Victor Garber, Kate Mulgrew, Charles Grodin, Bill Irwin, Annie Parisse, Veanne Cox and Nathan Lee Graham have joined the previously announced list of celebrity participants who will be on hand to salute the beloved actress Marian Seldes, when Ms. Seldes and the Union Square Partnership are honored at the annual Vineyard Theatre Gala on Monday, February 9 at 6 p.m. at the Rainbow Room (30 Rockefeller Plaza, 65th floor).
Nathan Lane will host the event, to be joined by Anika Noni Rose, who will perform along with other participants including Lucie Arnaz, Marcia Gay Harden, Adam Rapp, Judy Kuhn, Brian Murray, Penny Fuller, Craig Lucas, Gina Gionfriddo, Terrence McNally, Mr. Garber, Ms. Mulgrew, Mr. Grodin et.al. and casts from [title of show], "This Beautiful City" and "Wig Out!," all Vineyard Theatre productions.
The Gala, which will benefit the Vineyard Theatre, one of the nation's leading theatres devoted to producing new works, will include salutations to Ms. Seldes -- who originated her role in Edward Albee's Pulitzer Prize-winning play THREE TALL WOMEN in 1993 at The Vineyard -- and celebrate its theme of community spirit and neighborhood involvement by also honoring The Union Square Partnership.
Nathan Lane, who will host the evening, starred opposite Ms. Seldes Off-Broadway in Terrence McNally's DEDICATION, OR THE STUFF OF DREAMS. Mr. Lane is best-known for his Tony Award-winning performances in THE PRODUCERS, A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM, and LOVE! VALOUR! COMPASSION!. Anika Noni Rose, who received an Obie Award for her work in the musical ELI'S COMIN' at The Vineyard, won a Tony Award for her performance in CAROLINE, OR CHANGE, and co-starred with Beyonce Knowles and Jennifer Hudson in the film version of "Dreamgirls," is set to perform.
The Vineyard Gala tribute is being directed by John Carrafa and Evan Ensign, with choreography by John Carrafa.
Notable participants and guests include Lucie Arnaz; Veanne Cox; Penny Fuller; Victor Garber; Nathan Lee Graham; Charles Grodin; Marcia Gay Harden; Bill Irwin; Judy Kuhn; Kate Mulgrew; Brian Murray; Annie Parisse; Adam Rapp; Laurence Luckinbill, Paul Sparks; drag-star Sweetie; Katherine Waterson; [title of show] co-stars Hunter Bell, Jeff Bowen and Susan Blackwell; playwrights Craig Lucas, Terrence McNally and Gina Gionfriddo; actresses McKenzie Frey, Angela Grovey and Rebecca Naomi Jones as "The Fates 3" from The Vineyard's recent hit play WIG OUT!; and among other honored guests, the cast and creators of the Vineyard's current production THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY.
The beloved Marian Seldes, whose career has spanned six decades and has included noted stage, film, radio and television performances, made her Broadway debut in 1948 in a production of MEDEA and was most recently seen on Broadway opposite Angela Lansbury in DEUCE. Ms. Seldes has earned five Tony Award nominations, winning in 1967 for her performance in Edward Albee's A DELICATE BALANCE. She made her Vineyard debut in 1993 in the theatre's sold-out production of Mr. Albee's THREE TALL WOMEN, which transferred to the Promenade Theatre, where the play ran Off-Broadway for three years, prior to a successful national tour and an engagement in the West End.
Serving the community for 30 years, the Union Square Partnership has been Union Square's leading advocate, working collaboratively with area residents, businesses, non-profit and academic institutions to ensure the district's growth and success. The Partnership is a community-based, non-profit organization, and provides the neighborhood with public safety, sanitation, economic development and marketing services, and invests in the beautification and maintenance of Union Square Park. Vineyard Theatre has been a member of the Union Square Partnership since relocating to Union Square in 1989.
The Gala Chairs for the event are Rick Dean and Gretchen Shugart. The Vineyard Board Chair is Jill S. Gabbe and President is Ken Greiner. The Gala Committee includes Terry Agriss, Celine Armstrong, Kevin Bacon, Kathleen Chalfant, Jane Chesnutt, Patricia Clarkson, Bart Freundlich, Barbara Zinn Krieger, Judy Kuhn, Nathan Lane, Craig Lucas, Richard McCune, Julianne Moore, Joe Morton, Tim Robbins, Norma Rosenberg, Susan Sarandon, Kyra Sedgewick, David Schwartz, Frank Selvaggi, Jeffrey Steinman, and Annette Stover.
In the past two years, The Vineyard has honored two playwrights who have won Pulitzer Prizes for their plays at The Vineyard: Edward Albee (THREE TALL WOMEN, 1993) and Paula Vogel (HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE, Pulitzer 1998) with guests including Eartha Kitt, Lewis Black, Penny Fuller, John Guare, Julianne Moore, Bart Freundlich, Lili Taylor, Anna Paquin, S. Epatha Merkerson, Judy Kuhn, Cheyenne Jackson, Michael Berresse, Joe Morton, Paul Rudd, Patricia Clarkson, Betty Buckley and the cast of [title of show], among others.
