They’ve Helped to Pay the Rent--and More

The Scene: It was time to show the L.A. theater community that the entertainment business cared, as well as a chance to indulge in a display of New York-style bohemianism. In other words, Friday night was the gala benefit preview of the Broadway stage hit “Rent.” The avant-gala included a cocktail reception next to the Ahmanson Theatre. Afterward, there was dinner and dancing on the Music Center Plaza, which was decked out a la “Rent” with scaffolding and other construction material trucked over from the Getty Center construction site.

The Cause: The occasion was a benefit for Center Theatre Group’s play development programs, a variety of workshops that foster and support up-and-coming young playwrights, actors and songwriters. Said CTG’s Entertainment Council co-Chairman Sid Ganis, “It just means that we in the movie business, television business and music business reap the benefits of the great young people the money that we all gave tonight helped get started.” About $250,000 was raised.

Who Was There: The entire L.A. cast of “Rent”--which includes Neil Patrick Harris, now grown up from his Doogie Howser days--was in attendance. Also present were honorary chairs Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, as well as Michael Richards of “Seinfeld” and a bevy of entertainment industry business-end heavies.

Quoted: “The reason we’re in the business in the first place is because, at some point when we were young, we were able to go off and do plays in theaters,” said Hanks. “I was 18 years old. I didn’t have the opportunity to do a movie, but I could go off and play George Gibbs in ‘Our Town.’ It’s the first love we all had.”