Cynthia Erivo Joins American Theatre Wing's Board of Trustees; New Appointments!

The American Theatre Wing has announced new appointments to its Board of Trustees and Advisory Committee.

Joining the Board of Trustees are Cynthia Erivo, Fred P. Hochberg, Lucy Liu, Lee H. Perlman, and Evan Shapiro.

A complete list of the American Theatre Wing's Board of Trustees can be found at americantheatrewing.org/about/#board-of-trustees.

The American Theatre Wing Board of Trustees is the governing body responsible for oversight of all of the Wing's activities and its overall well-being.

Joining the Advisory Committee are Pamela Barbey, Laurie Brockway Bodor, Jeffrey Bolton, Linda Cho, Nicole Eisenberg, Oskar Eustis, Ty Stiklorius, Emily Tow Jackson, and Nadine Wong.

A complete list of the American Theatre Wing's Advisory Committee can be found at americantheatrewing.org/about/#advisory-committee.

The American Theatre Wing Advisory Committee provides support and guidance to the Board and staff of the Wing as they implement the Organization's goals and objectives.

"I am thrilled that these remarkable individuals care so passionately about the American Theatre that they are joining the Wing's ranks, devoting their time, energy, and resources to help ensure excellence in our field," remarked David Henry Hwang, Chairman of the Board of Trustees.

"I am incredibly honored to be working with the extraordinary people who serve on the Wing's Board and Advisory Committee," said Heather Hitchens, President. "These latest appointments are outstanding additions - each new member is tremendously accomplished and dedicated. I look forward to working with all of them in the months and years ahead."

ABOUT THE ARTISTS:

Cynthia Erivo is a multiple award-winning actress who has made a name for herself on both London's West End and New York's Broadway stages. In 2015, Erivo made her Broadway debut starring as Celie in the critically acclaimed revival of The Color Purple for which she has since received a Tony Award, Drama Desk Award, Theatre World Award, Outer Critic Circle Award, and most recently, a Grammy for her stellar performance. Cynthia performed at The 39th Annual Kennedy Center Honors broadcast on CBS where she sang an illustrious rendition of "The Impossible Dream" in honor of JFK's 100 birthday and notably is also an accomplished songwriter, having written and performed the song, "Fly Before You Fall," for the 2014 feature film Beyond the Lights. In the spring 2017, Erivo will co-star opposite Viola Davis in Widows directed by Oscar winning Steve McQueen. She is also set to star in the biopic film about Harriet Tubman. A UK native, Erivo graduated from the famEd Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). Most recently, Cynthia performed a beautiful rendition of "God Only Knows What I'd Be Without You" alongside John Legend during the 'In Memoriam' segment at the 2017 Grammy Awards. The song was made available on all platforms directly following the performance.

In addition to being a passionate lifelong theater goer, Fred P. Hochberg is a seasoned business executive and government leader, who has navigated organizations through rough waters and brought them to new heights. He recently concluded eight years of service as Chairman and President of the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM), where he became the longest serving Chairman in the agency's history. Previously, he was Acting Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) and Dean of the Milano School at the New School. Before entering public service, Hochberg spent almost two decades leading his family's direct marketing business, Lillian Vernon, where he oversaw a 40-fold increase in revenue and managed the initial public offering.

