John Lennon and Yoko Ono

Join Joan Osborne, Marc Cohn, Raul Malo, Grammy Award winner Steve Earle and others at the 33rd Annual Tribute to John Lennon. Lennon was a superstar in his time, changing the way a generation, and beyond, saw music and the world around them.

Hosted at Symphony Space, the tribute is pulled together by the efforts of members of Theatre Within, and experimental theatre workshop. Begun in 1981 by Theatre Within founder Alec Rubin and his student at the time Joe Raiola, who took over organization of the tribute in 2001 when Rubin retired.

Now with full creative control of the Tribute, which has already been around for 20 years, Raiola, as a comedian and Senior Editor at Mad Magazine, had his own vision for the evening. Referring to the fact that he performed a Lennon-themed comedy sketch at each Tribute Raiola said,

“It wasn’t what you’d except from a Lennon Tribute, but it reflected Alec’s vision as an artist and it was very powerful.”

Over the past several years the Tribute has continued to grow in size and prominence. Not only is the venue used to remember and honor Lennon, but serious fund raising is accomplished as well, mostly to bring food to the hungry and build music schools in the Third World.

This year’s Tribute will donate a portion of the take the Spirit Foundation. This non-profit was created in 1978 by John and Yoko as a way to help charities that help the aging population, abused women and children and victims of terrorism and natural disasters.

The 33rd Annual John Lennon Tribute will take place at Symphony Space at 2537 Broadway; at 8pm on December 6, 2013. For more information call: 212-864-5400.