Nathan Lane to Read 'Love Letter' to Brian Dennehy at TCG Gala Next Week

Who wouldn't want to see this? BroadwayWorld has learned that Nathan Lane will read a love letter to Brian Dennehy onstage at Threatre Communications Group's gala this coming Monday, November 9, 2015 at The Edison Ballroom. Dennehy and TCG's publication, American Theatre magazine, will be honored at the event.

"Theatre has always been my principal home and I feel greatly honored by TCG for what really amounts to a lifetime achievement award," says Dennehy. "I owe my reputation in New York, my theatre hometown, and to Chicago, a city with an artistic soul unlike any other, to my long and wonderful relationship with Robert Falls who I met at an early point in my career, and Roche Schulfer, and the Goodman Theatre-both of whom are, to me, essential parts of this award. To them and TCG I am thankful and grateful."

The TCG 2015 Gala will also celebrate American Theatre magazine's incredible 31-year history, and honor the artists and organizations featured in its pages, as well as the dedicated journalists that have told their stories. American Theatre is the nation's only general-circulation magazine devoted to theatre. Published ten times a year, the print magazine has a readership of 50,000 and the new AmericanTheatre.org garners over 100,000 page views a month. Special recognition will be given to founding editor, Jim O'Quinn, who served as editor-in-chief for 313 issues of American Theatre, publishing thousands of articles and over 150 full-length plays. The first issue of the magazine featured cowboy-hatted playwright, Sam Shepard, on its cover while O'Quinn's final issue cover was graced by the cast of Hamilton. Under new editor-in-chief Rob Weinert-Kendt, recent issues have explored themes of gender disparity and disability advocacy in the spirit of TCG's commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion.

"We're thrilled to honor the impact and artistry of Brian Dennehy and American Theatre magazine," said Teresa Eyring, executive director, TCG. "The Gala is also an opportunity to take a celebratory breath and measure our own accomplishments over the past year. We hosted our highest-rated National Conference in Cleveland, launched a new round of our

Audience (R)Evolution program in Kansas City, garnered our 14th Pulitzer Prize for a TCG Books title, wrapped our Legacy Leaders of Color Video Project, brought delegations of theatre leaders everywhere from Capitol Hill to Cuba, reached over 150 participating theatres collaborating with military families through our Blue Star Theatres program, and so much more. The Gala not only celebrates that work, but helps us make an even greater impact in 2016."

The Gala's Honorary Committee include Ayad Akhtar, Eileen Blumenthal, Anne Bogart, Oskar Eustis, Quiara Alegria Hudes, David Henry Hwang, Taylor Mac, Emily Mann, Tarell Alvin McCraney, Suzan-Lori Parks, Bill Rauch, Sarah Ruhl, Roche Schulfer, Christopher Shinn, and Alex Timbers.

The evening will begin with cocktails at 6:00 followed by dinner and special performances at 7:00. Guests have been asked to wear festive attire.

Ticket and Table information:

Gold Sponsor at $50,000

Premier table for 12, acknowledgement from the podium, inclusion in event press release, premium acknowledgement on all gala print materials, opportunity to host a noted theatre personality at your table, name listing or company provided logo recognition at the event, VIP gifts at each of your guests' seats.

Silver Sponsor at $25,000

Premium table for 10, acknowledgement from the podium, inclusion in event press release, premium acknowledgement on all gala print materials, opportunity to host a noted theatre personality at your table, name listing or company provided logo recognition at the event.

Bronze Sponsor at $10,000

Table for 10, acknowledgement on all gala print materials, name or company listing recognition at the event, opportunity to host a noted theatre personality at your table, acknowledgement on all gala print materials, company listing recognition at the event.

Benefactor Ticket at $2,500

Premier seating, listing in gala program.

Friend Ticket at $1,000

Premium seating, listing in gala program.

Supporter Ticket at $600

Seating, listing in gala program.

For more information please contact: TCG Gala Evening c/o JKS Events 212.725.2948 or TCGgala@jksevents.com favorable reviews.

