American Theatre Wing's Annual Gala Raises Record-Breaking Amount

The American Theatre Wing announced today that its annual gala, held this past Monday evening at the Plaza Hotel, was the most successful in the organization's history, raising over $750,000 (besting the previous record, which was set in 2013, by more than $50,000). All proceeds from the evening will benefit the education and outreach programs of the American Theatre Wing, which include SpringboardNYC, the Theatre Intern Network, the National Theatre Company Grants and the Jonathan Larson Grants, and will also support free access for students, aspiring professionals, and the general public to programming on AmericanTheatreWing.org, including the long running "Working in the Theatre" media program.

Heather Hitchens announced from the stage that the event's success has allowed the American Theatre Wing to increase the National Theatre Company Grants by 20% this year. The recipients of those grants will be announced shortly.

The sold-out, black-tie event was held at The Plaza Hotel and honored Broadway legend Dame Angela Lansbury for her lifelong dedication and invaluable contributions to the theatrical community. The evening's program featured a selection of numbers, performed by a glittering array of Broadway stars, including Glenn Close, Harvey Fierstein, James Monroe Iglehart, Christine Ebersole, and Len Cariou. William Ivey Long, Harold Prince, James Earl Jones, and Sir Howard Stringer presented Ms. Lansbury with her honor.

"I am so proud of this Gala! The extraordinary outpouring of love for Angela Lansbury and support for the Wing was just incredibly moving, and a powerful reminder of why we all love the theatre," enthused Ms. Hitchens. "The fact that it was also the most successful in our history from a fundraising perspective is just an amazing bonus, and we will put that money to good work supporting emerging theatre artists and companies across the country."

Among the glittering attendees were Dan Rather, Judy Collins, Jordan Roth, Susan Stroman, Kenny Leon, Roger Rees, Rick Elice, Kate Burton, Jim Dale, Pia Lindstrom, Pauletta Washington, Tonya Lewis Lee, LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Marva Hicks Taha, Laura Osnes, Liz Claman, Edward Herrmann, Marin Mazzie, Jason Danieley, Adam Jacobs, Courtney Reed, Steve Blanchard. Anki Leeds, CeCe Black, Marva Smalls, and Sir Howard Stringer served as Gala co-chairs.

Additional revenue for the American Theatre Wing is being generated by a group of exclusive online auctions, hosted by Charitybuzz.com, including a week-long stay in Paris (along with tickets to the World Premiere of An American In Paris) and one-of-a-kind personal experiences with Neil Patrick Harris, director Jack O'Brien, and William Ivey Long. Bidding on these items is open until Thursday, September 18 at 1:00 p.m. (EDT). For the complete details on these auction items and to place a bid, please visit http://www.charitybuzz.com/support/americantheatrewing.

Key support for this year's gala was led by Viacom, as well as Adrienne Arsht, Sony Corporation of America, Melissa Sage Fadim, and Enid Nemy and the Dorothy Strelsin Foundation.

Dame Angela Lansbury has enjoyed an extraordinary career spanning more than seventy years, first as a star of motion pictures, and as an award-winning stage actor in New York and London. Most recently on Broadway, she appeared as Mrs. Sue-Ellen Gamadge in Gore Vidal's The Best Man, and as Madame Armfeldt in Stephen Sondheim's A Little Night Music (Tony Award nomination). For her energetic portrayal of Madame Arcati in the 2009 revival of Noël Coward's Blithe Spirit, she won her fifth Tony Award, as well as Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards. She received her four other Tonys for her triumphant leading-actress turns in the musicals Mame in 1966, Dear World in 1968, the Gypsy revival in 1974, and Sweeney Todd in 1979.

From 1984 to 1996, she made television history starring as Jessica Fletcher on "Murder, She Wrote," the longest-running detective drama series in TV history, winning four of her six Golden Globe Awards. In November 2013, Angela received an Honorary Oscar "for her extravagant achievements in cinematic industry of her career of 75 years." She also received the Kennedy Center Honors in 2000. In 1994, Queen

Elizabeth named her a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, and promoted to Dame Commander in 2014. Married in 1949, she and husband Peter Shaw worked together until his death in 2003. She has three children and three grandchildren.

The American Theatre Wing (William Ivey Long, Chairman, Board of Trustees; Heather Hitchens, President) is dedicated to advancing artistic excellence and nurturing theatre's next generation: on stage, behind the scenes, and in the audience.

For nearly a century, the Wing has pursued this mission with programs that span the nation to invest in the growth and evolution of American Theatre. Traditionally, the Wing has encouraged members of the theatre community to share their off-stage time and talent directly with the theatre audience at large--whether it was singing for the troops in the Stage Door Canteen of the 1940's, or sharing their stories on a podcast today.

As the founders of The Tony Awards, the American Theatre Wing has developed the foremost national platform for the recognition of theatrical achievement on Broadway. The Wing recently became the new home of the OBIES, Off and Off-Off Broadway's highest honor, in a partnership with the Village Voice. Yet the Wing's reach extends beyond New York. The Wing develops the next generation of theatre professionals through the SpringboardNYC and Theatre Intern Group programs, incubates innovative theatre across the country through the National Theatre Company Grants, fosters the song of American theatre through the Jonathan Larson Grants, and illuminates the creative process through the "Working in the Theatre" program and media archive.

Visitors to americantheatrewing.org can get inspired and gain insight into the artistic process through the Wing's extensive media collection, and learn more about its programming for students, aspiring and working professionals, and audiences.

Photo by Jessica Fallon Gordon