aid for AIDS of Nevada (AFAN) is once again inviting its old chums and new friends to come to the Cabaret.
The oldest and largest AIDS service organization in Nevada will present its 6th Annual Evening of Cabaret with television and Broadway star John Davidson at 8 p.m. January 25. The event will be at the Las Vegas home of Penn Jillette and his wife, Emily, and is open to the public along with invited AFAN supporters.
Penn and Emily Jillette
Proceeds will benefit AFAN services to more than 1,500 clients living with or affected by HIV/AIDS in Southern Nevada.
“Our cabaret evening is more of an intimate setting in a private home and will house only about 80 people,” AFAN marketing director Andrew Ryan said. “John Davidson’s performance will be acoustical rather than a concert performance. The Broadway/cabaret atmosphere appeals to a mix-and-mingle social event. We like to create different types of events, so that our donors will have different experiences.”
The evening will begin with cocktails and light hors d’oeuvres from Las Vegas restaurant Honey Salt. Vacation packages, luxury retail items, show tickets and more will be available for bid during a live auction. Following dessert and coffee, guests will move into the living room where Davidson will perform a 60- to 75-minute set. He will perform songs for which he is known, covers and Broadway selections.
John Davidson will perform at AFAN’s Sixth Annual Evening of Cabaret
“There will be something for everyone,” Ryan said. “John was a guest host for Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show before Joan Rivers. He has also appeared in shows such as Finding Neverlandand Wickedon Broadway. He has also played Las Vegas, so this is like a return to the city for him. We’ve put together a video to acquaint younger people with him.”
Davidson is best known as the TV host of Hollywood Squares and That’s Incredible! He started his career on Broadway more than 50 years ago in Foxy, which starred Bert Lahr. He later received a Theater Guild Award for playing Curly in the Broadway revival of Oklahoma! Davidson went on to tour the U.S. in several Broadway musicals including Wicked, The Fantasticks and most recently Finding Neverland, earning some of the best reviews of his career.
“We are thrilled to bring back Evening of Cabaret,” said Antioco Carrillo, AFAN’s executive director. “It’s a special night combining fantastic entertainment with a great cause, and we are very grateful for Penn and Emily Jillette for opening up their home to us.”
