Brian Stokes Mitchell, Jessie Mueller & More to Honor Chita Rivera at Signature Theatre Gala

On April 3, 2023, Virginia's Tony Award-winning Signature Theatre will honor the theatrical icon Chita Rivera with the company's twelfth Stephen Sondheim Award. The Stephen Sondheim Award will be presented at a black-tie Gala Benefit at the Embassy of Italy and will benefit Signature Theatre's artistic, education, and community programs. This year's Gala Benefit will be chaired by Cathy Bernard. More information can be found online at SigTheatre.org/SondheimGala.

Paying tribute to Ms. Rivera with live performances are Broadway stars Brian Stokes Mitchell and Jessie Mueller. Signature favorites Austin Colby, Natascia Diaz, Vincent Kempski, David Merino, Katie Mariko Murray and Nova Y. Payton will also perform accompanied by Jon Kalbfleisch.

Signature's Sondheim Award Gala honors individuals who have made important contributions to the American Musical Theater. This spring, Signature is thrilled to celebrate the legendary Chita Rivera, one of Broadway's greatest triple-threat talents. Her electric performance as Anita in the original Broadway production of West Side Story brought her stardom and launched a storied career. She is one of the most nominated performers in Tony Award history, having earned 10 nominations and three awards. Her most recent nomination was in 2015 for The Visit, the final collaboration between John Kander, Fred Ebb, and Terrence McNally, for the role she previously played to great acclaim at Signature in 2008.

In addition to honoring Chita Rivera, Signature will celebrate Michelle S. Lee, Founder, President, & CEO of STG International, Inc. with The J. Watkins Distinguished Service Award for her incredible leadership and support for Signature and for making a difference in the lives of people throughout the region. The J. Watkins Distinguished Service Award was created to honor community leaders who've made an extraordinary impact in the greater DC community through their advocacy and passion for the arts and arts education. The award is made in memory of J. Watkins, a long-time Signature Board member, an important part of the Sondheim Award Gala leadership team, and a tremendous ambassador for Signature and the arts in our community.

Table sponsorship for the 2023 Sondheim Award Gala ranges from $12,000 to $100,000 and includes rewarding, year-long visibility and entertainment benefits. Individual tickets are $1,200. We will determine specific safety protocols for the 2023 Sondheim Award Gala in compliance with future conditions. For more information about sponsorship and tickets contact Ashley Richardson, Donor Services Manager at 571-527-1828 or events@sigtheatre.org.

Brian Stokes Mitchell

Two-time Tony Award winner Brian Stokes Mitchell has enjoyed a career that spans Broadway, television, film, and concert appearances with the country's finest conductors and orchestras. He received Tony, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle awards for his star turn in Kiss Me, Kate. He also gave Tony-nominated performances in Man of La Mancha, August Wilson's King Hedley II, and Ragtime. Other notable Broadway shows include Kiss of the Spider Woman, Jelly's Last Jam, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown and Shuffle Along. In 2016 he was awarded his second Tony Award, the prestigious Isabelle Stevenson Tony for his charitable work with The Actors Fund. That same year, Stokes was inducted into the Theatre Hall of Fame.

An extremely versatile and in-demand singer, Stokes has performed at venues spanning the jazz, opera, pops, country, and musical theater worlds. Stokes has made multiple appearances at Carnegie Hall, beginning with his debut with the San Francisco Symphony through his televised performance in South Pacific opposite Reba McEntire. He returned to Carnegie Hall for his sold-out solo concert, which he continues to perform throughout the U.S. He has been invited twice to perform at the White House (both times aired on PBS's "Great Performances") and has performed multiple times for Presidents Clinton and Obama. His extensive screen credits began with a guest starring role on Roots: The Next Generations, followed by a 7-year stint on Trapper John, MD. Screen credits have continued with memorable appearances on everything from PBS' Great Performances to The Fresh Prince, Frasier, Glee, Jumping the Broom and his most recent recurring roles on Madam Secretary, Mr. Robot, The Path, Billions and The Good Fight.