Lucy Liu has had great critical and commercial success in film, television and on Broadway. Liu co-stars in the highly rated drama series "Elementary" on CBS as Dr. Joan Watson alongside Jonny Lee Miller as Sherlock Holmes. 2014 saw Liu making her television directorial debut; the episode entitled "Paint It Black," was part of "Elementary"'s second season. In other television, Liu won a 2012 Critics' Choice Award for Best Guest Performer in a Drama Series and a 2013 NAACP nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her portrayal of Officer Jessica Tang in "Southland." She was previously nominated for a NAACP award for Outstanding Actress in 2010 for her work in the Lifetime movie "Marry Me." Liu appeared as the unforgettable Ling Woo in the hit Fox series, "Ally McBeal," a role for which she earned an Emmy and Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. Liu made her Broadway debut in March 2010, in the Tony Award-winning play God of Carnage, starring as Annette in a cast that included Jeff Daniels, Dylan Baker and Janet McTeer. She has appeared in many regional theatre productions. When not appearing on stage or screen, she can often be found in her art studio in New York City. Liu is a successful visual artist whose work in painting, sculpture, photography and mixed media has been exhibited in several shows over the past twenty years. Salma Editions published her first book of art in the fall of 2012, a collection of ink and acrylic paintings on paper, entitled Seventy Two. A passionate human rights advocate, Liu has been involved in three films exposing and chronicling the tragedies and injustices of the international child trafficking industry. Liu has also been a UNICEF ambassador since 2004 and has travelled on missions to Lesotho, Pakistan, Cote D'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cairo, Peru, Egypt, Haiti and Lebanon. In 2006, Liu was awarded the Women's World Award for her outstanding humanitarian work. In 2008, she received UNICEF'S Danny Kaye Humanitarian Award for helping to advocate child survival by harnessing the power of celebrity to address international causes. 2012 found Liu being honored by Women for Women International with their prestigious Champion For Peace Award and The Muse Award from New York Women In Film.

Lee H. Perlman is a lifelong New Yorker who has dedicated his career to serving others. Since 1983, Mr. Perlman has been the driving force behind GNYHA Ventures, Inc., the for-profit business arm of the Greater New York Hospital Association (GNYHA). As President, Mr. Perlman has been responsible for the development of all companies created under GNYHA Ventures, many of which have been sold to larger organizations. The current GNYHA Ventures portfolio includes subsidiaries that engage in $6 billion in commerce annually through group purchasing, management outsourcing, and healthcare consulting. GNYHA is a longtime business partner and the largest shareholder in Premier, Inc. (PINC). Mr. Perlman also serves as GNYHA's Executive Vice President of Administration and Chief Financial Officer. One of the industry's most passionate leaders about the marriage of business and science in healthcare management and procurement, Mr. Perlman is former Chairman of the Healthcare Supply Chain Association (HSCA) Board, and is current Chairman of the HSCA Public Policy Committee. Mr. Perlman is former Chair and now Board member of the Steering Committee of the Healthcare Group Purchasing Industry Initiative (HGPII). He has served Premier as both a Board Director and member of the Audit Committee and currently serves as an advisor to management. Mr. Perlman has used these national platforms to advocate for price transparency, comparative effectiveness in the supply chain, and adoption of mobile health technology as a way to lower healthcare providers' cost of doing business while maintaining greater resources for direct patient care. A leader in promoting diversity in healthcare leadership, Mr. Perlman founded the GNYHA Summer Enrichment Program, which has placed more than 300 diverse students in summer internships. He previously served on the Boards of National Medical Fellowships and the Institute for Diversity in Health Care Management, and currently serves as Treasurer for charitySTRONG, which helps nonprofits build strong, diverse boards of directors. A dedicated volunteer and philanthropist, Mr. Perlman devotes significant energy to non-profits related to healthcare, education, and the arts. He is Chairman of the LiveOnNY Foundation, which promotes organ donation, and also serves on the Board of the Ronald McDonald House of New York. Most recently Mr. Perlman was appointed by Governor Cuomo to the Boards of the New York Convention Center Operating Corporation and the Convention Center Development Corporation (Javits Center). Mr. Perlman is an officer and Board member of the Berkshire Theatre Group in Pittsfield (Massachusetts), Rosie's Theater Kids, The Actor's Fund, and most recently was elected to the Board of the American Theatre Wing. Mr. Perlman also sits on the Board of the UJA Federation of New York, Samuel Field Y, and serves as Co-Chair of the Hunter College Hillel. Mr. Perlman received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Binghamton University and his Master's degree in Business Administration from the Sloan Program at Cornell University.

