als ▁and ▁care ▁facilities . ▁He ▁was ▁hon oured ▁by ▁the ▁organisation ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁and ▁hosted ▁their ▁annual ▁Make ▁Bel ieve ▁on ▁Broadway ▁G ala ▁in ▁November ▁ 2 0 1 3 . ▁He ▁gar ner ed ▁public ity ▁for ▁the ▁organisation ▁by ▁stri pping ▁down ▁to ▁his ▁Lord ▁of ▁the ▁R ings ▁under we ar ▁on ▁stage . ▁ ▁McK ellen ▁also ▁has ▁a ▁history ▁of ▁supporting ▁individual ▁the at res . ▁While ▁in ▁New ▁Zealand ▁film ing ▁The ▁Hob bit ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁he ▁announced ▁a ▁special ▁New ▁Zealand ▁tour ▁" Sh akespe are , ▁Tol k ien , ▁and ▁You ! ", ▁with ▁proceed s ▁going ▁to ▁help ▁save ▁the ▁Isaac ▁Theatre ▁Royal , ▁which ▁suffered ▁extensive ▁damage ▁during ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁Christ ch urch ▁earth qu ake . ▁McK ellen ▁said ▁he ▁opt ed ▁to ▁help ▁save ▁the ▁building ▁as ▁it ▁was ▁the ▁last ▁theatre ▁he ▁played ▁in ▁New ▁Zealand ▁( Wait ing ▁for ▁God ot ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 0 ) ▁and ▁the ▁loc als ' ▁love ▁for ▁it ▁made ▁it ▁a ▁place ▁worth ▁supporting . ▁In ▁July ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁he ▁performed ▁a ▁new ▁one - man ▁show ▁for ▁a ▁week ▁at ▁Park ▁Theatre ▁( Lond on ), ▁don ating ▁the ▁proceed s ▁to ▁the ▁theatre . ▁ ▁Other ▁work ▁A ▁friend ▁of ▁Ian ▁Charles on ▁and ▁an ▁adm ir er ▁of ▁his ▁work , ▁McK ellen ▁contributed ▁an ▁entire ▁chapter ▁to