Jessie Mueller

is a Tony and Grammy Award-winning actress and singer. She is thrilled to be back in DC, having recently starred in the Kennedy Center's Guys & Dolls and The Music Man. Broadway credits include Tracy Lett's The Minutes, Julie Jordan in the recent revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Carousel (Tony & Grammy nominations, Drama Desk Award), originating the roles of both Jenna in Waitress (Tony, DD & Grammy noms) and Carole King in Beautiful-The Carole King Musical (Tony, Grammy & DD Awards.) Other Broadway credits include On A Clear Day You Can See Forever, Nice Work if You Can Get It, and The Mystery of Edwin Drood with the one and only Chita Rivera! Concert appearances include Chicago's Lyric Opera, Jazz at Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall. Film and Television: Steven Spielberg's The Post, Secret Headquarters, Madam Secretary, Blue Bloods, Hulu's Candy, and Lifetime's Patsy & Loretta. She can be heard as part of the wacky cast of Netflix' Centaurworld and Wondery's Melon's House Party. She is an Arts Education champion for groups such as Rosie's Theatre Kids and a long-time supporter of The Actors Fund & Broadway Cares Equity Fights Aids.

Austin Colby

he/him SIGNATURE: West Side Story, Simply Sondheim, Crossing, Spin. OFF-BROADWAY: Jersey Boys. NATIONAL TOUR: Disney's Frozen, The Sound of Music. DC AREA: Arena Stage: Smokey Joe's Café. REGIONAL: The Old Globe: Come Fall in Love; Drury Lane Theatre: South Pacific. EDUCATION: James Madison University, 2011, Bachelor of Music.

Natascia Diaz

SIGNATURE: Passion (Fosca, Helen Hayes Award), Threepenny Opera (Jenny, Helen Hayes nom.), West Side Story (Anita, Helen Hayes nom.), Kiss of the Spiderwoman (Aurora). BROADWAY: Man of La Mancha (Antonia, u/s Aldonza), Seussical. OFF-BROADWAY: Encores! Grand Hotel (Rafaella), The Capeman (Esmeralda), Jacques Brel, tick, tick, BOOM! (Susan, LA Ovation nom.). TOUR: West Side Story (Anita, Chicago Jeff Award, St. Louis Kevin Kline Award). DC: Shakespeare Theatre: Our Town (Mrs. Gibbs); Woolly: Collective Rage (Betty #3); MetroStage: Jacques Brel (Woman 1, Helen Hayes Award), Savage In Limbo (Savage), Rooms (Monica, Helen Hayes Award, shared with Chita!). REGIONAL: San Francisco Playhouse: Sally (Follies); St. Louis Muny: On Your Feet (Gloria Fajardo, St. Louis Critics Award), Chicago (Velma, Critics nom.); Hartford Stage: Ah, Wilderness! (Lily). FILM: Every Little Step. natasciadiaz.com

Vincent Kempski

(he/him) SIGNATURE: Into the Woods, RENT, Assassins, A Chorus Line, Camille Claudel, Gypsy, Grand Hotel, Billy Elliot, Jesus Christ Superstar, Miss Saigon, Spin, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Ol' Blue Eyes, Entirely Elvis, Woodstock, Crossing In Concert. NEW YORK: Musical Theatre Factory: The Greenwood Tree. DC AREA: Ford's Theatre: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee; Round House Theatre: The Nutcracker; Olney Theatre Center: Kinky Boots, Grease, Joseph...Dreamcoat, Takes One to Know One; Keegan Theatre: Spring Awakening; Kennedy Center: Latino Inaugural 2013, The Greenwood Tree; DAR Constitution Hall: Horatio Alger Awards 2018; Capital Fringe Festival: Gilded; TELEVISION: A Capitol Fourth; MUSIC: Sinderella; EDUCATION: BM, The Catholic University of America. @vinnykempski

David Merino

he/they/she SIGNATURE: Into the Woods, RENT. NATIONAL TOUR: Rent. OFF-BROADWAY: 3 Dollar Bill: Oscar @ the Crown. REGIONAL: La Jolla Playhouse: Lempicka; North Carolina Theatre: Kinky Boots; Broadway at Music Circus: In the Heights; Theaterworks Hartford: Girlfriend. EDUCATION: NYU Tisch: BFA Drama. david-merino.com. @DavidLMerino.

