The New York Times - November 4, 1985
Stephen Holden

The array of talent ranged from the opera singer Marilyn Horne, performing an excerpt from "Carmen," to the Boys Choir of Harlem's singing "Take the A Train," to Mikhail Baryshnikov, making his first dance appearance since injuring his knee last August, to Peter Allen crooning "Fly Away," while doing acrobatic exercises on the piano.

Mr. Allen provided the evening's most emotional moment. Introducing the song "Just Once Before I Go," he said, "I want to sing this song because some of the best of the best are not here, and this is for one of them."

The gala began at 7:45, with a group of Broadway stars and actors singing an informal rendition of Stephen Sondheim and Jule Styne's "Together," with new lyrics by Mr. Sondheim, and ended with Walter Charles, from the cast of "La Cage aux Folles," leading the entire company in a rendition of Jerry Herman's "I'll Be Here Tomorrow," from his show "The Grand Tour."

Proclamation by Cuomo

The other high points of the evening included a boomingly dramatic rendition of "Come In From the Rain" by Melissa Manchester, Carol Burnett singing "Meantime" and Carole Bayer Sager and Burt Bacharach performing their new song "That's What Friends Are for," whose royalties will help research on acquired immune deficiency syndrome.

Some of the other guests who were rotating hosts inlcuded Colleen Dewhurst, Christopher Reeve, Brooke Shields, Dr. Ruth Westheimer and Ellen Burstyn.

Miss Burstyn read a proclamation from Governor Cuomo naming yesterday as "a day of concern for AIDS." Early in the evening, Mayor Koch said in a statement from the stage:

"All Americans are at risk, and all Americans have to do their part. We have to care, to research, to educate, and I'll see that New York does its share."

Theme-Related Material

The chairman of Lincoln Center, Martin E. Segal, said afterward that the event demonstrated the compassion of New Yorkers. "AIDS is not a homosexual problem," he said. "It's everybody's problem, and tonight it's being perceived that way," he said.

Unlike "Comic Relief," an AIDS benefit at the Shubert Theater last spring, "The Best of the Best" was a show whose choice of material was related to the theme of the event.

Ashford and Simpson sang "Solid." Lily Tomlin performed the sketch "Tell Miss Sweeney Goodbye," about her crush on her second-grade teacher. The New York City Gay Men's Chorus sang "My Buddy." The cast of "La Cage" performed a stirring new choral arrangement of "I Am What I Am," and Bette Midler sang a medley that included "Someone to Watch Over Me."

"The Best of the Best," the largest benefit show for AIDS research in New York, was the brainchild of members of the Actors Equity Council who wanted their union to become involved with AIDS research. They formed a committee, decided on a gala and persuaded the Equity Council to support it.

Reception and Supper

The committee then approached Fritz Holt and Barry Brown, producers of "La Cage," to produce the event.

Originally, "The Best of the Best" was to have been presented at the Palace Theater, the home of "La Cage," but the Opera House was eventually chosen for its greater prestige and visibility.

The budget for the event was $285,000, and the festivities included a pre-entertainment cocktail reception for 1,200 and a postperformance supper for 1,000. Both were at the Opera House.

The proceeds will go to three organizations, the AIDS Medical Foundation, a research group headed by Dr. Mathilde Krim; the AIDS Resource Center, which provides health care and housing, and the Gay Men's Health Crisis, a volunteer organization devoted to education about AIDS.

Raised Over $1 Million

With ticket prices from $25 to $1,000, the event sold out shortly before curtain time. The $25 to $100 seats were sold out in less than two hours the day the box office opened, Oct. 1.

"The Best of the Best" was the second AIDS benefit sponsored by show-business people to net over $1 million. Last month, a benefit at the Bonaventure Hotel in Los Angeles organized by Elizabeth Taylor, raised $1.1 million for the Los Angeles Aids Project.

Miss Taylor was to have been a surprise guest last night, but the columnist Liz Smith announced that the actress had thrown out her back Saturday night jitterbugging with her son.

"Comic Relief," which was produced by Lorne Michaels and featured Mike Nichols and Elaine May, Joan Rivers, Steve Martin and Phil Donahue, raised more than $500,000.

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