Nick Adams, Morgan James, Christine Pedi, Ali Stroker and More Join Abingdon Theatre Company's 25th Anniversary Gala Lineup

Abingdon Theatre Company has announced additional casting for their upcoming 25th Anniversary Gala on Monday, October 23 at The Edison Ballroom (240 W. 47th Street). Honoring two-time Tony and Emmy Award winner Bebe Neuwirth (Chicago, Sweet Charity, "Cheers," "Frasier"), the event will feature a special concert performance of the John Kander and Fred Ebb musical revue And The World Goes 'Round.

Joining the all-star cast are Nick Adams (Priscilla Queen of the Desert, A Chorus Line, La Cage aux Folles), Sebastian Arcelus ("Madam Secretary," "House of Cards," Wicked), Jeannette Bayardelle (The Color Purple, Hair, Company), Cunio (Hairspray, Jersey Boys), Tyler Hanes (Cats, A Chorus Line, On the Town), Hunter Ryan Herdlicka (A Little Night Music, Cabaret, Once Upon a Mattress), Morgan James (The Addams Family, Godspell, Motown), Christine Pedi (Little Me, Talk Radio, Chicago), Jelani Remy (The Lion King, High School Musical), Carrie St. Louis (Wicked, Rock of Ages), Ali Stroker ("Glee," Spring Awakening), Katie Thompson (Giant, Pump Boys and Dinettes, Big Fish), Sally Ann Triplett (Finding Neverland, The Last Ship, Carrie), Pierre Marais (SaturdayNight Fever, A Chorus Line), Ilda Mason (Cinderella, West Side Story), and Lily Kaufmann (Newsies, Hairspray).

Previously announced performers include Tony Award nominee Brenda Braxton (Smokey Joe's Cafe, Jelly's Last Jam, Chicago), Olivier Award-winner Ruthie Henshall (Crazy For You, Miss Saigon, Chicago), Tony Award-winner Cady Huffman (The Producers, The Nance, Steel Pier), Telly Leung (Aladdin, Allegiance, Godspell), Bianca Marroquín (Chicago, In the Heights, The Pajama Game), Drama Desk Award nominee Julia Murney (The Wild Party, Wicked, Lennon), two-time Tony Award-nominee Mary Beth Peil (Anastasia, Nine, The King and I), and Angie L. Schworer (Something Rotten, The Producers, Sunset Boulevard). And The World Goes 'Round will feature choreography byDeidre Goodwin, musical direction by Kevin David Thomas, and direction by Chad Austin.

And the World Goes 'Round is a stunning musical revue by John Kander and Fred Ebb, the multi Tony Award winning team that wrote Chicago and Cabaret. From Flora the Red Menace to Kiss of the Spider Woman and everything in between, the nonstop hit-parade features unforgettable gems including "All that Jazz," "Maybe This Time," "Colored Lights" and "New York, New York," seamlessly woven into an unforgettable evening of musical theatre. And the World Goes 'Round is a celebration of life, love and the fighting spirit that keeps us all going.

Abingdon Theatre Company 25th Anniversary Gala will begin at 6PM with a cocktail reception, dinner, awards presentation and live auction, followed by the performance. Individual Gala tickets, starting at $500, are available at AbingdonTheatre.org or by calling 212-868-2055, ext. 2

"It is my great honor to celebrate the extraordinary talents of Bebe Neuwirth at this year's gala," said Tony Speciale, Artistic Director, Abingdon Theatre Company. "I had the distinct privilege of directing her in A Midsummer Night's Dream at Classic Stage Company a few years ago, and it remains one of the most collaborative highlights of my career. I can't think of a better way to kick off our 25th Anniversary Season than honoring Ms. Neuwirth, who has contributed so much to the American Theatre, with a special presentation of Kander and Ebb's And The World Goes 'Round. Furthermore, I look forward to announcing the exciting details of our 25th anniversary season in the coming weeks. It promises to be our most ambitious and adventurous one yet."

ABOUT THE PARTICIPATING ARTISTS:

