Three-time Tony Award nominee and Theater Hall of Fame inductee Marin Mazzie (Passion; Ragtime; Kiss Me, Kate), who lost her battle with ovarian cancer on September 13, 2018, would have celebrated her 61st birthday on October 9. To honor her memory, the Applause Shop – a virtual Broadway marketplace that partners with arts and social justice non-profits to raise money through auctions and direct sales of collectibles – is hosting a special online auction of theatrical memorabilia from Mazzie and her husband, fellow Broadway star Jason Danieley (Candide), with whom she appeared in Next to Normal and in concert.
Proceeds from the auction, which opens today and runs through November 1, will benefit the Cancer Support Community (CSC) – the largest professionally led non-profit network of cancer support worldwide – to provide free support and navigation services to individuals across the country affected by cancer. Mazzie was a fervent supporter of CSC and an advocate for people impacted. Her leadership and advocacy for ovarian cancer awareness was honored with a special Tony Award in 2020.
“We are so privileged to work alongside Jason to ensure that Marin’s amazing legacy as an advocate continues to bring attention to the unique needs of patients and caregivers,” said Ted Miller, Senior Vice President of Development and External Affairs at CSC. “The response from Jason and Marin’s family and the entire Broadway community continues to inspire all of us.”
The auction contains hundreds of items at every price point and includes some one-of-a-kind treasures, such as the blouse Marin wore when she starred as Diana in the Broadway production of Next to Normal, the embroidered logo bathrobe that Marin wore when she originated the role of Mother in Ragtime, and Opening Night gifts from dozens of productions.
“Like many people, my life has been touched by cancer,” said Laura Heywood, co-founder of Applause Shop. “I was honored when CSC Champion and Broadway star Jason Danieley reached out to me about auctioning items from his and Marin’s personal collection to benefit such an incredibly worthy organization.”
The dates of the auction were selected to coincide with CSC’s 2021 Annual Celebration, an uplifting and inspiring evening of hope and community, which will be held virtually on October 28, at 8 pm. During the event, CSC will present its annual Marin Mazzie Award for Empowerment, recognizing public figures who, like Mazzie, use their platform to advocate for and to inspire people who are living with cancer. This year’s recipient will be NBC Today Show host Craig Melvin. Previous recipients include Ashley Park of Broadway’s Mean Girls and Marcia Cross (Desperate Housewives; Quantico). Entertainment will be provided by Sam Gravitte (Wicked) and Aisha Jackson (Frozen). Viewing is free, but contributions are welcome. To register or to donate, go online.
