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USTA Serves Selects West Side Story For Annual Theater Fundraiser

March 5, 2009

*WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., March 5, 2009 – *USTA Serves – Foundation for Academics. Character. Excellence., the philanthropic and charitable entity of the United States Tennis Association, announced today that it will offer tennis fans and Broadway lovers a memorable theater experience at its 3nd annual USTA Serves Theater Benefit.

For this year’s highly anticipated event, the Foundation will host a special evening on Thursday, April 23 that will include seats to the classic Broadway musical West Side Story. The night begins with a cocktail reception and pre-show dinner at Sardi’s Restaurant in the famed Eugenia Room. Guests will then watch the show from orchestra seating at the Palace Theater.

Directed by the legendary Tony Award-winning librettist, Arthur Laurents, who, with theater luminaries Leonard Bernstein (music) and Stephen Sondheim (lyrics) brought the original West Side Story production to life in 1957, this groundbreaking, unprecedented new staging is bilingual, selectively incorporating Spanish throughout. The story of the star-crossed lovers caught between rival gangs still resonates today, as does the timeless, celebrated score. The original choreography of famed dancer-director Jerome Robbins has been preserved for this production, which features a cast of 46 actors and 30 musicians in the orchestra pit.

“A landmark New York City restaurant, a treasured Broadway musical masterpiece and the ability to change a child’s life once again bring us together for this much anticipated annual event,” said Karen Martin-Eliezer, Chief Executive, USTA Serves. “We are looking forward to sharing a special evening with our cherished supporters.”

Proceeds from the ticket sales, a portion of which are tax deductible, support community tennis programs and college scholarships across the country that successfully combine tennis and education. Tickets are available by calling 914-696-7223. Sardi’s is located at 234 West 44th Street and the Palace Theater is located at 1564 Broadway, in New York City. The pre-show dinner commences at 5:45 pm. The show begins at 8:00 pm. Tickets for the dinner and show are $500 ($300 is tax deductible). Limited tickets are still available.