Ed Begley Jr. & Hayden Begley Star in PROOF at El Portal Theatre NoHo 7/23-26 to Benefit Parkinson's Research

Long time Studio City residents, Ed Begley Jr and Hayden Begley, star in PROOF, by playwright David Auburn, Winner of the Pulitzer Prize, Tony Award, and New York Drama Critics Circle Award. PROOF is a passionate, intelligent story about fathers and daughters, the nature of genius, and the power of love.

There will be four performances ONLY on: Thursday, July 23 at 8:00 pm; Friday, July 24 at 8:00 pm – (Special VIP “Proof for Parkinson’s – An Evening with Ed Begley Jr” Benefit Night, in collaboration with the Michael J. Fox Foundation); Saturday, July 25 at 8:00 pm; and Sunday, July 26 at 7:00 pm at the El Portal Theatre, 5269 Lankershim Blvd. in North Hollywood.

Parkinson's progression is unknown and unpredictable. Ten years after Ed’s diagnosis, he and his daughter, Hayden, wanted to make sure that they were able to do a play together while everyone was still at the top of their game. David Auburn's story of a daughter dealing with memories of a father in decline would be a perfect fit. Concord Theatricals agreed to generously support the project, with proceeds benefiting the Michael J Fox Foundation.

Inspired by the works of his Academy Award-winning father, Ed Begley Jr became an actor. He first came to audiences' attention for his portrayal of Dr. Victor Ehrlich on the hit TV series, "St. Elsewhere," for which he received six Emmy nominations. Since then, Begley has moved easily between feature, television and theatre projects.

Ed has recently starred opposite Barbara Hershey in Strange Darling, appeared in Amsterdam with Christian Bale and Margot Robbie, Book Club with Diane Keaton, Candice Bergen, & Mary Steenburgen, and can also be seen in a number of Christopher Guest films, such as A Mighty Wind, and Best In Show. He also appeared in the Seth Rogen/Judd Apatow film, Pineapple Express. On television, Begley can be seen on "Young Sheldon”, “Modern Family", "Better Call Saul", and "Curb Your Enthusiasm" with Larry David. He has starred in two HBO movies: "Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fight" with Christopher Plummer, Danny Glover and Frank Langella, as well as "Recount" with Tom Wilkinson and Laura Dern. He has also had recurring roles on "Six Feet Under," "Arrested Development," and "Portlandia."

Ed starred in David Mamet's November at the Mark Taper Forum and has appeared in several other works by this amazing playwright, The Cryptogram, in Boston, New York and Los Angeles, as well as Romance, also at the Mark Taper Forum. He has written several books, the most recent being “To The Temple Of Tranquility, And Step On It”.

Hayden Begley is a third-generation actress, currently studying at the Stuart Rogers Studio, having previously trained with the acclaimed John Kirby. This presentation came together under unexpected circumstances. Her father had initially planned to produce an original play he had written, but when it became clear that he could no longer move forward with the project - and with the theatre already booked - the choice was either to leave the stage dark for a week or bring a new stage show to life. The team chose the latter.

Having been working on a scene from PROOF in class, Hayden saw an opportunity to create something meaningful with her father. She approached Stuart Rogers about directing the project, and he agreed on one condition: that it be produced as a fundraiser.

Hayden immediately knew the perfect organization to support. She vividly remembers the day her father told her he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. She was just 16 years old and terrified, wondering whether he would still be alive in ten years and, if so, what his quality of life might look like.

This August marks the tenth anniversary of Ed's diagnosis. Today, he is still here, thanks in part to the many advances in Parkinson’s research and treatment made possible by organizations such as the Michael J. Fox Foundation. Through this provocative production, Hayden hopes to honor her father's journey while helping to support continued research and progress for others affected by the disease.

More than 6 million people worldwide are living with Parkinson’s disease (PD) — the fastest growing neurological disorder in the world. In the United States, approximately 90,000 new cases will be diagnosed this year alone. Currently, there is no known cure for Parkinson’s.

This production of PROOF is a registered member of Team Fox. 100% of net proceeds will benefit The Michael J. Foundation for Parkinson's Research. Team Fox is the grassroots community fundraising program at The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF). As the world’s largest nonprofit funder of PD research, MJFF is dedicated to finding a cure for Parkinson's disease through an aggressively funded research agenda and to ensuring the development of improved therapies for those living with Parkinson's today.

Be the change you want to see in the world. Everyone can help end Parkinson's disease. Together, we can save lives. www.teamfox.org ​​

Ticket prices range from $50 - $85. Students; $35.00. Special $100.00 & 150.00 VIP Tickets available. Tickets can be purchased online at www.elportaltheatre.com or by calling the box office at (818) 508-4200 or (866) 811-4111.