The Rosie O'Donnell Show Returning for One Night Only to Help Fundraise amid Coronavirus Pandemic
The Rosie O’Donnell Show is returning!
For a one-night only event, Rosie O’Donnell will return to host the show, PEOPLE can exclusively announce.
The special event, which will broadcast live March 22 on Broadway.com, will be a live streaming fundraiser for The Actors Fund in order to help amid the coronavirus pandemic, which has resulted in Broadway canceling all performances until April 13.
“Everybody who knows me knows that Broadway has been one of the brightest lights in my life since the time I was a little girl. It has also been the lifeblood of New York City for generation after generation. After all Broadway has given to the world, now — in this time of tremendous need — it’s our turn to give something back,” O’Donnell, a 12-time Emmy Award winner and Tony Award recipient, said in a statement. “There is no better way to support this community than via The Actors Fund. And, with a line-up like this, I dare you not to tune in.”
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images Rosie O’Donnell
The Actors Fund provides services for people in the arts and entertainment community, including the Artists Health Insurance Resource Center, The Career Center, housing resources, addiction and recovery, HIV/AIDS and senior services, and counseling and emergency financial assistance, among others.
The evening will feature performances and appearances from a number of actors and entertainers — all from the comfort of their own homes! — including Sarah Jessica Parker, Darren Criss, Gloria Estefan, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Harvey Fierstein, David Foster, Morgan Freeman, Neil Patrick Harris, Megan Hilty, Judith Light, Barry Manilow, Rob McClure, Audra McDonald, Katharine McPhee, Alan Menken, Idina Menzel, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Kelli O’Hara, Lauren Patten, Ben Platt, Billy Porter, Randy Rainbow, Andrew Rannells, Chita Rivera, Seth Rudetsky, Miranda Sings, Jordin Sparks, Ben Vereen, Adrienne Warren, James Wesley, Sebastian Arcelus, Skylar Astin, Beth Behrs, Erich Bergen, Nate Berkus, Stephanie J. Block, Matthew Broderick, Tituss Burgess, Norbert Leo Butz, Kristin Chenoweth, Gavin Creel, Lea Salonga, Idina Menzel, and more.
John McDaniel, The Rosie O’Donnell Show‘s original music director/composer/producer, is also set to return.
Said actor/producer Bergen, “This is the ultimate win-win proposition; The Actors Fund needs our support, and we’re all desperate for some fabulous entertainment we can enjoy from the safety of our own homes. I’m so grateful to Rosie, and to this truly jaw-dropping array of talent that have agreed to participate.”
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In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and the influx of cases in the United States, the Centers for Disease Control is urging people to practice social distancing to slow down the spread of the virus.
Hollywood is already being affected by the pandemic as Tom Hanks, Idris Elba and more have tested positive for COVID-19.
Celebrities are doing their parts to encourage their fans and followers to self-isolate and practice social distancing in the coming days.
A post shared by Kristin Chenoweth (@kchenoweth) on Mar 13, 2020 at 12:29pm PDT
Chenoweth, who is slated to appear on the Rosie O’Donnell Show‘s one-night return, is all about cleaning and high notes. In an Instagram post last week, the actress posted a TikTok video of her singing and cleaning. “Got a @tiktok… looks a little like this… High notes & clorox wipes! 🧽🧼,” she wrote.
The show, presented in partnership with Revelations Entertainment and Broadway.com, will air live on Sunday, March 22 at 7 p.m. ET on Broadway.com and its YouTube channel. To make a tax-deductible donation, visit here.
As information about the coronavirus pandemic rapidly changes, PEOPLE is committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. Some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, readers are encouraged to use online resources from CDC, WHO, and local public health departments and visit our coronavirus hub.
