Tom Viertel, Chairman of the Board of the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center, has announced that Stephen Sondheim will present Harold Prince with the organization's Monte Cristo Award at a gala benefit on Monday, April 5, 2010 at Bridgewaters (11 Fulton Street, NYC). The Award, given annually in recognition of a distinguished career exemplifying Eugene O'Neill's pioneering spirit and standard of excellence, has previously been presented to Kevin Spacey, Neil Simon, Jason Robards, Jr., Edward Albee, August Wilson, Zoe Caldwell, Brian Dennehy, Karl Malden, Arthur and Barbara Gelb, and Wendy Wasserstein.
Beginning in 1957, Sondheim and Prince collaborated on a series of ground-breaking musicals that have since achieved legendary status, including: West Side Story, Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, Pacific Overtures, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, and Merrily We Roll Along, making Sondheim's presentation, according to O'Neill Executive Director Preston Whiteway, "particularly poignant, and with the well deserved honors going to Steve this spring, it is fun to turn the tables and have him present to Hal, his longtime friend and collaborator."
Whiteway also noted that Lauren Bacall and Phyllis Newman have agreed to serve on the event's Honorary Committee, joining a previously-announced slate of theater luminaries, including: Co-Chairs Angela Lansbury, Stephen Sondheim, and Tom Viertel & Pat Daily; Committee Members Kate Baldwin, Pat Birch, Jerry Bock, Carol Burnett, Len Cariou, John Cullum, Michael Douglas & Catherine Zeta-Jones, Ellen Fitzhugh, Joel Grey, Sheldon Harnick, Stephen & Ruth Hendel, Shuler
Hensley, Heather Henson, John Kander, Tim Kashani, Judy Kaye, Linda Lavin, John McMartin & Charlotte Moore, Terrence McNally, James Nederlander, Sr., Richard Nelson, Mandy Patinkin, Tony Pontoro, Jordan Roth, Kevin Spacey, Elaine Stritch, Susan Stroman, Jonathan Tunick, Alfred Uhry, in addition to O'Neill founders George C. White & Betsy White.
The Monte Cristo Award Celebration will begin with cocktails at 6:30 followed by dinner and presentation. A highlight of the evening will be performances honoring Prince directed by Marc Bruni (Encores! Fanny); John Cudia, Kelli O'Hara, Len Cariou, Cheyenne Jackson and Kate Baldwin will perform, with additional artists to be announced shortly.
