Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical raises $2 million for The Actors Fund
Based on the Disney/Pixar animated film, the online presentation of Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical was the most successful fundraiser in The Actors Fund history, raising $2 million for the cause.
The event premiered on 1 January 2021 on TodayTix and sold over 200,000 tickets, with an encore performance on TikTok on 10 January having 150,000 viewers tune in.
The benefit featured Wayne Brady (Django), Tituss Burgess (Remy), Kevin Chamberlin (Gusteau), Tony Award winner André De Shields (Ego), Andrew Barth Feldman (Linguini), Grammy Award nominee Adam Lambert (Emile), Tony winner Priscilla Lopez (Mabel), Tony nominee Ashley Park (Colette), Owen Tabaka (Young Ego), and three-time Tony nominee Mary Testa (Skinner), with Cori Jaskier, Talia Suskauer, Nikisha Williams, JJ Niemann, John Michael Lyles, Raymond J. Lee, and Joy Woods as the ensemble. It also featured content by members of TikTok’s #RatatouilleMusical community and was performed with the 20-piece Broadway Sinfonietta orchestra.
Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical was adapted for this virtual benefit event by Michael Breslin and Patrick Foley, choreographed by Ellenore Scott, directed by Lucy Moss, and featured music from Danny Bernstein, Gabbi Bolt, Kevin Chamberlin, RJ Christian,Nathan Fosbinder, Emily Jacobsen, Sophia James, Katie Johantgen, Daniel Mertzlufft, Alec Powell, and Blake Rouse.
The creative team also included Daniel Mertzlufft (Music Supervisor, Arranger, Original Music & Lyrics), Macy Schmidt (Orchestrator & Music Coordinator),David Bengali (Video Design and Production), Chris Routh (Set Design), Emily Marshall (Music Director & Coordinator), Tilly Grimes (Costume Consultant) and Kate Leonard (Additional Lyrics)
In a statement, The Actors Fund President & CEO Joseph P. Benincasa said: “The collaborative spirit of the entertainment community was on full display in Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical. The Actors Fund is incredibly grateful to Thomas Schumacher and Disney Theatrical Group for allowing this project to move forward; to Greg Nobile and Seaview Productions; the phenomenal performers and musicians; the remarkable creative team and the TikTok community for this groundbreaking benefit. Their dedication and generosity brought joy to arts lovers worldwide, raised unprecedented funds and points the way forward in 2021. That same collaborative spirit will help ensure The Actors Fund continues to foster stability and resiliency and to provide a safety net to everyone in entertainment and performing arts.”
