Lilli Cooper, Santino Fontana & Andrea Martin to Perform at TDF Fall Fundraiser

TDF will host its first major in-person fundraiser since the pandemic on Wednesday, October 25 at 8 a.m. at City Winery (25 Eleventh Avenue in Chelsea). Titled TDF’s Broadway Breakfast, the event will be hosted by Seth Rudetsky and James Wesley and feature performances by Tony Award nominee Lilli Cooper (Tootsie), Tony Award winner Santino Fontana (Tootsie) and two-time Tony Award winner Andrea Martin (My Favorite Year, Pippin).

TDF, the not-for-profit organization dedicated to bringing the power of the performing arts to everyone, led by Board Chair Gwen Marcus and Executive Director Deeksha Gaur, will honor director Scott Ellis, The Dream Center Harlem and the law firm of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP.

The Broadway Breakfast will present nine-time Tony Award nominee Scott Ellis with the TDF Founders Award for his dedication in mentoring hundreds of students in TDF’s Wendy Wasserstein Project over the past 25 years. The TDF Founders Award honors individuals and organizations who have demonstrated a deep commitment to TDF and its mission, and who embody TDF’s vision of a world where the transformative experience of attending live theatre and dance is essential, relevant, accessible and inspirational.

TDF will present the Inaugural Victoria Bailey Impact Award, named for TDF’s former executive director, to The Dream Center Harlem. The Harlem nonprofit is a self-sustaining

multigenerational extension of First Corinthian Baptist Church that offers free workshops and events centered on creative arts, leadership development, economic empowerment, technology, entrepreneurship, and health and wellness. The Dream Center Harlem has been an active partner in TDF’s Community programs since 2015. The new award will be presented each year to an individual or community organization that furthers TDF's mission.

TDF will also honor the law firm of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP for its steadfast pro bono counsel and long history of supporting the theatre industry. In addition to John Wharton, who was instrumental in TDF’s formation more than 50 years ago, several generations of Paul Weiss lawyers have helped shape New York City's commercial and nonprofit theatre world.

The funds raised at TDF’s Broadway Breakfast will provide vital support for the not-for-profit’s wide range of Accessibility, School and Community programs that ensure the arts are accessible to all.

The benefit co-chairs are Tony Award-winning producer Dale A. Mott and Tony Award-winning costume designer and producer Clint Ramos. Tables begin at $5,000 and individual tickets are available for $500. 

To purchase tickets and for more information, click here.

Broadway Breakfast Benefit Committee: Holly Cohen, Kittie Fahey, Mia Gonzalez, Devin Grossman, Nicole Hart, Meg Herrman, Erica Horwitz, Jennifer Kahn, Zak Karim, Jacqueline LiCalzi, Gwen Marcus and Earl Weiner.

ABOUT TDF:

Founded in 1968, TDF (formerly known as Theatre Development Fund) is a not-for-profit service organization dedicated to bringing the power of the performing arts to everyone. TDF’s mission is to sustain live theatre and dance by engaging a broad and diverse audience and eliminating barriers to attendance. We fulfill our mission with a variety of programs that expand access, cultivate communities and support the makers of the performing arts.

We are known for our theatregoing programs, including the TKTS by TDF Discount Booths (which recently celebrated 50 years in Times Square) and the TDF Membership program; Accessibility programs (including open captioning, audio description, Autism Friendly Performances and the Veterans Theatregoing Program), School programs (serving more than 10,000 New York City students annually) and Community programs (serving 18,000  people in the tristate area), as well as the TDF Costume Collection Rental and Research Programs. TDF envisions a world where the transformative experience of attending live theatre and dance is essential, relevant, accessible and inspirational. To learn more about TDF, go to tdf.org; Facebook/Instagram/X: @tdfnyc.