Jennifer Hudson to Sing Closing Number at Center Theatre Group's 50th Anniversary Celebration

Michael Ritchie, Artistic Director of Center Theatre Group, today announced two-time Grammy Award-winning recording artist, Academy Award-winning actress and newly announced coach on NBC's "The Voice" Jennifer Hudson will join Center Theatre Group's 50th Anniversary Celebration performance on Saturday, May 20, 2017, at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles.

Fresh off her acclaimed performance in NBC's "Hairspray Live!," Hudson will sing the evening's closing number. Center Theatre Group's 50th Anniversary Celebration is Co-Chaired by NBC Entertainment Chairman and Center Theatre Group board member Robert Greenblatt and fellow Center Theatre Group board member Sue Tsao.

Hudson joins previously announced cast of Jon Robin Baitz, Annette Bening, Sir Matthew Bourne, Matthew Broderick, Bill Cain, Anthony Crivello, Culture Clash, Tyne Daly, Merle Dandridge, Tim Dang, Keith David, Shaila Essley, Barrett Foa, Davis Gaines, Louis Gossett Jr., Harry Groener, Charlie Hofheimer, Clint Holmes, David Henry Hwang, Gregory Itzin, Doug LaBrecque, Tzi Ma, Alan Mandell, Dakin Matthews, Alfred Molina, Edward James Olmos, Valerie Perri, Phylicia Rashad, Christy Carlson Romano, Thomas Sadoski, Christina Saffran Benjamin Schrader, Jimmy Smits, Shoshannah Stern, DeSean Terry, Rodney To, Lisa Vroman, Ed Waterstreet and Aryana Williams for the one-night-only production from writer, director and producer Robert Egan. The performance will draw from the many landmark productions that have been brought to life on Center Theatre Group's stages, as well as its continuing role in creating new work and helping to define the role of theatre both in Los Angeles and beyond.

Center Theatre Group has welcomed to its stages some of today's biggest stars, including Sterling K. Brown, Viola Davis, Jane Fonda, Sutton Foster, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Neil Patrick Harris, Nathan Lane, Angela Lansbury, Al Pacino, Chris Pine, Denzel Washington and more.

Center Theatre Group, one of the nation's preeminent arts and cultural organizations, is Los Angeles' leading nonprofit theatre company, programming seasons at the 736-seat Mark Taper Forum and 1600 to 2000-seat Ahmanson Theatre at The Music Center in Downtown Los Angeles, and the 317-seat Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City. In addition to presenting and producing the broadest range of theatrical entertainment in the country, Center Theatre Group is one of the nation's leading producers of ambitious new works through commissions and world premiere productions and a leader in interactive community engagement and education programs that reach across generations, demographics and circumstance to serve Los Angeles.

Single tickets and tables for the entire evening including pre-show cocktail reception, one-night-only performance and post-show celebration in Grand Park featuring food and drink from some of Southern California's top chefs start at $5,000 per person. Access to the VIP cocktail reception and a ticket to the one-night-only Ahmanson stage production is available for $1,000. A limited number of show-only tickets are also available for $100 each. For tickets and information, visit www.CenterTheatreGroup.org/50thCelebration.