Brian Stokes Mitchell to Host 'Broadway Salutes' Celebration, 9/22

On Tuesday, September 22, 2009, The Broadway League and the Coalition of Broadway Unions and Guilds (COBUG) will present "Broadway Salutes," a unique public celebration honoring the myriad of artists who have made Broadway great for decades - with special recognition for those individuals who have worked 25, 35 and 50 years in their respective theatrical craft.

Hosted by Master of Ceremonies Brian Stokes Mitchell and featuring a special appearance by New York City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn, the public ceremony begins at 4 p.m. in Father Duffy Square, located in the heart of the Broadway Theatre district at 47th Street and Broadway.

"Broadway Salutes" will honor a wide-range of theatre professionals - including stagehands, theater owners, actors, producers, casting directors, general managers, publicists, ushers, designers, directors, choreographers, musicians - who have dedicated their careers to the Broadway theatre industry.

"Representing Broadway and its surrounding neighborhoods for the last 10 years and another four to come, I know firsthand that Broadway is an irreplaceable driving force in New York City's economy, " said City Council Speaker Quinn. "I congratulate those who have worked on Broadway for 25, 35 and 50 years and I'm thrilled to be joining The Broadway League and The Coalition of Broadway Unions and Guilds to publicly thank those who have dedicated their careers to entertaining so many theatergoers and contributing to the economic health of the greatest city in the world."

An industry-wide celebration co-chaired by Daniel Adamian (General Manager and Counsel for Jujamcyn Theatres) and Laura Penn (Executive Director of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society), the "Broadway Salutes" planning committee is comprised of Michael David (Dodger Theatricals), Tony DePaulo (IATSE), Cecilia Friederichs (USA), Nick Kaledin (ATPAM), Nina Lannan, Mary McColl (The Broadway League), Lawrence Paone (Local 751), Paige Price (AEA), Charlotte St. Martin (The Broadway League), Robert Score (Local One), Herschel Waxman (The Nederlander Organization), Charlotte Wilcox and Beth Williams (Broadway Across America).

"‘Broadway Salutes' is about the stories of the people working on Broadway, many of whom you don't always see onstage, who never get a chance to take a bow," said event Co-Chair Daniel Adamian. "It's about people like Theoni and Thomas Aldredge, a costume designer and an actor, a husband and wife team that has been working together on Broadway for over 50 years. Or people like Harriet Slaughter, who recently concluded 29 years of service as Co-Director of Benefits for The Broadway League. She got her first Broadway gig 49 years ago as production assistant for the Broadway production of Brendan Behan's The Hostage. While doing this, she was still perfecting her tap routine and learning to become a dancer who sings and an actress who dances, all of which led to her appearing as Fruma Sarah in Fiddler on the Roof in 1972."

"It's also about the unexpected paths people take," said event Co-Chair Laura Penn. "Who would have thought watching Walter Bobbie in the 1972 Broadway production of Grease that the mooning champ of Rydell High would one day be awarded the Tony for Best Director of a Musical for Chicago? These are the people and the stories that we know and don't know - New Yorkers, doing extraordinary work that defines our city. ‘Broadway Salutes' brings them all together for a moment for us to say thank you."

"Broadway Salutes" is part of BACK2BROADWAY MONTH, a new program to celebrate Broadway overall and highlight the new season with free events, great ticket offers, special dining deals, concerts, interactive activities and more. To get more information and full calendar of events, visit www.ILoveNYTheater.com.

The Broadway League, founded in 1930 as the League of New York Theatres, is the national trade association for the Broadway industry. The League's 600-plus members include theatre owners and operators, producers, presenters, and general managers in over 240 North American cities, as well as suppliers of goods and services to the theatre industry. Each year, League members bring Broadway to nearly 30 million people in New York and on tour across the U.S. and Canada. Visit www.BroadwayLeague.com.

The members of the Coalition of Broadway Unions and Guilds (COBUG) have labor contracts or work for or with the Broadway League. COBUG was established to strengthen the position of Unions and Guilds within the industry, to participate in decision making that affects Broadway and the art and craft of theatre at large, and to educate the broader community about the collective role Coalition members play in keeping our industry vibrant and healthy.