Ben Platt and More To Honor Mandy Patinkin At Signature Theatre Gala

On April 14, 2025, Virginia's Tony Award-winning Signature Theatre will honor star of stage and screen Mandy Patinkin with the company's fourteenth Stephen Sondheim Award. The Stephen Sondheim Award will be presented at a black-tie Gala Benefit at The Anthem and will benefit Signature Theatre's artistic, education, and community programs.

Paying tribute to Mr. Patinkin with live performances are Tony, GRAMMY and Emmy Award winner Ben Platt and renowned American opera star Nathan Gunn. Signature favorites Ángel Lozada, Tracy Lynn Olivera and Awa Sal Secka will also perform. The evening's tribute performances will be accompanied by Jon Kalbfleisch and Julie Gunn. More information can be found online at SigTheatre.org/Donate/Sondheim-Gala.

Signature's Sondheim Award Gala honors individuals who have made important contributions to the American Musical Theater. This spring, Signature is thrilled to celebrate Tony and Emmy Award winner Mandy Patinkin. A frequent collaborator with Stephen Sondheim, Patinkin is perhaps best known for originating the role of Georges Seurat in Sondheim's Pulitzer Prize-winning Sunday in the Park with George, starring opposite 2011 Stephen Sondheim Award winner Bernadette Peters. Patinkin also appeared in the 1985 concert production of Follies at Lincoln Center, his lauded performance preserved in the documentary Follies in Concert. In addition to his Tony Award-winning performance in Evita, Mandy Patinkin is known for his onscreen work in Showtime's Homeland, his Emmy Award-winning performance in Chicago Hope, and his portrayal of Inigo Montoya in the beloved film The Princess Bride.

Table sponsorship for the 2025 Sondheim Award Gala ranges from $12,000 to $100,000 and includes rewarding, year-long visibility and entertainment benefits. Individual tickets are $1,200. For more information about sponsorship and tickets contact the Development office at 571.527.1828 or events@sigtheatre.org.

This year, performance-only tickets are available for the Sondheim Award Presentation to Mandy Patinkin for $60 and can be purchased at SigTheatre.org. All performance-only tickets will be held at will call at The Anthem starting at 7PM. Doors to the Award Presentation open at 7:30PM, with tribute performances beginning at 8PM.

ABOUT THE PERFORMERS

Tony, GRAMMY and Emmy Award winner Ben Platt made his highly anticipated return to the New York Stage as Leo Frank in Parade at the City Center which transitioned to the Broadway stage. The riveting musical opened to rave reviews and led to Platt's second Tony Award nomination. Most recently Ben starred in the film Theater Camp, which is co-written by Platt, Molly Gordon, Noah Galvin and Nick Lieberman inspired by their popular 2020 short film by the same name.

An accomplished recording artist, Platt has released two albums previously – 2019's Sing To Me and 2021's Reverie. He completed a hugely successful solo tour following the release of Reverie which saw him headlining sellout crowds at such important venues as The Hollywood Bowl, Madison Square Garden and others. His third album Honeymind, produced by 9x GRAMMY Award winner Dave Cobb, was released on May 31, 2024.

Platt won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his groundbreaking performance as Evan in Dear Evan Hansen and later went on to reprise his role in the Universal film adaptation alongside Julianne Moore and Amy Adams. Ben starred in the highly popular Netflix series by Ryan Murphy, The Politician, where he served as the executive producer on the series – his performance in Season 1 earned him a Golden Globe nomination for Best Lead Actor in a Comedy Series and the show received a nomination for Best Comedy. Additionally, Platt began filming alongside Beanie Feldstein Merrily We Roll Along, which will be shot over a 20 year period, directed by Richard Linklater. Last fall, Platt was seen in the Amazon film, The People We Hate at The Wedding alongside Allison Janney and Kristen Bell. Other film and TV highlights include Pitch Perfect 1 & 2, Ricky & the Flash, The Premise and a guest appearance on Will & Grace.

Nathan Gunn's interest in music began in South Bend, Indiana where he grew up. He sang in his school musicals and his church choir, but it wasn't until his junior year of high school after being introduced to Mozart's opera, Die Zauberflöte, that he thought of devoting his life to it. Consumed by a desire to learn more, Nathan went the University of Illinois to study music and was mentored by pianist John Wustman and master teacher William Miller. 

As a performer, Nathan is respected as an artist, a musician, and as a singing actor. He has performed on the greatest stages in the world, as well as television, radio, video recording, and live simulcasts, and he is proud to have premiered over a dozen new operas during his twenty-five years on the stage.  Nathan's famous portrayal of Papageno (The Magic Flute) was brought to the world stage in the first ever live HD broadcast performed at the Metropolitan Opera. In addition to Papageno, Nathan has reinterpreted classic roles such as Billy Budd, Figaro, and Don Giovanni, garnering many awards, including a Grammy award for his portrayal of Billy Budd and the coveted Beverly Sills award. He has also been widely acclaimed for his work in musical theater.  His performances of Billy Bigelow, Lancelot (both for Live at Lincoln Center) and Max von Mayerling at the John F. Kennedy Center's Broadway Center Stage and most recently Emile DeBecque have been widely acclaimed as well and have led to collaborations with such Broadway stars as Mandy Patinkin, Stephanie J. Block, Kelli O'Hara, and Audra McDonald. Nathan also finds directing for the stage quite enjoyable.  He recently directed the world premiere of Ilya Demutsky's absurdist comic opera “Black Square” at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts which is the home of Lyric Theatre @ Illinois.

