Celebrities Gathering To Aid Vietnam Vets

Michael J. Fox, Al Pacino, Roy Scheider and Donald Sutherland and several other celebrities are in town as guests of playwright David Mamet for a benefit performance to help Vietnam veterans.

David Balson, spokesman for the benefit, said the performers will present an evening of scenes and songs about soldiers and veterans Monday night, including an exclusive performance of David Mamet's "Sketches of War." Mamet will direct the entire vaudeville-like performance, including his own one-act play, "Crosspatch," several readings, skits, songs and a poetry recitation by Michael J. Fox.

Proceeds from the event will go to the Vietnam Veterans Workshop of Boston. This non-profit organization seeks to heighten consciousness of the Vietnam War and provide services to the war's veterans, particularly the many homeless veterans in the Boston area Balson said.

Sponsors include Richard Friedman, owner of the Charles Hotel, who is providing free rooms for the performers. Other sponsors include AT&T, the Boston Herald, the Boston Phoenix and radio station WZLX. Tickets for the benefit, which went for as much as $500, sold out yesterday.

On the same theme, the Veterans' Workshop will hold a breakfast the following morning to honor 14 Congressional Medal of Honor winners. Jeffrey Raymond, a member of the veterans' organization, said invited guests included Massachussetts Governor Michael S. Dukakis and honorary sponsor of the event, U.S. Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), but their offices said neither could attend.