Seth Rudetsky & James Wesley
Rudetsky and Wesley have made significant contributions to the arts and community work. They have produced fundraisers, created songs in support of Stacey Abrams' Fair Fight, contributed to the Biden-Harris Inauguration special, and created the award winning Stars In The House. Through these efforts, they raised over a million dollars for the Entertainment Community Fund during the pandemic. They are proud to be returning this year to co-host!
Merle Dandridge
Merle Dandridge is known for roles such as Marlene in The Last of Us, Chief Ross in Station 19, the lead character Grace Greenleaf in Oprah Winfrey’s Greenleaf, and the upcoming second season of Citadel on Prime directed by The Russo Brothers. On Broadway, she has starred in Hadestown, Once On This Island, Spamalot, Tarzan, Rent, Aida, and Jesus Christ Superstar. She was last seen onstage in Los Angeles as Desiree in A Little Night Music at Pasadena Playhouse and in the Previn/Stoppard two‑hander Penelope opposite Renée Fleming at LA Opera.
Jenna Ushkowitz
Jenna Ushkowitz is known for her role as Tina Cohen-Chang on the award winning Fox television series, Glee. Jenna is a SAG Award winner and a two-time Tony Award winning producer. Broadway credits include, The King & I, Spring Awakening and Waitress. Film Credits include, HELLO, AGAIN, Yellow Fever, Educated, Babyface, One Night in San Diego and most recently Rosé All Day. Her voice was featured in the 2022 HBO MAX and Cartoonito animated musical special, Naked Mole Rat gets Dressed and currently voices Queen Ryung in Drew Barrymore’s Netflix animated series, Princess Power. Jenna co-hosts the official Glee Rewatch podcast, And Thats What You Really Missed on iheart Radio with co-star and best friend, Kevin McHale. Jenna currently serves as COO at Asian American Girl Club, a next-generation media, commerce, and community platform celebrating the modern Asian American woman.
Sarah Silverman
Sarah Silverman is a comedian, writer, and actor. Her current comedy special, PostMortem, is on Netflix.
Troy Baker
Troy Baker is a celebrated voice in the gaming world, best known for iconic roles like Joel in The Last of Us I & II, Booker DeWitt in Bioshock Infinite, and most recently, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. With multiple industry honors—including five BAFTA nominations—his work spans major titles and collaborations with creators like David Fincher (Love, Death & Robots) and HBO’s The Last of Us. Troy will return in Death Stranding 2 and has released three studio albums, including Eulogy: Songs for Joel, inspired by his work on The Last of Us.
Kim Dawson
Kim Dawson is a powerhouse vocalist who has toured globally with bands and a cappella groups, backing artists like Rob Thomas, Sara Bareilles, Benson Boone, and reggae legends Steel Pulse. Equally at home on stage, she’s shared the spotlight with icons like Chaka Khan and The Roots, and recently starred in A Little Night Music at Pasadena Playhouse. Based in Los Angeles, Kim also works as a session musician, songwriter, vocal coach, and educator.
Sharon Lawrence
Sharon Lawrence is an Emmy-nominated actress with over 120 TV credits, including NYPD Blue, Shameless, and Grey’s Anatomy. Her film work includes Ava DuVernay’s Middle of Nowhere and The Lost Husband. On Broadway, she’s appeared in Cabaret, Fiddler on the Roof, and Chicago, with numerous Off-Broadway and major LA theater roles. She stars as Katharine Graham in the national tour of The Shot, and has earned a SAG Award, Ovation nominations, and the LA Drama Critics Circle Award. A UNC-Chapel Hill alum, she’s a trustee for Women in Film, Heal the Bay, SAG Foundation, and IAMA. Find her on Instagram @sharonelawrence.
Tracie Thoms
Tracie Thoms is an accomplished film and stage actress and singer. She portrayed Joanne both on Broadway and in the film adaptation of Rent. She appeared in The Devil Wears Prada, Looper, Safe House, Annie and Death Proof. Her most recent appearance on Broadway was in Falsettos. Her numerous television credits include Cold Case, Wonderfalls, Truth Be Told, and Station 19. Currently she can be seen on Fox’s 9-1-1 and she reprised the role of Lily in the 2026 film The Devil Wears Prada 2.
Barrett Foa
Barrett Foa played First Gentleman Elliott Morgan on the Shondaland comedic White House murder mystery, "The Residence" on Netflix. Prior to that, he portrayed tech whiz Eric Beale on twelve seasons and over 275 episodes of the hit CBS drama, NCIS: Los Angeles. Guest stars include "Will & Grace" (2019), "Inventions That Changed the World", "Entourage", "NCIS", and "The Closer". Barrett starred on Broadway as Princeton & Rod in Avenue Q, as Leaf Coneybear in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, and was in the original cast of Mamma Mia!. He played Prior in Angels in America: Parts 1 & 2 (St. Louis Rep - Theatre Circle nom.); Oscar in Sweet Charity (LA’s Reprise 2.0 - Ovation Award nom.); Harold Hill in The Music Man (CT Rep); Max in The Sound of Music (Ogunquit Playhouse). He is a founding member and Vice President of the Board of the nonprofit, Every Day Action, which reallocates Hollywood's excess food to the unhoused and hungry.
