Hope For Vision, Live! creates a network of artists combining their talents to end retinal degenerative diseases

Hope for Vision, Live! “Illegally Blind” will feature live performances by some of South Florida’s most talented entertainers as they unite to raise money and awareness, and to change the way you see things. Slated to perform at the show are The Green Room, DJ Le Spam, the Laughing Gas Improv, THEY improv, Steve Gladstone, Crescendo and many more. In addition, MadTV’s Keegan Michael Key and the Miami Heat Dancers will perform while the show will be enjoyed by even the visually impaired through audio description provided by VSA Arts of Florida.

Learn more about the Hope For Vision, Live! and how you can help by going to www.HopeForVisionLive.com or calling 305-989-8032

Each of the participants has a unique story about how they came to support Hope For Vision. These differing backgrounds have created strong bonds that strengthen the event. Here are some of their stories:

Susie Taylor: At New World School of the Arts Susie met Daria Lidsky. They became fast-friends. One random day SUSIE did a "depth of vision" test on Daria because Daria kept bumping into things. Daria went to the eye doctor and, along with two of her siblings, was diagnosed with RP. After watching Daria slowly lose more vision over the years, Susie felt that she needed to “get off her ass” and so she created Hope for Vision, Live!

Isaac Lidsky: After his childhood acting career proved too dull (including a starring role on NBC’s Saved By The Bell: The New Class), he sought a career as an appellate lawyer specializing in civil litigation. He currently holds a position on the Appellate Staff of the Civil Division of the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. Afflicted by retinitis pigmentosa, he is legally blind. Every day he is grateful for the support of friends that give him hope. He co-founded Hope For Vision motivated by the remarkable scientific progress that has brought treatments for the tens of millions afflicted by blinding diseases. He would like to thank Susie and Isis and the entire Heart Sight Miami crew for making the event such a special evening.

Nedra Gallegos: Meeting Susie while standing in a chorus line in 1993, they became best friends. In 1996, Nedra met Daria Lidsky. Daria came to see 6 out of 8 performances of Trojan Women, starring both Nedra and Susie. Her own mother doesn’t come to see her perform as much as Daria did. Touched by Daria's wit, intelligence and kindness, Nedra felt compelled to join this effort.

Isis Masoud: Meeting Isaac Lidsky through mutual friends over 10 years ago, Isis randomly met Susie Taylor in an acting class years later. One day Susie lost her phone and borrow hers. Unable to navigate through the "zack morris phone" she accidentally stumbled into the phonebook entry for Isaac and exclaimed, "How do you know Isaac?" This led to a discussion of the Lidsky connection, and helped build the ties between them, to the point of playing lesbian lovers for a scene study class. She knew that they would work together again when a worthy cause presented itself.

Steve Gladstone: Steve was dangerous at the volleyball net, known for his mean right hand and authoritative spike. One afternoon two balls looped over the net, Steve leaped up to whack them, and they dropped untouched at his feet. Several years later, after a diagnosis of the recessive form of RP, he connected the dots: those volleys were out of his visual field. Gradually his world went dark. Steve believes, “Blindness is inconvenient but not a show-stopper. It’s an obstacle; you work around it. Quite frankly, I’d rather be blind than nauseous.” Susie found Steve through a mutual acting pal and was excited to hop aboard the Hope for Vision train. “Any organization that promotes “light” is my kind of organization.” Steve has been acting on the big and small screens since he first played to his stuffed monkey. He appeared in several feature films including Hot Stuff, The Island and The Specialist. He has also been seen in numerous national and local commercials. Steve also appears on south Florida stages including Mosaic Theatre, Playground at the Shores, and last scene as Shylock in New Theatre’s production of The Merchant of Venice.

Todd Rice: Todd has long been an improvisational actor, earning no money but enjoying making audiences laugh. Frustrated by a lack of financial success in the industry, Todd realized that he could achieve success for others. Creating the Comedy With A Cause program with his new group, THEY improv, Todd has been using comedy to raise money and awareness for various causes achieving a Karmic success for himself, and beneficial success for the organizations he helps. Working with Susie in Laughing Gas, Todd became aware of the "Illegally Blind" effort. Having done a previous performance for the Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Todd toured their facilities and was moved by their efforts. He was only too pleased to pitch in and do his part to bring Hope For Vision.

Jorge Majia: At New World School of the Arts, Jorge Mejia met Susie Taylor. Several years after high school, they happened to run into each other and discovered they were neighbors. One fine day Susie approached Jorge to perform in Hope for Vision, Live! with his band, THE GREEN ROOM. A rock and roll band out of Miami, THE GREEN ROOM is currently working on their second album, due out this summer via Infusion Records. Jorge is honored to be part of this event with his musical contribution.

Dawn Camner: Dawn met Susie Taylor and Daria Lidsky in 1990 at New World School of the Arts high school and remains friends with them both. While at New World, she also became the brief enemy of, then longtime friend and admirer of Micaela Rossato whom she collaborated with on the creation of the poster design for the Hope for Vision, Live! event. Micaela masterminded the look for the poster and Dawn added her typographic and design expertise to help make the thing really sing. She was honored to be able to contribute to such a worthy cause involving so many talented people.

Gerald Owens is an actor and is also President and Director of the Laughing Gas Comedy Improv Theatre Company, South Florida’s longest-running comedy improv troupe. Gerry met Susie Taylor through Laughing Gas, where Susie is a regular performer. Gerald is delighted to assist in this event—vision is a beautiful thing!

Rene Alvarez: Rene has cool neighbors. One day while sifting through his snail mail outside his home, Susie Taylor walked by on one of many walks with her 2-year old Jaedon. They got to talking about the kids, South Beach, mad cow disease (“do cows really become mad as in angry, or just crazy?”), the de-evolution of the pinky finger, and the varied psychotic characteristics of their pets. “The usual stuff.” The only difference was that by the end of this conversation he committed himself to help his friend with something that really mattered to her, and was important to so many people; Hope for Vision, Live! You never know what can happen while getting your mail.

Dawn Price: Dawn met Susie over the phone when she called Soultree Motion to inquire about Pole Dancing Fitness classes. It wasn't long before Susie moved from training to become one of their amazing instructors, part of the Soultree Motion family! Dawn learned about Hope For Vision, Live! from Susie and quickly volunteered to do whatever she could. A former Miami Heat Dancer, she pulled some strings to get a few girls from this year's dance team to shake things up a little!

About HOPE FOR VISION
Hope For Vision is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness of retinal degenerative and other blinding diseases, to providing information and community tools to help those coping with vision loss, and to developing the tools required to support a grassroots movement to raise urgently needed funding for scientific research. More information can be found at www.HopeForVision.org or www.HopeForVisionLive.com for information about the show.