The Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC) has announced that the culmination of the union's 50th anniversary year is a gala celebration on Sunday, November 8 at the Tribeca Rooftop.
The SDC 50th Anniversary Gala will feature a surprise cast of some of Broadway's biggest stars performing a special, one-night-only, musical tribute to the union's founding members staged by Tony Award winners
Rob Ashford (Thoroughly Modern Millie) and
Kathleen Marshall (The Pajama Game). The tribute will include musical numbers from shows originally produced in 1959, the year SDC was founded.
David Chase, who is currently represented on Broadway as the music director of Billy Elliot and the music supervisor of Bye Bye Birdie, has written new orchestrations for the songs being performed.
The gala evening's "50 for the 50th" honorary committee, which is being chaired by
Hal Prince, includes
JoAnne Akalaitis,
Edward Albee,
Pat Birch,
Peter Brook,
Arvin Brown,
Robert Brustein,
James Burrows,
Wayne Cilento,
Martha Clarke,
Hope Clarke,
Graciela Daniele,
Gordon Davidson,
Gemze de Lappe,
Carmen De Lavallade, André De Shields,
John Dillon,
Sheldon Epps,
Oskar Eustis, Zelda Fichandler,
Michael Greif,
Edward Hastings,
Nagle Jackson,
Michael Kahn,
Terry Kinney,
Michael Langham,
James Lapine,
Gillian Lynne,
Des McAnuff,
Joe Mantello,
Rob Marshall,
Michael Mayer,
Lynne Meadow,
Sam Mendes,
Jerry Mitchell,
Mike Nichols,
Trevor Nunn,
Jack O'Brien,
Austin Pendleton,
Ann Reinking,
Donald Saddler,
Susan Stroman,
Julie Taymor,
Twyla Tharp,
Tommy Tune,
Paul Weidner,
Stan Wojewodski, Jr.,
George C. Wolfe,
Jerry Zaks, and
Mary Zimmerman.
Among the many other guests-a veritable Who's Who in American Theatre?-are
Bartlett Sher, Joy Abbott,
Emanuel Azenberg,
Melvin Bernhardt,
Walter Bobbie,
Mark Brokaw,
Joe Calarco,
Larry Carpenter,
Tisa Chang,
Ted Chapin,
Lynn Taylor Corbett,
Marcia Milgrom Dodge, Michael
John Garces, Richard Hamburger,
Doug Hughes, Moises Kaufman,
Nina Lannan,
Paul Libin,
Des McAnuff,
Kevin McCollum,
Joey McKneely,
Ethan McSweeny,
Tom Moore,
Amy Morton,
Austin Pendleton,
Neil Pepe,
Lisa Peterson,
Lonny Price,
Charlotte St. Martin,
Susan H. Schulman,
Oz Scott,
Leigh Silverman, and
Daniel Sullivan.
Another of the gala's highlights will be the establishment of The Zelda Fichandler Award, which recognizes an outstanding director or choreographer who is making a unique and exceptional contribution through his or her work in regional theatre.
The Zelda Fichandler Award is SDCF's first award devoted to regional theatre, where the majority of professional theatre directors and choreographers in the United States now work. The Award will serve as a complement to the "
Mr. Abbott" Award, presented annually in New York to recognize lifetime achievement, and the Joe A. Callaway Award, given for excellence in direction and choreography in non-Broadway productions in New York. The three awards are the only awards given to theatre directors and choreographers by their peers.
Proceeds from the evening will benefit Stage Directors and Choreographers Society Foundation (SDCF) Observership and Fellowship programs.
Stage Directors and Choreographers Society is a national theatrical labor union whose mission is to foster a national community of professional stage Directors and Choreographers by protecting the rights, health and livelihoods of all of its members; to facilitate the exchange of ideas, information and opportunities, while educating the current and future generations about the role of Directors and Choreographers and providing effective administration, negotiations and contractual support.
Tickets are still available for the SDC 50th Anniversary Gala.
Photo credit Walter McBride
