Chita Rivera, Sheldon Harnick & Stephen T. Rodd to be Honored at TADA! Youth Theater's 2016 Gala

The legendary CHITA RIVERA has joined the list of honorees being celebrated at TADA!'s 30th Anniversary Gala on May 23, 2016. The Gala is hosted by TADA! Alum, JORDAN PEELE, of Comedy Central's "Key & Peele."

Joining CHITA RIVERA, a TADA! Artistic Advisory Board Member & iconic dancer, singer & actress known for her Tony Award winning work in The Rink & Kiss of the Spider Woman among others, are SHELDON HARNICK, another TADA! Artistic Advisory Board Member & American lyricist best known for his collaborations with composer Jerry Bock on the hit Broadway musical, Fiddler on the Roof & STEPHEN T. RODD, current Board Treasurer & former Board President of TADA!.

CHITA RIVERA, an accomplished & versatile actress/singer/dancer, has won two Tony Awards as Best Leading Actress in a Musical & received eight additional Tony nominations for an exceptional 10 Tony nominations. She recently starred in The Visit, the final John Kander/Fred Ebb/Terrence McNally musical directed by John Doyle & choreographed by Graciela Daniele on Broadway (2015), following the acclaimed production at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in the summer of 2014. She starred in the Broadway revival of The Mystery of Edwin Drood, the Broadway & touring productions of The Dancer's Life, a dazzling new musical celebrating her spectacular career, written by Terrence McNally & directed by Graciela Daniele & the revival of the Broadway musical Nine with Antonio Banderas. She trained as a ballerina (from age 11) before receiving a scholarship to the School of American Ballet from the legendary George Balanchine. Chita's first appearance (age 17) was as a principal dancer in Call Me Madam. Her electric performance as Anita in the original Broadway production of West Side Story brought her stardom, which she repeated in London. Her career is highlighted by starring roles in Bye Bye Birdie, The Rink (Tony Award), Chicago, Jerry's Girls, Kiss of the Spider Woman (Tony Award) & the original Broadway casts of Guys & Dolls, Can-Can, Seventh Heaven & Mr. Wonderful. On tour: Born Yesterday, The Rose Tattoo, Call Me Madam, Threepenny Opera, Sweet Charity, Kiss Me Kate, Zorba & Can-Can with The Rockettes. Chita was awarded The Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2009. She received the coveted Kennedy Center Honor in 2002 & is the first Hispanic woman ever chosen to receive this award. Last year, Great Performances aired their special Chita Rivera: A Lot of Livin' To Do, a retrospective on her extraordinary life & career nationally on PBS. Chita's current solo CD is entitled And Now I Swing. Her most treasured production is her daughter, singer/dancer/choreographer Lisa Mordente.

SHELDON HARNICK started writing in High School & after his service in the Army, worked with various orchestras in the Chicago area. Soon after Harnick moved to New York City, he met up with Jerry Bock forming "what is arguably the most important partnership of the 60's." Harnick has gone on to write the music for over 24 musicals. His most famous include Fiddler on the Roof, Fiorello & She Loves Me, & both Fiddler & She Loves Me are currently back on Broadway! Previous honors & awards include the Pulitzer Prize in Drama for Fiorello! in 1960, three Tony Awards in 1960 & 1965 & the 18th Annual York Theatre Company's prestigious Oscar Hammerstein Award for Lifetime Achievement in Theater in 2009.

STEPHEN T. RODD is currently a partner at Abbey, Spanier, Rodd & Abrams, LLP. He received his J.D. degree in 1974, from New York University Law School, where he was a Root-Tilden Scholar & an Editor of the Journal of International Law & Politics. The University of Kansas is his undergraduate alma mater, where he received his B.A. degree in 1969. Mr. Rodd is a member of the Bar of the State of New York, the United States District Courts for the Southern & Eastern Districts of New York, the Second, Fifth & Sixth Circuit Courts of Appeals & the United States Supreme Court. Outside of the legal field, Steve is pleased to have served on TADA!'s Board since 1990.

JORDAN PEELE, a part of TADA!'s ensemble in the early 90's & an award-winning actor/comedian best known for Comedy Central's "Key & Peele," was also on five seasons of "MADtv." His other acting credits include "Life in Pieces" (2015), "Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp" (2015), "Bob's Burgers" (2014-2015), "Children's Hospital" (2010-2015), "Kroll Show" (2013-2015), "Modern Family" (2013), to name a few. As a writer, Jordan is teaming up with John Carcieri & comedy legend Tracy Morgan to write an FX comedy series for Morgan. Jordan is also working on his latest movie, Keanu, starring Keegan Michael-Key, Will Forte, Luis Guzman & Jason Mitchell.

Jordan Peele is one of the many successful alumni that have come out of TADA!'s Resident Youth Ensemble Program. Others include Kerry Washington, Ricki Lake, Josh Peck, Sasha Allan, Mizuo Peck & many more!

TADA! Youth Theater has won many awards over its 30 years including as The Coming Up Taller Award (the nation's highest honor for youth development from the President's Committee on the Arts & Humanities), Special Drama Desk Award (First youth theater to ever win) for "providing invaluable contribution to the future of the theater," Anne Flagg Multicultural Award (from the American Alliance for Theater Education), over 17 National Youth Theater Arts Awards & 12 National Youth Theater Awards.

DATE: Monday, May 23, 2016 ~ 6pm - 10pm

PLACE: Tribeca 360 ~

TICKETS: $250 - $500/Tables - $5,000 & $10,000

RESERVATIONS: https://tadatheater.secure.force.com/Events/CnP_PaaS_EVT__ExternalRegistrationPage?event_id=a1go0000003iR9cAAE

INFORMATION: (212) 252-1619 x116 or afiore@tadatheater.com

TADA!'s Board Members include: Chalmers Browne (Board President), Elana Weinstein (Vice President), Stephen T. Rodd (Treasurer), Laura Esposito (Secretary), Sarah Gehring, Adam Houhoulis, Deepak Nagpal, Alina Patton, Stephanie Tighe, Julie Turaj, Lisa Untracht & Rohit Verma.

TADA!'s Artistic Advisory Board Members include: Kaye Ballard, Kenneth Cavander, Michael Colby, Delia Ephron, John Forster, Sheldon Harnick, Chita Rivera, Marcia Rodd, Michael Rupert, Stephen Schwartz, John Shea, Charles Strouse & Leslie Uggams.