Claybourne Elder, Paul Scanlon and other members of the cast of Signature Theatre’s Sunday in the Park with George accepted the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge from Landless Theatre’s prog metal Sweeney Todd to help raise funds to find a cure for ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease).
Having risen to the challenge, the cast called out theatreWashington and the National Tour of Dirty Dancing to do the same.
The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge started when 29-year-old Pete Frates, diagnosed with ALS in 2012, posted an ice bucket video on social media and challenged a few friends to follow his lead. “We have been moved beyond words by the power of one family’s ability to make such a meaningful difference in the fight against a disease that has taken too many lives,” said MDA President and CEO Steven M. Derks. “All of us at MDA are incredibly grateful to everyone who has taken the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge to raise awareness and donations for ALS. It will take all of us working together to find treatments and cures, and MDA will not rest until we end ALS.”
Notables such as Bill Gates, Dr. Dre, Rachel Maddow and President George W. Bush along with more than 1.7 million people around the world, can seen being chilled for the cause. How successful have their efforts been? Yesterday, Time Magazine reported that $79.7 million dollars has been raised since July 29, 2014 when the challenge went viral on YouTube. During the same time last year, Time reports, MDA raised just $2.5 million.
Here’s how to donate and create your own ice bucket challenge.
Our favorite ALS Ice Bucket Challenge so far:
