Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) presented its annual 2009 Spring Gala hosted by Tony Award winner Nathan Lane (Waiting for Godot, The Producers) on Monday, April 6th, 2009.
Roundabout took their guests back in time to the heyday of big bands and classic songs in New York City with a unique evening called "Take Me Back to Manhattan" at Roseland Ballroom (239 West 52nd St, NYC).
For one night only, Roundabout recreated a swanky nightclub circa 1940 featuring the music of the day's great composers: Rodgers, Porter, Arlen, Berlin, Ellington, Gershwin and more. The golden age was recaptured as guests were treated to a gourmet dinner, live auction and the highlight of the evening, an original musical revue created by Tony Award® winner Kathleen Marshall, director and choreographer of The Pajama Game and Grease. The revue featured today's hottest Broadway stars revisiting the classic songs that were the popular hits of the day.
The musical revue was directed by Tony Award® winner Kathleen Marshall and included performances by Brooke Shields, Jane Krakowski, Martha Plimpton, Kelli O'Hara, Audra McDonald, Mario Cantone, Boyd Gaines, Denis O'Hare, Katie Finneran and more! Special guest artists included: Matthew Broderick, Cynthia Nixon, Michael Cerveris, Margaret Colin, Bill Irwin, Richard Thomas and more.
The Gala chairman was Lois Robbins-Zaro. Catering was provided by Creative Edge Parties.
All proceeds from this event benefit Roundabout Theatre Company's Musical Theatre Fund.
ROUNDABOUT THEATRE COMPANY is one of the country's leading not-for-profit theatres. The company contributes invaluably to New York's cultural life by staging the highest quality revivals of classic plays and musicals as well as new plays by established writers. Roundabout consistently partners great artists with great works to bring a fresh and exciting interpretation that makes each production relevant and important to today's audiences.
Roundabout Theatre Company's 2008-2009 season includes Lisa Loomer's Distracted featuring Cynthia Nixon, directed by Mark Brokaw; Henrik Ibsen's Hedda Gabler, starring Mary-Louise Parker, Michael Cerveris, Paul Sparks and Peter Stormare, directed by Ian Rickson; Christopher Hampton's The Philanthropist, starring Matthew Broderick, directed by David Grindley; Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot, starring (in order of speaking) Nathan Lane, Bill Irwin, John Goodman, John Glover, directed by Anthony Page. Roundabout's sold out production of The 39 Steps made its second Broadway transfer to the Helen Hayes Theatre on January 21, 2009.
Roundabout Theatre Company's 2009-2010 season includes Patrick Marber's After Miss Julie, starring Sienna Miller, directed by Mark Brokaw; Michael Stewart, Lee Adams and Charles Strouse's Bye Bye Birdie, directed and choreographed by Robert Longbottom and Noël Coward's Present Laughter starring Victor Garber, directed by Nicholas Martin.
Photos by Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.
