Last Thursday in New York, stars like Girls’ Jemima Kirke, Duran Duran’s Simon Le Bon, Alexis Krauss and more came out to celebrate the launch of EndGame, a new global initiative spearheaded by activist Leigh Blake to defeat AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. Held at the McKittrick Hotel in Chelsea, the silent fundraiser included a full-length performance of Sleep No More, Punchdrunk’s intense, interactive play based on Shakespeare’s Macbeth in which viewers wander the hotel’s five floors on their own while actors silently act out the story.
Besides the Sleep No More draw, guests were also treated to performances from Angela McClusky, The Hot Sardines, King Holiday and Santigold while they sipped on cocktails from Belvedere Red. All proceeds made from the silent auction through Charity Buzz benefitted EndGame as well as Blake’s related initiatives Act V: The End of AIDS and Arms Around the Child.
“There are quite a few exciting elements about tonight,” DJ Chelsea Leyland, who DJ’d the after party well into the night, told DuJour. “I’ve been to ‘Sleep No More’ before and it’s absolutely amazing, and to be able to enjoy oneself while bringing everyone together for an amazing cause, I think that’s pretty special.” Undoubtedly the charitable undertone of the event was not forgotten—Blake played a short, emotional film about an HIV-positive child in India after the two-hour play to encourage donations to EndGame.
“I think the collaboration on such a great cause is incredible. It’s such a creative way to do something and bring different people together,” musician Niia told us. “Health is something that everyone can relate to, so it’s something that we all have to strive to fight for.”
