Ellen Barkin, Elaine Stritch, Joe Mantello et al. Honor George C. Wolfe with SDC 'Mr. Abbott' Award, 10/3

Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation (SDCF) has announced that acclaimed director George C. Wolfe will be celebrated with the 2011 "Mr. Abbott" Award for his incredible breadth and depth of work in the American Theatre.

The Award will be presented at a gala tribute event at The Edison Ballroom 240 West 47th Street, on Monday, October 3rd. Festivities begin with a VIP cocktail reception at 6pm followed by the talent tribute at 7pm. The evening will conclude with a dessert and cocktail reception.

The tribute to George is written by John Guare and directed by Jack O'Brien. The music director is Jeanine Tesori, and the choreography is by Hope Clarke. It will feature those who have worked with George over the years including, Bobby Cannavale, Ann Duquesnay, John Benjamin Hickey, Joe Mantello, Tonya Pinkins, Ruben Santiago-Hudson and Charlayne Woodard, among others.

Tickets are available at SDCweb.org or by calling 212-626-2745. Tickets are $175 for tribute and desserts and $350 with VIP cocktail reception included.

The "Mr. Abbott" Award is named in honor of renowned director George Abbott and is one of the only awards given to theatre directors and choreographers by their peers. This honor is presented to a director or choreographer in recognition of lifetime achievement. Past honorees have included Hal Prince, Susan Stroman, Lloyd Richards, Kathleen and Rob Marshall, Tommy Tune, and Michael Bennett.

Upon receiving notification of this honor George C. Wolfe said, "I am truly proud to be this year's recipient of the ‘Mr. Abbott' Award and overjoyed to have my name added to the astonishing list of past honorees."

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George C. Wolfe's incredibly distinguished career in the theatre has significantly impacted the theatrical community and the world at large. His varied and impressive directing credits for the theatre include Jelly's Last Jam (Drama Desk and Outer Critics Awards), Angels In America - Millennium Approaches (Tony and Drama Desk Awards) and Perestroika (Drama Desk Award), Bring In ‘Da Noise, Bring In ‘Da Funk (Tony and Drama League Awards), Topdog/ Underdog (Obie Award), Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 (Drama Desk Award), Elaine Stritch: At Liberty
(Tony Award-Unique Theatrical Event), The Tempest, The Wild Party, Caroline, or Change, A Free Man of Color and The Normal Heart (Drama Desk Award).

Mr. Wolfe is the writer of the award-winning The Colored Museum, which he also directed for PBS. He adapted and directed Spunk (Obie Award), created Harlem Song for the world famous Apollo Theatre and conceived/directed a celebration of the American Musical at the White House. At Lyric Opera of Chicago he directed Amistad and for the Public, Blade to the Heat, The Caucasian Chalk Circle, Radiant Baby, Macbeth and On the Town.

He directed Lackawanna Blues for HBO which earned him The Directors Guild Award, a National Board of Review Award, an Independent Spirit Nomination for Best First Feature, a Christopher Award and the Humanitas Prize. Lackawanna Blues also won four NAACP Image Awards, earned seven Emmy Award nominations and premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. Mr. Wolfe made his feature film debut directing Richard Gere and Diane Lane in Nights in Rodanthe.

Mr. Wolfe's numerous awards and distinctions include: Actors Equity Paul Roberson Award; Stage Directors and Choreographers Society's Calloway Award; Dramatist Guild's Hull-Warner Award; New Dramatist Outstanding Career Achievement Award; NAACP Lifetime Achievement Award; Lambda Liberty Award; Spirit of the City Award; Brendan Gil Prize; Distinguished Alumni Award from NYU; Princess Grace Award for fostering the careers of young artists; Cultural Laureate Award; and Ilka Award which is presented by the Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors (HOLA) to performers who contribute to society through humanitarian efforts. He has been honored as a Library Lion by the New York Public Library and named a Living Landmark by the New York Landmarks Conservancy.

From 1993-2005 he was the Producer of The Public Theater/New York Shakespeare Festival and he currently serves on The Presidents Committee for the Arts and The Humanities. George C. Wolfe has had an incredibly distinguished career in the theater having collaborated on shows that have significantly impacted the theatrical community and the world at large. His rise in the theatrical world began in 1989 when he won an Obie for his direction of his own play Spunk. Three years later he burst onto the Broadway scene with a Tony nomination for his direction of the hit musical Jelly's Last Jam. He subsequently directed both parts of the landmark drama Angels in America (Millenium Approaches and Perestroika) and won his first Tony Award for his direction of Millenium Approaches. He served as the Producer of the Public Theater from 1993 to 2004 and helped to develop new works. He won his second Tony Award for his direction of the groundbreaking musical Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring in 'Da Funk. He began directing for the screen with the HBO film Lackawanna Blues and made his feature film debut directing Richard Gere and Diane Lane in Nights in Rodanthe. He has directed several major Broadway productions including Topdog/Underdog, The Tempest, Elaine Stritch: At Liberty, Caroline, or Change, A Free Man of Color, and the recent Tony Award-winning production of The Normal Heart.

Founded in 1965, Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation exists to foster, promote and develop the creativity and craft of stage directors and choreographers. SDCF's goals are to provide opportunities to practice the crafts of directing and choreography; to gather and disseminate craft and career information; to promote the profession to emerging talent; to provide opportunities for exchange of knowledge among directors and choreographers; and to increase the awareness of the value of directors' and choreographers' work.

Stage Directors and Choreographers Society is a national theatrical labor union whose mission is to foster a national community of professional stage Directors and Choreographers by protecting the rights, health and livelihoods of all of its members; to facilitate the exchange of ideas, information and opportunities, while educating the current and future generations about the role of Directors and Choreographers and providing effective administration, negotiations and contractual support.

Tickets to honor George C. Wolfe with the Mr. Abbott Award on Monday October 3rd at The Edison Ballroom 240 West 47th Street are available at SDCweb.org or by calling 212-626-2745. Tickets are $175 for tribute and desserts and $350 with VIP cocktail reception included.