American Theatre Wing president Doug Leeds; honoree Jerry Herman and American Theatre Wing executive director Howard Sherman.
The
American Theatre Wing's annual Spring Gala honored
legendary composer/lyricist Jerry Herman and corporate
partner Visa Inc., for their innovative and
artistic accomplishments to the theatre on Monday, May 19
at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York. Close to 430 guests attended
the dinner and raised $585,000.
An entertainment tribute to the honorees featured
performances by David Hyde Pierce, Faith
Prince, Leslie Uggams and Debbie
Gravitte. Celebrity attendance included: Patrick
Stewart, Martha Plimpton, Swoosie Kurtz, Marian Seldes, Jim Dale,
Kerry Butler, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Lucie Arnaz, Kelli O'Hara,
Laura Benanti, among others.Chairs for
the gala wereCeCe and Lee
Black, Bettina and Franz Burda, Carole and Frederick
Guest, and Chappy and Melissa Morris along
with Rocco Landesman, James M. Nederlander, James L. Nederlander
and Gerald Schoenfeld as Honorary chairs. At
the American Theatre Wing, Sondra Gilman is chairman,
Doug Leeds is presidentand Howard
Sherman is executive director.
The American Theatre Wing is best known as the creator of the Antoinette
Perry “Tony” Awards®, which it presents annually
with The Broadway League. The Wing's other activities,
dedicated to recognizing excellence and supporting education in theatre,
include “Working in the Theatre,” now in its 29th year
of telecasts on CUNY TV in New York and on other national cable outlets; "Downstage
Center," an hour-long weekly interview program on XM Satellite
Radio; “Guides to Careers in the Theatre,” a video series
developed for schools and libraries; a grants and scholarship program
to New York City schools and not-for-profit theatre companies, which
has awarded more than $2.5 million since its inception; the Theatre
Intern Group, a career development program for young professionals;
and SpringboardNYC, a two-week college-to-career boot camp for young
performers moving to NYC.
Boyd Gaines, David Hyde Pierce, Swoosie Kurtz, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Lucie Arnaz, Lawrence Luckinbill.
