Wendell Pierce, Lena Hall, Helen Park & More Set for The Drama League 2022 Fall Gala Celebration

The Drama League has announced performers and appearances slated for the 2022 Fall gala, "Embrace The Season: A Drama League Celebration." Coming up on Monday, October 17 at 6:00 PM at City Winery (25 11th Avenue), the gala will feature a dazzling array of exclusive cast performances and appearances from musicals and plays on stage this season, as well as a sneak peek of productions to come. The expansive stage program - directed by Tony Award nominee Sheryl Kaller, with The Broadway Sinfonietta as the event's House Band - will feature exclusive first previews of The Karate Kid, performed by Alan H. Green and Music Director Andrew Resnick, and Bliss, performed by Kayla Davion, Katy Geraghty, Gizel Jiménez, and Claire Neumann, as well as performances by Tony Award Winner Lena Hall from Little Shop of Horrors, Helen Park from KPOP, Shereen Ahmed from A Man of No Importance, in addition to appearances from Olivier Award-Nominated performer Wendell Pierce from Death of A Salesman, Obie Award-Winning performer April Matthis from The Piano Lesson, and a special teaser from Back to the Future.

The event will also feature an appearance from Tony Award-Nominated director Liesl Tommy. Tommy was the first-ever woman of color to be nominated for the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play for Eclipsed in 2016. Her debut feature film Respect, the story of Aretha Franklin, starring Jennifer Hudson, was released internationally last fall.

Artistic Director Gabriel Stelian-Shanks said, "I believe Liesl's true impact on the theater is that she was creating diverse and equitable productions long before it was a part of the national conversation. She's the original visionary of our moment. We are thrilled and honored that she will be joining us for this event."

The "Embrace The Season" Gala, presented with a spirit of uplifting and amplifying the New York theater community as it returns to a post-pandemic vitality, will also include the presentation of the annual Arts Ally Award, given each year to those who strengthen the foundation upon which the arts stand. The 2022 honoree is a New York-based theater and film production and investment company, Caiola Productions (Company, The Inheritance, Dear Evan Hansen, Little Shop of Horrors), led by Luigi Caiola and Rose Caiola. The gala is chaired by Mary Jain, with additional major support from BroadwayHD, Caiola Productions, City National Bank, Kirk Iwanowski & Steven Cohen, Una Jackman / Talu Productions and Jay Alix / and Lakeview Productions, John Gore Organization, Ken Davenport Productions, Manhattan Movement and Arts Center, Nederlander Organization, Sceneworks Studios, Susan Edelstein Productions, Tiwary Entertainment Groupand more.

The Creative Team for this year's Drama League benefit Gala also features Associate Direction by Joyce Chittick, Production Management by Teresa Cruz, Stage Management by Karen Schleifer, Music Supervision by The Broadway Sinfonietta's Macy Schmidt (Kimberly Akimbo, Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical), Assistant Direction by Tai Thompson and Andrew Coopman (Drama League Directing Fellowship Alumni), Producing Assistance from Kaylin Kellin, Assistant Stage Management by Joanna Schutzer, and vocal stylings from actor Beethovan Oden as the Announcer/"Voice of Oz." The Gala performance is produced by The Drama League's Artistic Line Producer, Ali Skye Bennet.

The Drama League has been at the forefront of the American theater community since 1916, providing lifelong artistic resources for directors and a platform for dialogue with audiences. Drama League Directors have received 22 Tony Award Nominations and nine Tony Award Wins, 20 Obie Awards, and multiple Oscar, Emmy, Golden Globe, Peabody, Jefferson, Drama-Logue, Helen Hayes, NAACP, GLAAD and Princess Grace Nominations and Awards, among other honors. Over 100 of them are Artistic Leaders of theaters and production companies across the United States, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. Collectively directing approximately 1,000 productions each season, Drama League Directors work in every aspect of the arts and entertainment industries. They have transformed, entertained, and inspired millions around the world.

Each year, The Drama League's annual events bookend the theater season - kicking off with the Gala that provides attendees with a one-of-a-kind opportunity to see the finest talent on stage, and then sealing the season with a grand celebration at The Drama League Awards. Returning President of the Drama League Board of Directors Bonnie Comley said, "It is my pleasure to share how proud we are to provide such critical support to the American Theater. Our upcoming Gala will celebrate our community by honoring the thrilling season ahead of Broadway and Off-Broadway theater and provide much-needed funds to support the young artists in our Director's Project. We hope you will join us!" 

The Board of Directors' Executive Committee is Bonnie Comley (President); Joseph Pizza and Dr. Arthur Pober (Vice Presidents); Townsend Teague (Treasurer); Donna Daniels (Secretary); Gabriel Stelian-Shanks (Artistic Director); and Bevin Ross (Executive Director). Completing the Drama League Board of Directors are Elena Araoz, Tony Benten, Estefanía Fadul, Leslie Feldman, Irene Gandy, Sarah Hutton, Kirk Iwanowski, Una Jackman, Mary Jain, Paula Kaminsky Davis, Gwynn MacDonald, Stan Ponte, John Alan Turner, Nicole A. Watson, and Kumiko Yoshii.

For tickets to the Gala, visit dramaleague.org/gala2022, call 212-625-1025, or email events@dramaleague.org. The suggested dress for the Gala event is festive cocktail attire, black tie is optional.

ABOUT THE DRAMA LEAGUE:

The Drama League advances the American theater by providing lifelong artistic resources for directors and a platform for dialogue with audiences. Founded in 1916, we are one of the longest-running arts service organizations in the country. We enable directors to make the most powerful, impactful work possible across multiple mediums reaching ever-wider audiences, and build sustainable careers. Uplifting directors of all economic classes, races, abilities, genders and identities is a cornerstone of this mission. We provide support to directors throughout their artistic life, and our work in education offers both continued learning to professionals and introduces the skills of directing to young people. Underpinning our work is the support of our members, a community of ardent theater fans and industry professionals whose commitment to advancing the art form helps develop the careers of the talented directors we champion.