As the lights dimmed on Friday, Dec. 7 in Levin Ballroom, Rachel Benjamin '14, Jason Dick '14 and Marlee Rosenthal '14 took the stage, delivering a powerful rendition of "The I Love You Song" from The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee that captivated the audience. The number was the opener for the fourth Brandeis Cares fundraiser, a collaboration with Broadway Cares, a nonprofit organization that raises funds and awareness about AIDS.

The event, coordinated by Joey Rosen '14, was a series of musical and theatrical performances by various student and other troupes. As Rosen elaborated in an interview with the Justice, the proceeds from the evening were sent to the Broadway Cares organization that has been raising money in support of AIDS research since 1988. After the first act, Bethany Adam '15 and John Schnorrenberg '14 called Dick back onto the stage to act as a third master of ceremonies with them. The three used their strong comedic chemistry and playful banter to fill gaps within the program.

The first section of Brandeis Cares included several performances of songs from Broadway musicals. Caley Chase '16 and Ray Trott '16 performed an exuberant duet of "You're the Top" from Anything Goes, jumping from chairs, moving across the stage and energetically interacting with each other. Following "You're the Top" the all-female a cappella group Up the Octave creatively and stunningly performed 1980s rock band Journey's hit "Lights."

One of the more eccentric acts of the night was the Hooked on Tap tap-dance squad's rattling swing number that had the stage clacking and the crowd clapping.

Following the fifteen-minute intermission, Rosen introduced representatives from Brandeis Face AIDS, an on-campus club supporting the fight against HIV/AIDS. The group, which recently commemorated World AIDS Day on Dec. 1, sold pins at the event to raise money for a health center in Rwanda, which employs HIV-positive women in order to save them from working in the illicit sex trade.

Rosen then prefaced the second section of Brandeis Cares, stating that "One of the most important parts of Broadway is the Broadway Pit." Brandeis University's own student orchestra, Top Score, which performs pieces from various films and musicals rather than classical compositions, then took the stage. The group performed medleys from the well-known productions Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserables.

Though the event opened strongly, its ending shined just as brightly. Brian Haungs '15, Danny Steinberg '15 and Sarah Minkoff's '14 adorable "I Think You're Swell" from Victorious featured lyrics like "If you're Puff the Magic Dragon, then I'm Peter Paul & Mary," that could have come straight out of the 2007 award-winning film Juno.
Brandeis Cares closed on a remarkable note with a near perfect three-way a cappella performance of "Up the Ladder to the Roof" from Everyday Rapture by Ell Getz '13, Abby Armstrong '13 and Erica Rabner '13. These lovely ladies displayed an astonishing handle on vocal power and control that left the audience in awe and amazement.

That statement can truly be applied to every act of the night. Each group of thespians boasted a different set of talents and interests, making the event diverse, interesting and not dull for a moment. The event brought together an exciting array of flair in support of such a relevant cause, combining Brandeis' focus on the arts as well as social justice.
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