Joshua Henry, Jason Robert Brown, and More Join The Drama League's Benefit Gala Honoring Sutton Foster

The Drama League has revealed more of the artists who will be celebrating Sutton Foster at the organization's 36th Annual Benefit Gala next week. The black-tie evening honoring Foster - a two-time Tony Award, Drama Desk, Outer Critics, Fred Astaire, and Gracie Award winner and star of TV Land's hit television series "Younger" -- will take place on Monday, October 28, 2019 beginning at 6:30 p.m. in New York City at The Plaza (768 Fifth Avenue). As previously announced, EY is the 2019 recipient of The Drama League's Arts Ally Award, to be accepted by Herb Engert at the Benefit Gala.

Celebrating Sutton Foster's career onstage and screen, including her upcoming star turn in The Music Man coming to Broadway in 2020, the gala features a one-night-only musical tribute in Foster's honor. The star-studded program will include appearances by Joshua Henry, Jason Robert Brown, Georgia Stitt, Nikka Graff Lanzarone, Asmeret Ghebremichael, Emerson Steele, Rachel Resheff, and Marissa O'Donnell. These artists join the previously announced line-up of Joel Grey, Beth Leavel, Brandon Victor Dixon, Laura Osnes, Jelani Alladin, Miriam Shor, Peter Hermann, Megan McGinnis, Leigh Silverman, and Jeanine Tesori. Drama League Directors Project alum Laura Brandel directs this year's gala program, with Music Direction by David Evans and Choreography by Leah Hofmann. The 36th Annual Benefit Gala is produced by Drama League Artistic Line Producer Ali Skye Bennet and Artistic Director Gabriel Stelian-Shanks, with Assistant Producer Shannon Corenthin and Production Manager Sean Gorski. The creative team also includes Stephanie Card (assistant director), Timothy Huang (additional lyrics), Terri K. Kohler (production stage management), Whitney Locher (costume design), Nick Kolin (lighting design), Mike Tracey (sound design), and Lisa Renkel (video design).

Past Drama League Benefit Galas have included appearances by such artists as Liza Minnelli, Santino Fontana, Matthew Broderick, Susan Stroman, Carol Kane, Kevin Kline, Neil Patrick Harris, Stephen Colbert, Harry Connick, Jr., Audra McDonald, Patti LuPone, Kristin Chenoweth, Angela Lansbury, Tony Bennett, Nick Jonas, Kermit the Frog, and casts of Broadway's hottest musicals. For information about journal ads or tickets, which include tables for ten and individual seats, please call (212) 244-9494, ext. 101 or visit www.dramaleague.org.

Sceneworks Studios is Sponsor of the 2019 Drama League Benefit Gala. Art Lab LLC is a Supporter of the 2019 Benefit Gala. MAC Cosmetics is the Official Make-Up Partner of The Drama League. The 2019 Drama League Benefit Gala Chairs are Mary Jain and Joseph Pizza. Leadership support for the 2019 Benefit Gala is also provided by its Vice Chairs: Anna May & Tim Feige, Meg Fofonoff of Art Lab LLC, Kathy & Ken Henderson, Una Jackman & Jay Alix, Stan Ponte & John Metzner, Iris Smith, and JoAnn & John Weisel. The Benefit Gala Committee members are Bonnie Comley & Stewart F. Lane, Bill Damaschke, Leslie C. Feldman, The Leo Shull Foundation for the Arts, and Sotheby's International Realty.

The Drama League Benefit Gala raises funds to support the organization's programming and educational initiatives, including The Drama League Directors Project. This award-winning initiative, which began in 1984 and to date has over 300 alumni, has been instrumental in launching the careers of many acclaimed theater directors including Tony Award winners Rachel Chavkin (Hadestown), Rebecca Taichman (Indecent), Christopher Ashley (Come From Away), Sam Gold (Fun Home), Diane Paulus (Waitress; Jagged Little Pill), Pam MacKinnon (The Parisian Woman), Michael Mayer (Hedwig and the Angry Inch; Burn This), and John Rando (Gettin' The Band Back Together); Tony Award nominees Alex Timbers (Beetlejuice; Moulin Rouge! The Musical); Mark Brokaw (Heisenberg), and Moritz von Steulpnagel (Present Laughter); as well as OBIE and Emmy Award winners Lila Neugebauer (The Waverly Gallery), Anne Kaufmann (Marvin's Room), Lear deBessonet, and R.J. Cutler, to name a few. Drama League Directors have been honored with Tony, Emmy, Grammy, Obie, Peabody, Drama Desk, GLAAD, Drama League, New York Drama Critics Circle, Outer Critics, Evening Standard, Lucille Lortel, Bessie, Princess Grace, Garland, Drama-Logue, Barrymore, Helen Hayes, Elliot Norton, and Joseph Jefferson Awards, and have directed films and plays that received Academy Award nominations and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

The Drama League of New York advances the American theater by providing a life-long artistic home for directors and a platform for dialogue with, and between, audiences. Since 1916, The Drama League has been at the forefront of the American theater community, with initiatives to promote artistic development and audience engagement. It is one of the nation's oldest continuously-operating, not-for-profit arts advocacy and education organizations. Through its programming, The Drama League serves over 3,000 artists and 15,000 audience members each season with over 150 events and programs.

For additional information about The Drama League and upcoming events, please visit the website at www.dramaleague.org, call (212) 244-9494, or e-mail info@dramaleague.org. Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/dramaleague and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/dramaleague.