Stardar Report: Rid of Me Party at Mississippi Studios

Sunday, 10 April 2011 15:53 | Written by Byron

Clockwise from top left: Katie O'Grady, Michael Shapiro, Storm Large, John Keyser, Orianna Herrman, Katie, James Westby, Storm, Sharon Kitzhaber, Sara Burton

BIGGER THAN POPCORN: It's not long before James Westby's latest film will have its big premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival, but first there was the matter of raising a little bit of moola for the big trip. And that's where Friday night's "Rid of Me" Benefit and Auction at Mississippi Studios played its part. The night, which will help defer the costs involved in bringing Rid of Me to NYC kicked off with a VIP party—that included eats from the likes of Catering By Caprice, Cupcake Jones and Sweets, Etc.—as well as the sweet treat that was a very intimate concert by the incredible Storm Large (who, by the way, will fly this week to Washington D.C. to perform with Pink Martini at the Kennedy Center...talk about sweet!).

Downstairs, Ms. Large performed on the Mississippi main stage too along with Grand Archive, Oracle, Part-Time Pony and The Ohioans and the comedy troupe SWEAT kept things, well, sweaty.

Other cool kids out to support Westby and his cast (including Katie O'Grady, Large, John Keyser, Jana Lee Hamblin, Rita Parrish, Geno Remo who were all on hand to join in on the fun) were the likes of Lana Veenker, Kohel Haver, Sharon Kitzhaber (stunning in Victoria Secret), Marti Zimlin, Stephen Cassell, Pennie Lane, Howard Hedinger and his daughter Barclay Hope, Trudi and Dick Morrison and Brian Wannamaker.