Evan Shapiro is an independent television and film producer. Previously, he founded Seeso, created Pivot TV and served as President of IFC and Sundance Channels. He has executive produced or created TV and films such as Night Train, "What's Your F@%king Deal," "Take My Wife," "MBMBaM," "Hidden America," "HitRecord" (Emmy Award), "Dinner For Five" (Emmy Nomination), "Portlandia" (Peabody Award), Please Like Me, and "Harmonquest"; stand up specials, including "Nick Thune's Good Boy," "Joey Coco Diaz' Socially Unacceptable," "Janeane Garofalo's If I May," "Jena Friedman's American Cunt," "Doug Stanhope's No Place Like Home," and "Laurie Kilmartin's 45 Jokes About My Dead Dad"; documentaries such as Kirby Dick's This Film Is Not Yet Rated; and docu-series such as "Brick City" (Peabody Award, Emmy Nomination).

Pamela ("Pam") Barbey is a philanthropist with a professional background in fundraising. She is a Trustee of the Edwin Barbey Charitable Trust. In addition to serving on the Obie Awards Administration Committee, honoring the best of off- and off-off-Broadway, Pam is also an avid theater goer. As a member of the Board of Directors of United Way of Berks County, she recently chaired a $10M fundraising campaign. Her active role in fundraising for United Way is grounded in her professional background: she was the Finance Director for Arizona Senator Jon Kyl, and State Director of his Arizona office. Prior to that, she was Director of Development at Arizona State University College of Business. Ms. Barbey holds an MBA from Arizona State University. Her husband, Peter Barbey, is the owner of the Village Voice. They also own the Reading Eagle Newspaper and R.E.P. Commercial Printing in PA. The Barbey family owns shares (nearly 20%) of VF Corporation (started by Peter's grandfather), one of the world's largest apparel firms, with $12 billion in revenues and brands such as Lee, Wrangler and North Face. They divide their time between NYC and their farm in Reading, PA.

After having graduated from the Marlborough School (Los Angeles) and Briarcliff College (New York) where she received her degree in Theatre Arts, Laurie Brockway Bodor was a senior fashion editor at Vogue Magazine for over seven years before moving to Paris to work as a stylist with Chanel. Throughout her career, she has worked with top fashion designers, editors and photographers around the world and produced and hosted the fashion webcast "A La Mode with Laurie Bodor." Laurie is also a renowned marketing, public relations and advertising consultant for the fashion and luxury lifestyle market with clients such as Yves St. Laurent, Valentino, Bulgari and Harry Winston, among many others. Ms. Bodor has been honored with two Clio Awards for her Chanel and Revillon advertising campaigns and named one of Town & Country Magazine's "Top Trendsetting Coeds" and Shiseido's "International Working Beauties." Laurie helped create the National Design Awards which was originally launched at the White House in 1999. Laurie travels extensively and has lived in Beverly Hills, New York, Palm Beach, Paris and London. Laurie is active in several philanthropic organizations such as The American Cancer Society, The French Heritage Society and The Palm Beach Preservation Society.

Jeffrey Bolton started his theatrical career in 1950 at the age of eleven appearing in Milton Berle's Texaco Star Theatre. He was an understudy in the Broadway productions of Maxwell Anderson's Barefoot in Athens, and The Climate of Eden directed by Moss Hart. After years of summer stock, over sixty television appearances, stints at Tamiment, and Green Mansion, and twenty weeks as the production dancer at the infamous Copacabana, he joined the original cast of Gypsy with Ethel Merman. He played the juvenile lead as Tulsa both in New York and the National Tour. At the age of 25, Jeff made a career change to Wall Street, joining Merrill Lynch. He moved on to Oppenheimer and Company, a partner at Furman Selz, and joined Neuberger Berman in 1987. He became a partner in 1995 and has gone on to build a highly regarded investment management business, aptly titled The Bolton Group. Jeff is married to Tina Faye, a former Broadway dancer. Tina was a Peter Gennaro Dancer, has six Broadway credits, and appeared regularly on "The Ed Sullivan Show." Tina is currently a trustee of The Palm Beach Drama Works. Jeff has been a trustee of Actor's Fund since 1995, a trustee of Adelphi University, and Save Venice.

