ANNUAL WINTER FORMAL To Benefit Arts To Grow 12/19

The 6th Annual Winter Formal- a yearly holiday bash - will be held Sunday, December 19th at 8:00 pm at The Irish Rogue, 366 West 44th Street, NYC. This year the benefit party will be raising money for Arts to Grow - an NYC based non-profit organization that provides performing, visual, and literary arts programs to underprivileged and special needs children. Donations will be taken at the door for this fun-filled evening. Reservations are not required. The Winter Formal is sponsored by Stella Artois. Dress code for the benefit party is your holiday best.

Arts to Grow - changing children's lives by inspiring them to love learning. They work with schools and community organizations in the NY/NJ metro area to provide art programs that change children's lives, inspiring them to love to learn and helping them discover their personal, intrinsic motivation. The programs are highly tailored to meet the specific needs of each group of children. Classes in the performing, visual and literary arts are taught by professional Teaching Artists- experienced educators who actively practice their art form. Launched in 2005, Arts to Grow has since partnered with 14 public schools and community organizations (and 50 more are on a waiting list) and has offered 60 high quality programs to over 1200 children. They now also serve children and young adults with special needs.

The annual benefit began in Pittsburgh as a modest party thrown by Point Park University students and it has grown since many of the graduates are now working in New York. This year the annual party will be attended by members of the New York theater community, including Aaron Albano (Mary Poppins), CK Edwards (Billy Elliot), Sean Ewing and Jace Coronado (West Side Story), and Ryan Worsing and Jeffrey Saver (Chicago) and many others.

Jordan Grubb, host of The Winter Formal since it's beginning in 2005 stated "I'm excited to have the opportunity to get together with my friends and colleagues as well as members of the theatre & entertainment community to raise money for this cause". "It's just wonderful to see how this small college event has grown into something much more important." Fellow Point Park alumni Lindsay Schramm joins Grubb in hosting this year, "We are responsible for nurturing the next generation of artists," Schramm explains. "Arts to Grow does exactly that. We are thrilled to be raising money for a very worthy organization."

Jordan Grubb has performed "42nd Street" in various companies across the country, most recently at Sacramento Music Circus. Last month, he restaged award-winning Randy Skinner's 42nd Street "Audition" number for the special gala - Rolex presents Career Transition For Dancers' 25th ANNIVERSARY SILVER JUBILEE: A STAR-STUDDED RETROSPECTIVE at New York City Center. Hosted by Angela Lansbury, the five-time Tony Award-winning actress, and legendary star of musicals, films and television icon; the spectacular evening highlighted magical moments from past glittering galas = the entertainment/dance event of the new season. The annual event raised over $1.2 million. Other recent work of Jordan's includes performing on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, The New York premiere of "The Tenth Floor", "The Music Man" (Kansas City Starlight), and "The Importance of Being Earnest" (Pittsburgh Public Theatre).