Philippine Development Foundation ("PhilDev") announces that Filipino-American Robert Lopez-Tony Award-winning composer, lyricist and co-creator of Broadway smash hit musicals Avenue Q and The Book of Mormon-will be honored with an Award of Excellence at its upcoming gala event, PhilDev Celebrates Broadway: Suites by Sondheim, on Monday, November 7, 2011 at 7:30pm at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center in New York City.
Directed by actor and artistic director of Diverse City Theater Company, Victor Lirio, with music direction and original orchestrations by Tom Myron, "Suites by Sondheim" will present many of iconic American lyricist and composer Stephen Sondheim's legendary works from such musicals as Company, West Side Story, Saturday Night, Sweeney Todd, Anyone Can Whistle, Follies, A Little Night Music, Merrily We Roll Along, and Sunday in the Park with George. The concert is being produced to raise funds for the projects of PhilDev, a nonprofit organization dedicated to accelerating sustainable social and economic growth in the Philippines.
Filipino-Americans represent the second largest Asian American group in the U.S. and are the largest Asian American group on Broadway and Off Broadway. The one-night-only concert event headlined by Tony Award winner Lea Salonga (the first Filipino to receive the award) marks the first time Filipino-American Broadway stars will converge on stage in a concert event.
"As a proud Filipino-American who both strives for excellence and loves Stephen Sondheim, I could not imagine anywhere I'd rather be than accepting the Award of Excellence given by PhilDev at a Sondheim concert," Lopez said. "I am truly honored and I thank PhilDev for this very meaningful recognition."
Robert Lopez's first two Broadway musicals, Avenue Q and The Book of Mormon, are both critical and commercial smash hits and Best Musical Tony Award winners. He shared Tony Awards for Best Original Score and Best Book for The Book of Mormon. He also shared a Tony for Best Original Score and a Grammy nomination for Avenue Q, which he co-wrote and conceived. With wife and collaborator Kristen Anderson-Lopez, he co-wrote songs for Winnie the Pooh (Disney feature animation, 2011) and Finding Nemo: The Musical (playing at Walt Disney World since 2006). He shared two Daytime Emmy Awards for his music for Nickelodeon's The Wonder Pets and a Primetime Emmy nomination for a song he co-wrote for the Scrubs musical episode on NBC. A graduate of Yale University, Hunter College High School, and the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop, Robert currently lives in New York City with his wife and two daughters. His father, Frank Lopez, was born on board the last GI boat out of Manila after WWII.
"How appropriate that we are honoring Bobby Lopez with the Award of Excellence at a concert event for PhilDev that pays tribute to iconic lyricist and composer, Stephen Sondheim," said director and producer Victor Lirio. "Bobby created a new genre of musical theater that has been widely celebrated by the industry and global audiences for the past seven or eight years. Just like Sondheim, Bobby brought a new voice and perspective to the theater, and his original works have made Broadway accessible to younger audiences. As a fellow Filipino, we are proud of him!"
"Bobby represents the best of the Filipino-American, and the kind of distinguished global Filipino that PhilDev would like to represent and highlight to the world. He is a talented artist whose first two Broadway musicals have been both critically and commercially successful, a rare combination in the industry," said Ronna Reyes Sieh, who-co-chairs the benefit. "Having Bobby Lopez join our celebration makes the occasion even more significant to show that Filipinos are making a difference on the global stage."
PhilDev Celebrates Broadway: Suites by Sondheim will be presenting top Filipino-American talents who have all made marks on Broadway in leading roles.