Linda Cho is a Tony Award winning costume designer based in New York City. In 2014 she won the Antoinette Perry and Henry Hewes Design Award for the musical A Gentlemen's Guide to Love and Murder. In 2017 she was nominated for a Tony, Outer Critics' Circle and Drama Desk for Best Costume Design of the musical Anastasia. Additionally, she has been awarded the TDF/Irene Sharaff Young Master Award, the Henry Hewes Design Award, and the Ruth Morley Design Award from the League of Professional Theatre Women. In New York her designs have been seen at the Theatre for a New Audience, Lincoln Center 3, Second Stage, Manhattan Theatre Club, Juilliard Theater and Opera, The Public Theater, Asia Society, Vineyard Theatre, Classic Stage Co., Labyrinth Theater Co, Drama Dept, and Atlantic Theater Co. Internationally her work has been seen at Royal Shakespeare Co. UK, Can Stage, Canada, Hong Kong Performing Arts Center, National Theatre, Taipei, Stratford Shakespeare in Canada. Regionally she has designed at Arena Stage, The Ford's Theatre, The Old Globe Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, ACT, Berkeley Rep, Hartford Stage, Long Wharf Theatre, Guthrie Theater, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Goodspeed Opera, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Goodman Theatre, Shakespeare Theatre, DC, Chicago Shakespeare, Center Stage, Huntington Theatre, and Westport Country Playhouse. She served as the American Costume Design Curator from 2007-2011 for the International Prague Quadrennial. Linda attended the Paris American Academy, McGill University (BA) and the Yale School of Drama (MFA).

Nicole Eisenberg has been a highly respected philanthropic leader in the Detroit community for the last fifteen years. Championing causes in Arts, Education, Health Care and Community Outreach. In recognition of her full time fundraising efforts, Nicole has been honored in various local and national publications, most notably being named one of the "Detroiters of the Year," by Hour Magazine in their Philanthropy Issue, highlighting her significant time, resources and creativity given to many worthwhile endeavors. Recently, Vogue Magazine featured Nicole Eisenberg in their Op-Ed Section for her role as Co-Chair of the Groundbreaking Event at the Detroit Institute of Arts, "Women of the Arts: Honoring Bruce Weber," in conjunction with Conde Nast Publications and Anna Wintour. Named one of 2012's Best Dressed by Hour Magazine, Nicole worked closely with the Conde Nast team and Ms. Wintour's top-tier executives, managing each aspect of the event with multiple trips to Vogue's New York Headquarters. Nicole is a Board of Director, Chairman of the Development Committee, a member of the Executive Committee, and sits on the board of the Collections Committee at the Detroit Institute of Arts. She is a trustee on the board of the College of Creative Studies, where she also serves on the esteemed school's Fashion Accessories Board. Nicole also serves on the Advisory Board at the American Theatre Wing, on the Advisory Board at Motown Museum's National Legacy Council as well as on the Board at the Detroit Public Theatre. Named "One of the Top 100 Party Planners in the United States" by Salonniere in 2016, Nicole is frequently asked by various high-profile charities to chair their signature fundraising events or to be on their Host Committees, to which she also volunteers a considerable amount of time. Nicole graduated from Northeastern University with a Bachelor of Science, honed in on an English Major, and Literature Minor. In 2016, Nicole celebrated her 20-year wedding anniversary to Stephen Eisenberg, President of Kenwal Steel, with whom she has two children, Noah and Evan. Nicole and Stephen have deep ties to Detroit and the surrounding counties: loyally supporting the University of Michigan Health System for many years with a particular focus on Mott and Cardiovascular Center. Their family has been so touched by caregivers there, they have made personal gifts to support Patient Care and Research. Nicole was published in a University of Michigan Heath Care Book by Linda R. Larin, Editor, Inspired to Change-Improving Patient Care One Story at a Time. The singular theme being to change the way Health Care is delivered, to bring Patient-Centered and Family-Centered care to life. Nicole's chapter concentrates on her father and being an advocate in his health care journey of 12 years. She owes the 3 extra years of life, her father, Dr. Michael Weingarden, was given, due to the outstanding personal and professional care to the U of M Cardiovascular Center; with a special mention to Drs. Francis Pagani and Brad Dyke. Nicole, Stephen and their children have a true love of Broadway, theatre and music, and through that devotion, gave the lead gift to Detroit Country Day School, donating the Nicole and Stephen Eisenberg Studio Theatre. The first Black Box Theatre of its kind to be installed in a Michigan school, allowing children a chance to follow their dreams to the stage, or be involved in productions that give them a chance to escape from the rigors of daily work and athletics.

