FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Jim Therrian
jtherrian@imuafamily.org
808-244-7467
KAHULUI, MAUI, January 26, 2018. Imua Family Services’ new event series, the Festivals of the World is proud to introduce this year’s annual fundraising gala, The Bollywood Ball to be held on Saturday March 31 at The Hyatt Regency Maui. The event raises vital funds for Imua’s early childhood programs on Maui, Molokai and Lanai.
This year’s event allows attendees to journey to India for a magical night of Bollywood glamour celebrating spring, happiness, love and friendship with art, music and dance at the magnificent Hyatt Regency Maui. Now marking its 7th year, the Imua gala event helps fund vital early childhood development programs and services that meet the diverse needs of Maui County’s children with disabilities and developmental delays. The event begins with an outdoor sunset Maharaja Cocktail Reception and Indian Market Fair on the Halona Kai Lawn before heading into the Monarchy Ballroom. Following the main event is the Taj Mahalo After Party with dancing until 2am!
The evening will feature intimate performances by Teal Wicks and Matt Doyle both singers and actors of the Broadway Stage and TV.
Teal Wicks is an American singer, television and stage actress, best known for her performances as Elphaba in the Broadway, San Francisco, and Los Angeles productions of the musical Wicked and as Mary Barrie in the musical Finding Neverland. She played the role of Emma Carew, Dr. Jekyll’s fiancée, in the Broadway revival of Jekyll & Hyde. Television credits include Elementary, the Good Wife, NBC’s In the Wings and MTVs The Seven.
Matthew Doyle is an American singer-songwriter and television and stage actor. He is perhaps best known for his work in Spring Awakening, War Horse and The Book of Mormon on Broadway. He released two EPs, Daylight in 2011 and Constant in 2012 and his first full-length album, Uncontrolled, in 2016. His film credits include Private Romeo, a modern take on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and Once More with Feeling, a comedy of a man pursing his dream of becoming a singer by performing karaoke. Many may remember Matt in his role as Jonathan Whitney on the television show Gossip Girl.
This year’s gala fundraiser will also honor Chef Roy Yamaguchi, of Roy’s of Hawaii who has supported Imua Family Services for 20 years through the Roy’s Golf Classic Tournament.
The gala will spotlight Imua’s newest program: Imua Autism Services. Autism is a lifelong condition that affects an estimated 1 in 68 children in the United States and 70 million people around the world. Since beginning the Autism program less than two years ago, the program has more than doubled in size and currently has a waitlist due to demand in Maui County. Imua’s mission to empower children and their families to reach their full potential can only be reached through significant fundraising efforts such as this.
ABOUT AUTISM
Autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), refers to a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication, as well as by unique strengths and differences. We now know that there is not one autism, but many subtypes, most caused by a combination of genetic and environmental influences.
For more information about The Bollywood Ball, visit imuafamilyservices.org.
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