BRIAN DENNEHY has maintained a strong presence in film, theatre, and television for three decades. He has twice won the Tony Award for Best Actor: honored for playing James Tyrone in Eugene O'Neill's "Long Day's Journey Into Night," and for playing Willy Loman in "Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman." The latter production was also filmed for Showtime by director Kirk Browning, with Dennehy executive-producing. The television version subsequently earned Dennehy a Golden Globe Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and an Emmy Award nomination. He revived the role of Willy Loman in London's West End in 2005 for which he received the coveted Olivier Award for Best Actor. He recently played Matthew Harrison Brady in the Broadway production of "Inherit the Wind" for which he received

Dennehy is well-known to audiences worldwide for his performances in such popular films as Michael Ritchie's "Semi-Tough," Colin Higgins' "Foul Play," Blake Edwards' "10," Ted Kotcheff's "First Blood," Ron Howard's "Cocoon," Robert Mandel's "F/X," Alan J. Pakula's "Presumed Innocent," Peter Segal's "Tommy Boy" and Baz Luhrmann's "William Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet." His other notable screen credits include "Gorky Park," "Never Cry Wolf," "Finders Keepers," "Silverado," "Twice in a Lifetime," "Best Seller," "The Belly of an Architect" (for which he received Best Actor honors at the Chicago Film Festival), Spike Lee's "She Hate Me" and Robert Moresco's soon-to-be released "10th & Wolf." He also voiced the role of Babe Ruth in "Everyone's Hero" and was the voice of Remy's father, Django, in the hit feature film "Ratatouille".

Dennehy has starred in a wide range of television projects, receiving Emmy Award nominations for his performances in the miniseries "The Burden of Proof," "Murder in the Heartland," "To Catch a Killer" (in which he played John Wayne Gacy) and Stephen Gyllenhaal's telefilm "Killing in a Small Town." His characterization of police investigator Jack Reed anchored a successful series of telefilms that he starred in for NBC throughout the 1990s, several of which he executive-produced, co-wrote, and directed. He also directed and starred in the telefilms "Shadow of a Doubt" (which he co-wrote and co-produced) and "Indefensible."

Dennehy has been associated for two decades with Chicago's Goodman Theatre (on whose Board he serves), where he has starred in numerous leading roles. His other notable stage work includes the Broadway production of "Translations"; "Hughie," at Trinity Repertory; Peter Brook's production of "The Cherry Orchard" at the Brooklyn Academy of Music; "Trumbo," which he starred in Off-Broadway and then went on tour; Wisdom Bridge Theatre's production of "Rat in the Skull"; "Says I, Says He" at The Mark Taper Forum in L.A. and The Phoenix Theatre in N.Y.; and Bob Balaban's production of "The Exonerated," which he starred in Off-Broadway and toured with. He also starred in the Court TV film version of the latter production, directed by Bob Balaban.

Most recently, Dennehy has starred in films such as "The Next Three Days", "The Big Year", and Terrence Malick's upcoming film "Knight of Cups" and "The Seagull". He is also guest starring in the TNT Crime Drama "Public Morals" alongside Ed Burns.

For more than 50 years, Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for the American theatre, has existed to strengthen, nurture, and promote the professional not-for-profit American theatre. TCG's constituency has grown from a handful of groundbreaking theatres to nearly 700 member theatres and affiliate organizations and more than 12,000 individuals nationwide. TCG offers its members networking and knowledge-building opportunities through conferences, events, research and communications; awards grants, approximately $2 million per year, to theatre companies and individual artists; advocates on the federal level; and serves as the U.S. Center of the International Theatre Institute, connecting its constituents to the global theatre community. TCG is North America's largest independent publisher of dramatic literature, with 14 Pulitzer Prizes. It also publishes the award- winning American Theatre magazine and ARTSEARCH®, the essential source for a career in the arts. In all of its endeavors, TCG seeks to increase the organizational efficiency of its member theatres, cultivate and celebrate the artistic talent and achievements of the field and promote a larger public understanding of, and appreciation for, the theatre. For more information visit www.tcg.org.

TCG BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Christopher Acebo, Sarah Bellamy, Joseph P. Benincasa, Eric Bogosian, Ralph Bryan, Adrian Budhu, Joshua Dachs, Teresa Eyring, Larissa FastHorse, Aime?e Hayes, Michelle Hensley, Ed Herendeen, Chris Jennings, Tim Jennings, Marshall Jones, Kwame Kwei-Armah, Max Leventhal, Kathryn M. Lipuma, Kevin Moriarty, Jonathan Moscone, Lynn Nottage, Meghan Pressman, Heather Randall, Francine T. Reynolds, Ellen Richard, Blake Robison, Diane Rodriguez, Eric Rosen, Michael Rosenberg, Nikkole Salter, Tim Sanford, John Douglas Thompson, Clyde Valentin, Meiyin Wang, Robert P. Warren, Karen Wickre, Paul Wolf, and Harold Wolpert. Executive Director: Teresa Eyring, Managing Director: Kevin E. Moore.