Oskar Eustis has served as the Artistic Director of The Public Theater since 2005. He came to The Public from Trinity Repertory Company in Providence, RI where he served as Artistic Director from 1994 to 2005. Eustis served as Associate Artistic Director at Los Angeles' Mark Taper Forum from 1989-1994; and prior to that he was with the Eureka Theatre Company in San Francisco, serving as Resident Director and Dramaturg from 1981-1986 and Artistic Director from 1986-1989. Eustis is currently a Professor of Dramatic Writing and Arts and Public Policy at New York University and has held professorships at UCLA, Middlebury College and Brown University, where he founded and chaired the Trinity Rep/Brown University Consortium for professional theater training. Throughout his career, Eustis has been dedicated to the development of new plays as a director, dramaturg and producer. At The Public, Eustis directed the New York premieres of Rinne Groff's Compulsion and The Ruby Sunrise; and Larry Wright's The Human Scale. At Trinity Rep, he directed the world premiere of Paula Vogel's The Long Christmas Ride Home and Tony Kushner's Homebody/Kabul, both recipients of the Elliot Norton Award for Outstanding Production. While at the Eureka Theatre, he commissioned Tony Kushner's Angels in America, and directed its world premiere at the Mark Taper Forum. Eustis has also directed the world premieres of plays by Philip Kan Gotanda, David Henry Hwang, Emily Mann, Suzan-Lori Parks, Ellen McLaughlin, and Eduardo Machado, among many others. His production of Julius Caesar won a Bay Area Critics Circle Award in 1988, and in the quarter century since then he has directed and produced Shakespeare across the United States, in venues ranging from prisons to Broadway. Eustis received honorary doctorates from Rhode Island College in 1999 and Brown University in 2001.

Friends At Work Founder and CEO Ty Stiklorius has spent her career helping creative vision thrive. Ty is the longtime manager of luminary recording artist and philanthropist John Legend. Ty's work with John Legend began in 2006 with the formation of JL Ventures (JLV), which focuses on brand strategy, technology, business development and social impact that builds on and enhances John Legend's unique multidisciplinary talents and desire for positive change. This partnership has led to efforts such as The Show Me Campaign, which seeks to give every child access to quality education, and the #FREEAMERICA campaign, a movement to change the United States' criminal justice system by ending mass incarceration. In 2012, Ty formed a partnership with TRoy Carter and served as Co-President of Atom Factory, a diversified entertainment company and later launched Friends At Work. Ty also serves as one of the principals in Get Lifted Film Co., a film and television Production Company based in Los Angeles.

Emily Tow Jackson has been The Tow Foundation's Executive Director since 1994. The Tow Foundation funds projects and organizations that offer transformative experiences to individuals and create collaborative ventures in fields where they see opportunities for breakthroughs, reform, and benefits for underserved populations. Investments focus on the support of innovative programs and system reform in the areas of juvenile and criminal justice, groundbreaking medical research, higher education, and cultural institutions. Under Emily's leadership The Tow Foundation has developed a playwright residency program. The year-long residency offers playwrights a full-time salary and immersion into their sponsoring New York based nonprofit theater's day-to-day operations. The goal is for each playwright to gain experience and insight into all aspects of the nonprofit theater world, culminating with a full production of their play by their sponsoring theater company. The Tow Foundation has also supported linking New York based institutions of higher education with nonprofit theaters for collaborative partnerships. Emily is currently a Trustee of Barnard College of Columbia University and New York Public Radio and has previously served on the Board of Directors of Philanthropy New York and Connecticut Council for Philanthropy. Emily was appointed by Governor Andrew Cuomo to serve on the New York State Commission for Youth, Public Safety and Justice and the New York State Juvenile Justice Advisory Group. She was named the 2016 Bartels Fellow by the University of New Haven. Emily regularly speaks about The Tow Foundation's work, its commitment to advocacy and collective impact as keys to achieving social change, and the value of family philanthropy.