Carlos Valdes
Carlos Valdes is an actor best known for his role as Cisco Ramon in The Flash. Other screen credits include roles in Up Here, Gaslit, and For Worse. He has also spent time performing onstage in hits like Jersey Boys and Once, but most recently starred as Orpheus in the Tony Award-winning musical Hadestown on Broadway.
Ty Taylor
Ty Taylor’s musical career began early singing in his church’s choir. His talent led to roles in multiple national commercials, voice-overs and Broadway shows including a run in Songs For A New World (Original Cast Recording) and Grease! With a degree in Fine Arts from Carnegie Mellon and his first recording contract, he performed with Dakota Moon and hit the road with the likes of Tina Turner, Celine Dion, Eric Clapton, and early Destiny's Child. He has wowed crowds nightly in We Will Rock You, a musical by legendary supergroup Queen and was the Leading Player in The Mark Taper Forum/Deaf West Theatre production of Pippin. Ty is the lead singer of the critically acclaimed soulful blues-rock band Vintage Trouble resulting in four albums and 3,000 shows across 30 countries. They've shared the stage with rock leviathans such as The Who, Bon Jovi, Eric Clapton, The Rolling Stones, Lenny Kravitz, Booker T. Jones, Willie Nelson, and AC/DC. His early radio jazz endeavor, Ty Taylor's Nouveau Mid-Century Romance Songbook, is a collection of songs he penned in the fashion of mid-century radio jazz tunes. Most recently, Ty released the album This Little Light featuring the world’s biggest gospel spirituals.
Lillias White
Lillias White is a Tony Award-winning actress and singer best known for her powerhouse performances on Broadway and beyond. Her Broadway credits include The Life (Tony, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle Awards), Hadestown, Cats, Carrie, Dreamgirls, Once on This Island, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Chicago, Fela! (Tony nomination), and Barnum. Off-Broadway, she has starred in Black No More, Romance in Hard Times (Obie Award), Dinah Was, Crowns (Audelco Award), and Texas in Paris. Her concert work includes acclaimed performances at 54 Below, the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, and Lincoln Center, as well as international tours of her one-woman show, From Brooklyn to Broadway. On screen, Lillias has appeared in Heartworm, The Drummer, Disney’s Hercules, Anastasia, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and Then She Found Me. Television credits include Sesame Street (Emmy Award), Russian Doll, The Get Down, Grotesquerie, Search Party, Law & Order: SVU, New Amsterdam, and more.
Carly Hughes
Carly Hughes is a versatile actress and singer known for her four-season run on ABC’s American Housewife, as well as roles in Netflix’s Insatiable and Lifetime’s The Christmas Edition. A Broadway veteran, her credits span eight productions, including standout performances in Chicago, Pippin, and Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. She is a recipient of the Princess Grace Award and contributed vocals to the GRAMMY-winning Beautiful cast album. Offstage, Carly showcases her love of food in her Instagram series Cooking with Carly.
Joanna A. Jones
Joanna A. Jones is an LA-born singer, actress, and recording artist. Notable theatre credits include Hamilton (Broadway and Pantages), Thriller Live (West End), School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play (Off-Broadway), and Cabaret(The Old Globe). She recently voiced the role of Akua in the feature film Mufasa: The Lion King and is currently releasing original music under two independent artist projects, Why Mona and Faerynth.
Joanna has a heart for women and girls in vulnerable situations and is proud to support organizations such as Destiny Rescue and Project GRL. She is honored to contribute to the work of Harvest Home, serving homeless pregnant women in need in her beloved city of Los Angeles.
Follow her on Instagram: @joannaalexisjones | @whymonamusic | @faerynth
Lesli Margherita
Lesli Margherita most recently played Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd at LaMirada Theater, directed by Jason Alexander. Just prior to that she played Tessie Tura in the Broadway revival of Gypsy starring Audra McDonald (Drama Desk nom). She won the Laurence Olivier Award for her West End debut in Zorro The Musical and originated the roles of Mrs. Wormwood in Matilda The Musical and Mona Kent in Dames at Sea on Broadway. Television credits include recurring and guest starring roles on “NCIS Hawaii” “Minx”, “Fairly OddParents”, “The Rookie”, “The Crew”, “Raven’s Home”, “Homeland", "Instinct", "Seven Seconds", and “Transparent”. Currently on film in “The Many Saints of Newark” and “Opening Night”.Her album Rule Your Kingdom, is out now from Broadway Records. @QueenLesli