Bebe Neuwirth (Honoree). Over the course of her distinguished career, Bebe has achieved extraordinary success in theatre, television and film. In 1980, she made her Broadway debut in A Chorus Line. She then appeared in Little Me, Dancin', and Sweet Charity, for which she won her first Tony Award, followed by Damn Yankees, Fosse, and The Addams Family. Bebe won her second Tony, as well as the Drama Desk, Astaire, Outer Critics Circle, and Drama League Distinguished Performance of the Year Awards for her portrayal of Velma in Chicago. A few years later she played Roxie in the show, making her the only triple-threat to have played both parts on Broadway. Her broad diversity of roles in Regional theatre and off-Broadway have ranged from Anita in West Side Story at the Cleveland Opera to Katherine in The Taming Of The Shrew at the Williamstown Theatre Festival. From a Richard Greenberg play at Lincoln Center to a Woody Allen play directed by Mr. Allen at the Atlantic Theatre Company. Other theatre credits include Here Lies Jenny, a music theatre piece comprised entirely of music by Kurt Weill directed by Roger Rees and choreographed by Anne Reinking, and the Manhattan Theatre Club production of Terrence McNally's Golden Age. Bebe is well known for her work in film and television. She won two Emmys for her role of Lilith Sternin Crane on "Cheers," and was nominated for Emmys for her work on "Frasier" and for her portrayal of Dorothy Parker in the TV movie Dash and Lilly. She has appeared in numerous films, including Say Anything, Green Card, Bugsy, Jumanji, Summer of Sam, Liberty Heights, Celebrity, and Tadpole. Ms. Neuwirth toured a symphony show, "Bebe Sings Weill and Kander & Ebb", and a piano cabaret show, "Stories with Piano." She has recorded two solo albums: "Bebe Neuwirth Porcelain," and "Stories.... in NYC" recorded live at 54 Below. Ms. Neuwirth is the recipient of the CTFD Rolex Dance Award, the 2007 Dance Magazine Award, and is an Honorary Ziegfeld Girl. She is a vice-chair of The Actors Fund, for whom she founded a program called The Dancers' Resource - a program aimed at relieving the particular emotional and physical challenges faced by dancers.

Deidre Goodwin (Choreographer) has been in 8 Broadway shows including A Chorus Line(Shelia Bryant), Chicago (Velma Kelly) and Nine (Our Lady of the Spa). Her films credits include Chicago (SAG 2003 Best Ensemble Award), Across the Universe, It's Complicated, Magic Mike XXLand Every Little Step. TV appearances include "Madam Secretary," "Search Party," "Broad City," "30 Rock," and "Law & Order SVU." In addition to performing, she is also an educator and choreographer. Connect with Deidre via Instagram and twitter @dababadoo.

Kevin David Thomas (Music Director) Broadway: A Tale of Two Cities (Asst. to Music Supervisor), A Little Night Music starring Catherine Zeta-Jones and Angela Lansbury (Mr. Erlanson; Cast Recording), Les Miserables (Joly). International: Once on this Island (Music Director; Moscow, Russia), The Watercoolers (MD). National Tour: Little House on the Prairie starring Melissa Gilbert (Asst. Music Supervisor), Les Miserables (3rd National; actor). Regional: It Happened in Key West(MD; Fulton Theater), My 80 Year-Old-Boyfriend (MD; world premiere; Merrimack Rep), Marvelous Wonderettes: Dream On (Music Supervisor; world premiere; cast recording), A Little Night Music(MD; Palm Beach Dramaworks). TV: "Becoming Us" with wife, Sutton Crawford (docu-series on ABC Family/Freeform). Education: Baldwin-Wallace University.

Chad Austin (Director) is honored to be Abingdon Theatre Company's new Associate Director. Recent directing and choreography credits include Rodgers and Hammerstein's Carousel, Down to Me, (Beirut, Lebanon) Chess (A.T.A NYC) Peter and the Wolf (Hampton Ballet Theatre), Alice in Wonderland (Kyone Ballet Brazil) Spring Awakening, The Wedding Singer, and the musical movies Walk the Walk, Landed, and Winning New York (official section 2016 young film maker series). Chad was last seen on stage in Doric Wilson's award-winning Drama Street Theatre (Tosos NYC). Chad originated the role of Edonis in the Off-Broadway comedy Play About the Naked Guy (Emerging Artists Theatre). Other NYC and Regional include; Cinderella (Lincoln Center), The Man That Came to Dinner, Cabaret, Forever Under, Murder Uncensored, Valentino the Musical, Street Scene, and A Chorus Line. TV: CBS's "Guiding Light." Chad made his Metropolitan Opera Ballet Debut in John Adam's and Peter Sellar's Grammy Award winning Doctor Atomic, and performed in over 15 new Metropolitan Opera productions! Chad is also the Artistic Director of Shake Hands Musical Theatre School in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

ABINGDON THEATRE COMPANY is dedicated to developing and producing new work by emerging and established American artists. Under the artistic direction of Tony Speciale, who joined Abingdon in October 2016, the company provides a safe home where playwrights, directors and actors can collaborate within a supportive and nurturing environment. Abingdon Theatre Company searches for stories about the human experience that reflect our social, political, historical and cultural diversity. To date, the company has collaborated with more than 200 playwrights, produced 89 New York and world-premiere plays, presented more than 700 readings, staged over 175 ten-minute plays, and commissioned 6 one-act plays. Notable artists who have worked with Abingdon Theatre Company include Carl Andress, Bryan Batt, Reed Birney, Anne Bogart, Robert Brustein, Mario Cantone, Maxwell Caulfield, Dick Cavett, John Epperson, Jane Greenwood, Arthur Kopit, James Lecesne, Ralph Macchio, Roberta Maxwell, Charles L. Mee, Iddo Netanyahu, Jason O'Connell, Nancy Opel, Austin Pendleton, Sam Pinkleton, Marcia Rodd and Michael Weller. Abingdon's 2014 production of Brian Richard Mori's Hellman v. McCarthy, directed by founding artistic director Jan Buttram, was filmed and presented by WNET as part of its inaugural Theatre Close-Up series.