Nadine Wong is an Executive Director and Sports & Entertainment Director with Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Management in New York since 1991. As a Family Wealth Director, she focuses on helping to empower clients to achieve financial success through customized asset allocation, manager selection, risk management and value added services. Her client base includes individuals, family offices and foundations. The key driver to her success is to "know your client". She communicates with clients to define their objectives and help meet their goals by delivering a comprehensive, customized wealth management plan, emphasizing global diversification, tax efficiency and risk management. Nadine provides sophisticated strategies to help clients maintain purchasing power and enhance their wealth so they can focus on the people, passions and philanthropies that add meaning to their lives. She is proficient in areas of estate planning strategies, wealth succession, alternative investments, and philanthropy. In 2017, Financial Times recognized Nadine as one of the Top 400 Financial Advisors and one of only fifty-six in New York State. Forbes named her in its inaugural list of America's Top Women Wealth Advisors 2017, Five Star Wealth Advisors published in New York Magazine 2017 and the 2017 Outstanding 50 Asian Americans in Business. Morgan Stanley honored her with the inaugural 2014 Women of Achievement MAKERS award for her leadership, ethics and professionalism. She earned Registered Rep's Top 50 Women Wirehouse Advisors 2011-2013. Barron's named her on the Top 100 Women Financial Advisers in the United States 2006-2010 and Top 100 New York Financial Advisors 2009. Nadine creates special events connecting Entertainers and Morgan Stanley clients, which raises awareness and funds for non-profits including Second Stage Theater, Young Playwrights Inc., American Repertory Theater, the Drama League, the Hispanic Federation, Stuttering Association for the Young, and Creative Arts Team. Nadine received her B.A. from the University of California at Berkeley and M.B.A. from Columbia University. She Co-Chairs the Multicultural Networking Group, Co-Founder of "Out on Broadway" LGBT annual panel, serves on the Alternatives Investment Advisory Council Board, the Drama League Board, Co-Chaired the 2013 Innocence Project Benefit and Co-Chairs the 2017 American Theatre Wing Centennial Gala.

One hundred years ago, on the eve of America's entry into World War I, seven suffragettes-all women of the theatre-came together to form The Stage Women's War Relief. A century later, the spirit and vision behind the founding of American Theatre Wing remains a touchstone for all we do. The Wing continues to champion bravery, with a focus on developing the next generation of brave artists. The Wing advances the future of American Theatre by celebrating excellence and nurturing the next generation: on stage, behind the scenes, and in the audience. We envision an American Theatre that is as vital, multi-faceted, and diverse as the American people.

The Wing's programs span the nation to invest in the growth and evolution of American Theatre. We provide theatre education opportunities for underserved students through the Andrew Lloyd Webber Initiative, develop the next generation of theatre professionals through the SpringboardNYC and Theatre Intern Network programs, incubate innovative theatre across the country through the National Theatre Company Grants, foster the song of American Theatre through the Jonathan Larson Grants, honor the best in New York theatrical design with the Henry Hewes Design Award, and illuminate the creative process through the Emmy-nominated "Working in the Theatre" documentary series. In addition to founding the Tony Awards which are co-presented with The Broadway League, the American Theatre Wing co-presents the Obie Awards, Off Broadway's Highest Honor, with The Village Voice.

Visitors to AmericanTheatreWing.org can gain inspiration and 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. Follow the Wing on Twitter and Instagram @TheWing, and on Facebook.com/TheAmericanTheatreWing.