Signature Theatre Annual Gala Will Honor David Henry Hwang, 2/11

Signature Theatre has announced that the Signature Theatre Annual Gala celebration will take place on Monday, February 11th and will honor 2012-13 Residency One Playwright David Henry Hwang.

David Henry Hwang's plays include M. Butterfly (1988 Tony Award, 1989 Pulitzer Finalist), Golden Child (1996 Obie Award, 1998 Tony Nomination), Yellow Face (2008 Obie Award and Pulitzer Finalist), and FOB (1981 Obie Award). His Broadway musicals include the books for Elton John & Tim Rice's Aida (co-author), Flower Drum Song (revival, 2002 Tony Nomination), and Disney's Tarzan. As America's most-produced living opera librettist, he has written four works with composer Philip Glass, as well as Osvaldo Golijov's Ainadamar (two 2007 Grammy Awards), Unsuk Chin's Alice in Wonderland, and Bright Sheng's The Silver River. He penned the feature films M. Butterfly, Golden Gate, and Possession (co-writer), and co-wrote the song "Solo" with pop star Prince. Hwang attended Stanford University and the Yale School of Drama, and sits on the boards of the Dramatists Guild, the American Theatre Wing, and the Lark Play Development Center. From 1994-2000, he served by appointment of President Clinton on the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. His most recent play, Chinglish, opened at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, winning a Jeff Award for Best New Play, before moving to Broadway in 2011. Signature Theatre produced his play Golden Child in the fall and is currently presenting The Dance and the Railroad, which opens on February 25. His newest work is Kung Fu, which will be presented at Signature Theatre in early 2014.

The Gala will begin with cocktails at 6:30pm, followed by a progressive dinner where guests will travel throughout the three Frank Gehry-designed theatres at The Pershing Square Signature Center, enjoying one course and entertainment in each space, including an intimate set from Nellie McKay, a performance from Dance China NY, and a live paddle raise to benefit the Signature Ticket Initiative. Guests then come together to pay tribute to the rich and varied body of work of David Henry Hwang, with special participation from B.D. Wong, John Lithgow, Oskar Eustis, Gail Papp, John Guare, and Edward Albee.

In addition, currently scheduled to appear at the Gala are May Adrales, Eric Bogosian, Jo Bonney, Martha Clarke, Matthew Broderick, Michael Greif, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, James Lapine, Leslie Lee, Kenneth Lonergan, David Margulies, Charles Mee, Kate Mulgrew, Gregory Mosher, Jose Llana, Billy Porter, Laila Robins, Lea Salonga, Leigh Silverman, Lois Smith, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, ReGina Taylor, and Michael Wilson.

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