Christopher Ashley to be Honored by SDC Foundation with 'Mr. Abbott Award'
Jenn Colella, Raúl Esparza and more will perform at the event.
By: Chloe Rabinowitz Feb. 13, 2025
Jenn Colella (Tony Award nominee for Come From Away, Suffs), Raúl Esparza (four-time Tony Award nominee, Leap of Faith), and Montego Glover (Tony Award nominee for Memphis, Into the Woods) will perform at Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation's “Mr. Abbott” Award Gala honoring Christopher Ashley for outstanding contributions on Broadway. The “Mr. Abbott” Award Gala will take place March 31, 2025, at City Winery in New York City. Additional performers and speakers will be announced at a later date.
Doug Wright serves as the writer for the event, Ian Eisendrath serves as music director, and Leigh Silverman will direct.
They join Honorary Co-Chairs Brian Stokes Mitchell and Jenn Colella as well as “Mr. Abbott” Award Committee Chairs: Broadway producer Sue Frost; Executive Vice President/Head of International Business Development for The John Gore Organization Kumiko Yoshii; celebrated playwright, screenwriter, librettist, and director Doug Wright; and SDCF Trustee Justin Emeka. Proceeds from the Gala will benefit the programs of SDC Foundation.
The “Mr. Abbott” Award, presented by SDCF on behalf of directors and choreographers to one of their peers, is named in honor of the late renowned director George Abbott. Lead sponsors for the 2025 “Mr. Abbott” Award are Debby Buchholz, John Gore Organization, Junkyard Dog Productions, The Shubert Organization, and Stage Directors and Choreographers Society.
The evening’s festivities will include dinner and open bar along with the tribute performance.
About Christopher Ashley
Christopher Ashley won the Tony Award for his direction of the stage production of Come From Away on Broadway, and has served as the Rich Family Artistic Director of the Tony Award-winning La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego, CA since 2007. He was recently named the incoming Artistic Director of Roundabout Theatre Company.
In addition to Come From Away, other Broadway credits include Diana: The Musical; Escape to Margaritaville; Xanadu, Leap of Faith (Drama Desk Award nomination); Memphis (Tony, Outer Critics Circle nominations); All Shook Up; The Rocky Horror Show (Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle Award nominations). Film credits include Come From Away for AppleTV+, Diana on Netflix, the feature films Jeffrey and Lucky Stiff, and the American Playhouse production of Blown Sideways Through Life for PBS. At La Jolla Playhouse, Mr. Ashley directed the world-premiere productions of The Untitled Unauthorized Hunter S. Thompson Musical, Babbitt, Come From Away, Diana, Escape to Margaritaville, Memphis, The Darrell Hammond Project, Hollywood and Chasing the Song. Other select Playhouse credits include Freaky Friday, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Glengarry Glen Ross. Mr. Ashley directed productions of Come From Away in London, Toronto, Australia and on national tour. Other tours include Escape to Margaritaville, Memphis, Xanadu, All Shook Up and Seussical: The Musical.
Additional New York stage credits: Blown Sideways Through Life, Jeffrey (Lucille Lortel and Obie Awards), The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told, Valhalla (Lucille Lortel nomination – Outstanding Direction), Regrets Only, Wonder of the World, Communicating Doors, Bunny Bunny, The Night Hank Williams Died, and Fires in the Mirror (Lucille Lortel Award), among others. Mr. Ashley is the recipient of the Princess Grace Award, the Drama League Director Fellowship and an NEA/TCG Director Fellowship.
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