Wendell Pierce and the Company of the World Premiere Musical ROW to Join 2021 WTF Gala

Today, Williamstown Theatre Festival announced additional participants for the 2021 WTF Gala taking place virtually on Wednesday, April 7.

Joining the festivities will be Olivier Award nominee Wendell Pierce (Death of a Salesman) who is a co-founder of Black Theatre United, a partner in WTF's new Early Career BIPOC Theatre-Makers Program, and Emmy Award winner Al Roker (NBC's "Today").

In addition, the company of the WTF Season on Audible production of Row will perform the opening number from the world premiere musical. The cast featured in the number includes Kerstin Anderson, John Ellison Conlee, Nehal Joshi, Tamika Lawrence, John McGinty, Grace McLean, Kathryn O'Rourke, Lance Roberts, Sean Stack, and Sally Wilfert.

Row, which features a book by Daniel Goldstein and music and lyrics by Dawn Landes, will be released the day after the gala, Thursday, April 8, as part of the WTF summer season produced on Audible, the leading creator and provider of premium audio storytelling.

As previously announced, the Gala will start at 7:30 PM ET, preceded by an interactive VIP pre-show for event sponsors and virtual table buyers, and will feature musical performances and special appearances from beloved friends of the Festival.

Other artists scheduled to appear include Emmy Award nominee Jesse Tyler Ferguson (WTF's Grand Horizons, "Modern Family"), Tony Award® nominee and Grammy Award® winner Renée Fleming (WTF's Living on Love, Carousel), Pulitzer Prize winner Michael R. Jackson (A Strange Loop, 2020 WTF Artist-in-Residence), best-selling author and actress Jill Kargman (Momzillas: A Novel, "Odd Mom Out"), Tony Award and Emmy Award winner John Lithgow ("The Crown," Hillary and Clinton), Tony Award nominee and Emmy Award winner S. Epatha Merkerson (WTF's A Raisin in the Sun, "Chicago Med"), Drama Desk Award® nominee Steven Pasquale (WTF's The Bridges of Madison County, "The Comey Rule"), 2021 Academy Award® and Golden Globe Award® nominee Amanda Seyfried (Mank, Les Miserables), Tony Award nominee Phillipa Soo (Hamilton; Natasha, Pierre, and The Great Comet of 1812), and Academy Award® winner Marisa Tomei (WTF's The Rose Tattoo, The Big Short).

A portion of the proceeds from the 2021 WTF Gala will be distributed to the scenic designers, costume designers, lighting designers, and stage managers whose invaluable artistic contributions to the development and creation of productions for the 2020 season - converted to an all-audio format in response to the global health pandemic - must be recognized and cherished. WTF deeply values all of the artists, technicians, administrators, and staff members who make the Festival possible and is working hard to sustain community through this challenging time for the broader theatre industry.

The 2021 WTF Gala music team will feature Meg Zervoulis (music director), Michael Croiter (music producer), Brian Holtz (bass), and Jared Schonig (drums).

To learn more about the 2021 WTF Gala, please call 212 395 9090 x 110 or visit gala.wtfestival.org. Additional information about the 2021 WTF Gala will be announced at a later date and made available at gala.wtfestival.org.