Nathan and his wife, Julie, have been married for 32 years and have been partners in music for even more. They are often seen in recital and cabaret settings where they enjoy creating programs unique to the special event. In the Fall of 2023, “Nathan Gunn: The Art of Opera” was on display at The Peoria Riverfront Museum. This was a curation of famous prints and posters designed to promote the premieres of new operatic and musical theater productions. The display was brought to life through musical performances designed to highlight the pieces. Through their production company, Shot in the Dark, they are creating and producing a new musical by composer Peter Hilliard and librettist Matthew Boresi.  Currently, it's being workshopped with the help of Lyric Theatre @ Illinois and will be premiered in its 2024-25 season.

In addition to life as a performer and educator, Nathan is an avid promoter and advocate of the arts.  He and Julie care very much about the younger generation and support programs that help them develop their artistic potential. Nathan and Julie raised their five children in Champaign, Illinois, where they have lived since 1989. 

ÁNGEL LOZADA SIGNATURE: In the Heights. BROADWAY: Bad Cinderella. OFF-BROADWAY: Oratorio for Living Things. NEW YORK: Carnegie Hall: Austen's Pride. DC AREA: Shakespeare Theatre Company: Evita. REGIONAL: Ogunquit Playhouse: Frozen; Muny: Les Miserables, In the Heights; Riverside: Evita, On Your Feet; Papermill Playhouse: Unmasked, On Your Feet; Maltz Jupiter: West Side Story. TV: FBI Most Wanted (CBS), Jesus Christ Superstar Live (NBC). AWARDS: Lucille Lortel Award Winner (Oratorio For Living Things, Best Ensemble) EDUCATION: Florida State University: B.M in Musical Theatre Instagram: @imangellozada

Tracy Lynn Olivera SIGNATURE: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Assassins, A Little Night Music (Helen Hayes Award, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical), Titanic, The Fix; Gypsy; Crossing; Company, Hello, Dolly! (Ford's Theatre co-production); The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas; Brother Russia; The Hollow; The Boy Detective Fails; Les Misérables; ACE; The Happy Time; Merrily We Roll Along; Allegro; Follies; Side Show; Sweeney Todd. BROADWAY: Ragtime (2009 revival). DC AREA: Round House Theatre: Next to Normal. Kennedy Center: Ragtime, Sunday in the Park..., Passion, Merrily We Roll Along; Arena Stage: Fiddler on the Roof, Damn Yankees; Shakespeare Theatre: Candide; Ford's Theatre: Ragtime, 110 in the Shade (Helen Hayes Award, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical); Olney Theatre: Beauty and the Beast, Matilda, On the Town; Studio Theatre: Bachelorette. REGIONAL: Goodman Theatre: Candide. RECORDINGS: Because (solo LP).

Awa Sal Secka SIGNATURE: Where the Mountain Meets the Sea (Natalie/Musician 2), Ragtime (Sarah, 2024 HHA for Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Musical), Gun and Powder (Flo), Jesus Christ Superstar (Simon), Broadway in the Park, Signature Vinyl. NEW YORK: The Public: GODDESS (Zawadi/Nadira U/S), GODDESS 2021/2023 Workshop (Zawadi). NATIONAL TOUR: Jaja's African Hair Braiding (Bea). REGIONAL: Paper Mill: After Midnight (Sassy); Berkeley Rep: GODDESS (Zawadi). DC AREA: Kennedy Center: RENT (Joanne), Me…Jane (Maisie), Chasing the Wind (Abby); Ford's: Into the Woods (Baker's Wife), The Wiz (Glinda/Dorothy u/s); Theatre J: Intimate Apparel (Mayme); Round House: School Girls (Ama); Caroline, or Change (Dottie); Imagination: Charlie Brown (Lucy); ArtsCentric: AIDA (Aida), MEMPHIS (Felicia); Studio: SILENCE! (Ardelia); OTC: Co-Writer of The Joy That Carries You (2023 Helen Hayes Award for Best New Play), Children of Eden Concert (Eve). EDUCATION: Montgomery College. IG: @_kujichagulia_

ABOUT Mandy Patinkin

Mandy Patinkin was nominated several times for the award-winning Showtime Original Series Homeland as ‘CIA Agent Saul Berenson.' In television, Mandy won an Emmy Award, as well as a Golden Globe, for his performance in the CBS series Chicago Hope. Most recently, Mandy can be seen in NBC's Brilliant Minds. He recently wrapped on The Artist, directed by Aram Rappaport for The Network. He starred in the CBS series Criminal Minds as well as in the Showtime Original Series Dead Like Me, and recently in Death and Other Details for ABC Signature and Hulu. Patinkin, a graduate of the prestigious Juilliard School in New York City, has been fortunate to carve out a varied career including theater, the concert stage, film, television, and as a recording artist. His career started triumphantly with his Broadway debut as the role of ‘Che' in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Evita. The role won him his first Tony Award, which was followed by another nomination in 1984 for the musical Sunday in the Park with George. In 1989, he began his concert career at Joseph Papp's Public Theater in New York City. Since then he has toured, and continue to tour, across the globe, while also collaborating with other artists. His feature film career has allowed him to act in films such as Wonder, Life Itself, Wish I Was Here, Yentl, Daniel, Ragtime, Dick Tracy, The Princess Bride, and many more.

ABOUT THE Stephen Sondheim AWARD

In 2009, Signature Theatre inaugurated the Stephen Sondheim Award in recognition of the importance of Mr. Sondheim's work to Signature and to theater in general. Previous award recipients have included Angela Lansbury (2010), Bernadette Peters (2011), Patti LuPone (2012), Harold “Hal” Prince (2013), Jonathan Tunick (2014), James Lapine (2015), John Weidman (2016), Sir Cameron Mackintosh (2017), John Kander (2018), Audra McDonald (2019), Carol Burnett (2022), Chita Rivera (2023), and Nathan Lane (2024).