Photos: Go Inside NYTW's 2024 Gala Honoring Liesl Tommy

Just last night, New York Theatre Workshop hosted its 2024 Gala, honoring theater and film visionary Liesl Tommy. The evening’s program was hosted by Nicole Ari Parker, directed by Kevin Cahoon, and feature musical direction by Rick Hip-Flores. The evening was scripted by Thaddeus McCants (“Julia”). 
 
The evening also featured appearances and performances from Tony Award nominee Shoshanna Bean (Hell’s Kitchen), Tony Award nominee Brandon Victor Dixon (Hell’s Kitchen), Tony Award winner Adrienne Warren (Tina: The Tina Turner Musical), Obie Award winner Eisa Davis (“Mare of Easttown”), Tamika Lawrence (The Heart of Rock and Roll), Joy Woods (The Notebook), Elizabeth Judd (Hamilton), John Manzari (Funny Girl) and more.

Liesl Tommy is a groundbreaking, multi-award-winning director and producer of theater, television and film. She’s the first Black woman ever nominated for the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play, which she earned for Danai Gurira’s Eclipsed, starring Lupita Nyong’o. Liesl has directed over 50 productions throughout the world, including the world premiere of the John Kander and Greg Pierce musical Kid Victory, the first stage adaptation of Frozen as a multimedia extravaganza for Disneyland, and her box-office juggernaut production of Les Misérables. For the latter two, she made the groundbreaking choice to shift the casting to center people of color, laying the foundation for future productions. Liesl made her acclaimed feature directorial debut in 2021 with Respect, based on the life of Aretha Franklin, starring Jennifer Hudson, Forest Whitaker, Marlon Wayans, Audra McDonald and Mary J. Blige. Tommy has also enjoyed a successful career directing episodes of television including “Queen Sugar,” “Insecure,” “The Walking Dead” and “Mrs. Fletcher.”  
 
The NYTW Annual Gala raises 10% of the Off-Broadway company’s annual budget. Funds raised at this one-night-only event help NYTW to mount world class productions and to share them with more than 50,000 audience members each season. Proceeds also support NYTW’s Artist Workshop activities through which nearly 2,000 artists develop more than 80 projects each year and their Education Initiatives including Learning Workshop, Mind the Gap, and Public Programs that serve over 1,600 students of all ages. 

Photo Credit: Jennifer Broski