TADA! Youth Theater's Annual Gala to Honor Stephen Schwartz, Julie Turaj, and Robert Pohly

The Drama Desk Award-winning TADA! Youth Theater's Annual Gala will take place on Sunday, March 5, 2017 at Tribeca 360. TADA! is thrilled to announce that this year's honorees are legendary composer & Artistic Advisory Board Member Stephen Schwartz, loyal supporter & Board Member JULIE TURAJ & philanthropist Robert PohlY. The Gala will be hosted by TADA! alum, JORDAN PEELE, of Comedy Central's "Key & Peele." Musical guests & presenters will be announced at a later date.

Stephen Schwartz wrote the music & lyrics for the current Broadway hit Wicked & has also contributed music &/or lyrics to Godspell, Pippin, The Magic Show, The Baker's Wife, Working (which he also adapted & directed), Rags & Children of Eden. He collaborated with Leonard Bernstein on the English texts for Bernstein's Mass & wrote the title song for the play & movie Butterflies Are Free. For children, he has written songs for two musicals: Captain Louie & My Son Pinocchio. He has also worked in film, collaborating with Alan Menken on the songs for Disney's Enchanted as well as the animated features Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame & writing the songs for the Dreamworks animated feature, The Prince of Egypt. His first opera, Séance On A Wet Afternoon, was produced at Opera Santa Barbara & New York City Opera. A book about his career, "Defying Gravity," has been released by Applause Books. Mr. Schwartz has been inducted into the Theatre Hall of Fame & Songwriters Hall of Fame & has been given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Awards include three Academy Awards, Four Grammy Awards & a tiny handful of tennis trophies. Stephen recognizes TADA! as the leading youth theatre & says, "Thank you for providing an inspiring & nurturing environment for the future of musical theatre that has the added benefit of teaching our kids skills that will be useful in other aspects of their lives."

JULIE TURAJ studied at Yale University & Columbia University for her law degrees. She climbed to the top of her field as one of the leading attorneys in NYC. Ms. Turaj serves on countless boards such as TADA!, CMA, NY Pops & more. Her pride & joy are her two daughters who have performed in TADA! original musicals since the age of 8.

RoBert Scott POHLY, also known as Rob, is Portfolio Manager at Samlyn Capital, LLC. Mr. Pohly founded the firm in 2006. Previously, he was a Portfolio Manager at Sigma. Prior to this, he worked at CS First Boston & Tiger Management. Mr. Pohly has also served at SAC Capital. He is a board member with the New York Pops. Mr. Pohly holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Yale University.

JORDAN PEELE, a part of TADA!'s ensemble in the early 90's & an award-winning actor/comedian best known for Comedy Central's "Key & Peele," was also on five seasons of "MADtv." His other acting credits include "Life in Pieces" (2015), "Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp" (2015), "Bob's Burgers" (2014-2015), "Children's Hospital" (2010-2015), "Kroll Show" (2013-2015), "Modern Family" (2013), to name a few. As a writer, Jordan is teaming up with John Carcieri & comedy legend Tracy Morgan to write an FX comedy series for Morgan. Jordan wrote, produced & starred in the 2016 film, Keanu, starring Keegan Michael-Key, Will Forte, Luis Guzman & Jason Mitchell. His feature directorial debut, Get Out is set to be released on February 24, 2017

Jordan Peele is one of the many successful alumni that have come out of TADA!'s Resident Youth Ensemble Program. Others include Kerry Washington, Ricki Lake, Josh Peck, Sasha Allan, Mizuo Peck & many more!

TADA! Youth Theater has won many awards over its 30 years including as The Coming Up Taller Award (the nation's highest honor for youth development from the President's Committee on the Arts & Humanities), Special Drama Desk Award (First youth theater to ever win) for "providing invaluable contribution to the future of the theater," Anne Flagg Multicultural Award (from the American Alliance for Theater Education), over 17 National Youth Theater Arts Awards & 12 National Youth Theater Awards.

Tickets are $250 - $500/Tables - $5,000 & $10,000. For reservations, visit http://www.tadatheater.com/getting-involved/annual-gala.

Since 1984, TADA!'s mission is to provide young people from different backgrounds with musical theater programs that inspire them to be creative, learn, and think differently. TADA! is a unique Drama Desk award-winning nonprofit youth theater that produces original musicals for children, teens, and family audiences. TADA! offers a free, year-round, pre-professional training & youth development program through the Resident Youth Ensemble (ages 8-18); musical theater classes/camps for the public; as well as musical theater residencies in NYC schools and community centers. Through TADA!'s high-quality work, young people develop advanced skills and attributes in leadership, self-confidence, communication, responsibility, creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving - skills that help with growing up and are essential to their success both in school and in life.