Photo Coverage: Elaine Stritch & More Celebrate Theatreworks 50th Anniversary

Theatreworks USA hosted its 50th Anniversary Celebration gala last night, February 12, 2012 at NYU Skirball Center for the Performing Arts.

Broadway legend and Tony Award winner Elaine Stritch appeared as the Special Guest Performer for the gala, which also featured appearances from Special Guest Presenters Kathleen Chalfant, Nathan Lane and Sara Ramirez. 

BroadwayWorld was on hand and brings you photo coverage below!

Hosted by Charles Busch and Julie Halston, Theatreworks USA's 50th Anniversary Celebration also featured performances from Randy Aaron; Jill Abramowitz; The Book of Mormon cast members Jared Gertner and Nic Rouleau; Brad "Gorilla" Carbone; Matt Castle; Ryan Duncan; Mary Faber; Forever Plaid cast members Bradley Beahen, Frank Galgano, Robb Sapp and Jim Walton; Hudson Flynn; Ann Harada; Sheldon and Margery Harnick; Rose Hemingway; Gwen Hollander; Jamie LaVerdiere; Ian Niederhoffer; Brad Oscar; John Tartaglia; Alan W. Taylor and the Just Off-Broadway Youth Ensemble.

The 50th Anniversary Celebration gala honored five individuals whose longtime professional contributions to Theatreworks USA have helped to shape the organization's impressive five-decades-long history of producing top-quality professional theatre for young audiences.

Honorees included four-time Tony Award-winning director Jerry Zaks; George Forbes, Executive Director of the Lucille Lortel Foundation and President of the Off-Broadway Theatre League; Betty Jacobs, longtime Theatreworks USA Board and Founding Circle Member; Theatreworks USA Marketing Director Barbara Sandek; and NYC Department of Youth & Community Development Comissioner Jeanne Mullgrav.

The event was co-chaired by Sheldon Harnick (Tony and Pulitzer Prize winner), Julie Halpin Anderson (Theatreworks USA Board Chair) and Tony Phelan ("Grey's Anatomy" Executive Producer).

All proceeds from the Celebration support the productions and programs of Theatreworks USA, a not-for-profit educational and artistic corporation.

For more information, visit www.twusa.org.

Photo Credit: Jennifer Broski

Jared Gertner, Nic Rouleau

Sheldon Harnick, Margery Harnick

Judy Prince, Charles Hull, Sonia Drossner

Judy Prince, Charles Hull, Sonia Drossner

Jerry Zaks

Andrea Burns, Peter Flynn, and son

Kathleen Chalfant

Kathleen Chalfant

Betty Jacobs, Joe Benincasa

Larry O'Keefe, Nelle Benjamin

Jefferson Westwood, Barbara Sandek

Joe Iconis

Brad Oscar and Diego

Devanand Janki, Robert Tatad

Devanand Janki, Barbara Pasternack, Robert Tatad

Tony Phelan, Barbara Pasternack

George Forbes

Julie Halston, Charles Busch

Elaine Stritch

Hunter Ryan Herdlicka

Sara Ramirez

Sara Ramirez, Tony Phelan

Jamie LaVerdiere

Ryan Duncan

John Tartaglia

Tony LoBianco, Jamie deRoy

Barbara Pasternack, Stuart Ross

Ann Harada, Zina Goldrich, Gwen Hollander, Jill Abramowitz, Brad Alexander

Matt Castle, Jill Abramowitz, Brad Alexander

Ian Niederhoffer

Bradley Beahen, Frank Galagno, Rob Sapp, Jim Walton

Richard Kind