I Have A Dream Brunch

Amy Brenneman, Taye Diggs and Jesse Campbell of The Voice Salute Justin Falvey, Darryl Frank and Channing Dungey at I Have A Dream Brunch

 

 

Jesse Campbell of Team Christina on “The Voice” surprised guests at the fourteenth annual “Dreamers Brunch” by turning up unannounced to serenade the audience and honorees Justin Falvey, Darryl Frank and Channing Dungey with his rendition of “What a Wonderful World.”

Falvey and Frank are co-presidents of DreamWorks Television; Dungey is senior vice president of drama development at ABC Entertainment Group.

Amy Brenneman of “Private Practice” hosted the Mar. 4 benefit for the I Have a Dream Foundation, which took place at Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles. Brenneman had a big assist from her daughter Charlotte, as well as the Dreamers – a.k.a. students in the I Have a Dream program – who began festivities by singing the national anthem with the Marines Color Guard.

Taye Diggs of “Private Practice” and “How Stella Got Her Groove Back” presented the Dream Keeper Award to Dungey, while Nancy Cotton, vice president of IHAD’s Los Angeles chapter, gave the awards to Falvey and Frank. As senior vice president of programming at Fox Television Studios, Cotton has had a long history of working with the honorees and joked that she was going to use her time on stage to audition for TV’s “Smash.”  

In accepting their awards, all the honorees talked about their experiences of visiting the Dreamers at their school, about how much the students inspired them, and about the importance of organizations, such as IHAD-LA, that help Los Angeles youngsters achieve a higher education. The Dreamers, too, shared their experiences throughout the program.

During his set, Campbell said he has been involved with the organization for several years. And by the time he closed the show with Michel Jackson’s “Rock with You,” he had the entire crowd dancing in the aisles.

Among others enjoying the afternoon were Caterina Scorsone of “Private Practice,” Melina Kanakaredes of “CSI:  NY,” Henry Czerny, Connor Paolo and Christa B. Allen of “Revenge;” Maxim Knight of “Falling Skies,” Allie Shea and Olivia Shea of “The First Grader;” and entertainment executives Tom Wertheimer, Rich Frank, Betsy Beers, Craig Turk, Jeff Kwatinetz, Wyck Godrey, Kelly Goode of the Game Show Network and Laurie Zaks, executive producer of “Castle.”

Also on hand were IHAD-LA’s chairman Grant F. Little III, plus brunch chair Katy Garretson, who was named the new executive director of the foundation before the event was over.

 

 

Top photo: I Have a Dream Brunch host Amy Brenneman with award presenter Taye Diggs, both of “Private Practice”

Second photo from top: The honorees: Channing Dungey of the ABC Entertainment Group and DreamWorks Television co-presidents Justin Falvey, left, and Darryl Frank, right 

Third photo from top: Melina Kanakaredes of “CSI: New York” with the Dreamers

Bottom Photo: Jesse Campbell of The Voice with Caterina Scorsone of “Private Practice”

All photos by Brian Lewis for IHAD-LA

 

 

IN OTHER LOS ANGELES SOCIETY NEWS:

J.J. Abrams, Conan O’Brien, Star Trek Cast and Others Help Youngsters Beat the Odds 2011

Selena Gomez, Eva Longoria Join Disney’s Rich Ross, Madeleine and Tom Sherak, at Fulfillment Fund Gala

Bill Richardson Speaks on Behalf of Schoolchildren at KIDS OF KILIMANJARO GALA

Jeffrey Katzenberg, KaDee Strickland and One Great Cause: RAINN

Jennifer Garner Hosts Pink Party for Cancer Institute with Jamie Lee Curtis as Auctioneer

 

 

I Have A Dream Brunch 2012 I Have A Dream Brunch

Published Mar. 6, 2012 – Society News LA