Dramatists Guild Honors John Kander at 2012 Gala, 6/3

Today, June 3, the Dramatists Guild Fund will host their 50th Anniversary Gala at the Mandarin Oriental New York. This year's event, hosted by Jon Cryer, will honor Chicago and Cabaret composer John Kander.

Performances and tributes will be given by well-known members of the theater community including Liza Minnelli, Chita Rivera, Bebe Neuwirth, Christie Brinkley, Stockard Channing, Joel Grey, Rob Marshall, Susan Stroman, Debra Monk, Karen Ziemba and Joshua Henry. Producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron (Academy Award-winning films Chicago, Hairspray, Footloose, and TV's SMASH) are honorary co-chairs of the event.

The cocktail reception will begin at 6:30pm, followed by the dinner and celebration at 7:30pm. For ticket information, visit www.dramatistsguildfund.org/programs/gala/.

The Dramatists Guild Fund is the public charity arm of the Dramatists Guild of America. Its mission is to aid and nurture writers for the theater; to fund non-profit theaters producing contemporary American works; and to heighten awareness, appreciation, and support of theater across the country. The Dramatists Guild Fund depends heavily on individual contributions from theater enthusiasts across the country in order to carry out its mission. Each year, the Fund provides grants to non-profit theatrical organizations across the country that produce works by American writers. A limited number of grants are also allotted to deserving writers for the theater who have fallen upon hard times due to illness or other unforeseen circumstances. In January of 2008, the Dramatists Guild Fund was re-classified as a 501(c)3 public charity, enabling it to expand its reach through new initiatives such as The Legacy Project, the Traveling Masters program, and the preservation the Dramatists Guild Archives.

Based in New York, the Dramatists Guild of America has a long history of service to playwrights, lyricists, librettists and composers for the theater. Since its inception, the Dramatists Guild membership has included a broad cross-section of writers for the American stage, including legendary talents whose names are synonymous with Broadway, Off-Broadway and American Theater. To learn more about the Guild or to become a member, visit www.dramatistsguild.com.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride/WM Photos