Katie Mariko Murray

she/they SIGNATURE: Into the Woods, RENT, Simply Sondheim, Signature Vinyl, Grand Hotel, Passion, West Side Story, Miss Saigon. NYC: ARSNova: KPOP the Musical workshop; NAAP: Into the Woods concert (Cinderella). REGIONAL: Arena Stage: Ride the Cyclone (Jane Doe); Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera: The Drowsy Chaperone (Janet Van De Graaf); Weathervane Repertory: The King and I (Tuptim), Mamma Mia (Sophie); Tuacahn: Disney's When You Wish (world premiere, Pocahontas, Jasmine, Mulan); McCarter Theatre: A Christmas Carol; Fulton Opera House: Miss Saigon. EDUCATION: BFA Penn State. Katiemarikomurray.com @ktpotaty

Nova Y. Payton SIGNATURE: Into the Woods, The Color Purple, We Shall Someday, After Midnight, Assassins, Blackbeard, Ain't Misbehavin', Jelly's Last Jam, La Cage aux Folles, Diner, Defying Gravity: Making of a SuperNOVA, Dreamgirls, The Best Little Whorehouse..., Xanadu, Hairspray. TOUR: 3 Mo' Divas, Smokey Joe's Café. DC AREA: Round House: Caroline, or Change; Shakespeare Theatre: The Amen Corner, Kiss Me, Kate; Ford's Theatre: Grace the Musical, Ragtime, Freedom's Song; Olney Theatre: Godspell; Arena Stage: Newsies, Smokey Joe's Café; Kennedy Center: How To Succeed.... REGIONAL: ZACH Theatre: Into the Woods; The 5th: Man of La Mancha, A Night with Janis Joplin; Milwaukee Rep: Dreamgirls.

ABOUT Chita Rivera

A theatrical icon and one of Broadway's greatest triple-threat talents, Chita Rivera is one of the most nominated performers in Tony Award history having earned 10 nominations, won twice and received the 2018 Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre. A versatile actress/singer/dancer, her most recent starring roles include The Visit, the final John Kander/Fred Ebb/Terrence McNally musical directed by John Doyle and choreographed by Graciela Daniele on Broadway; the Broadway revival of The Mystery of Edwin Drood; the Broadway and touring productions of The Dancer's Life, a dazzling musical celebrating her spectacular career, written by Terrence McNally and directed by Graciela Daniele and the revival of the Broadway musical Nine with Antonio Banderas. She trained as a ballerina (from age nine) before receiving a scholarship to the School of American Ballet from the legendary choreographer George Balanchine. Chita's first appearance (age 19) was as a principal dancer in Call Me Madam. Her electric performance as Anita in the original Broadway premiere of West Side Story brought her stardom, which she repeated in London. Her career is highlighted by starring roles in Bye Bye Birdie, The Rink (Tony Award), Chicago, Jerry's Girls, Kiss of the Spider Woman (Tony Award), and the original Broadway casts of Guys and Dolls, Can-Can, Seventh Heaven and Mr. Wonderful. On tour: Born Yesterday, The Rose Tattoo, Call Me Madam, Threepenny Opera, Sweet Charity, Kiss Me Kate, Zorba, Can-Can with The Rockettes . Chita was awarded The Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2009 and received the coveted Kennedy Center Honor in 2002. In 2019, Chita performed her solo concert at London's Cadogan Hall; in 2018 she was honored as a Living Landmark by the New York Landmarks Conservancy; in 2016 she headlined at Carnegie Hall and in 2015, Great Performances aired their special Chita Rivera: A Lot of Livin' To Do, a retrospective of her extraordinary life and career nationally on PBS. Her current solo CD is entitled And Now I Swing. Her long-awaited book CHITA: A MEMOIR will be published by HarperOne on April 25, 2023. Her most treasured production is her daughter, singer/dancer/choreographer Lisa Mordente.

ABOUT THE Stephen Sondheim AWARD

In 2009, Signature Theatre inaugurated the Stephen Sondheim Award in recognition of the importance of Mr. Sondheim's work to Signature and to theatre in general. Previous award recipients have included Angela Lansbury (2010), Bernadette Peters (2011), Patti LuPone (2012), Harold "Hal" Prince (2013), Jonathan Tunick (2014), James Lapine (2015), John Weidman (2016), Sir Cameron Mackintosh (2017), John Kander (2018), Audra McDonald (2019) and Carol Burnett (2022).

The award, established in 2009, is given to an individual for his or her career contributions to the American Musical Theater along with interpreting, supporting, or collaborating on works by Sondheim. By the conclusion of the 2022/23 season, Signature will have produced 34 Stephen Sondheim productions, more than any other theatre in the United States.

ABOUT MICHELLE S. LEE

Ever the entrepreneur Michelle S. Lee is the Founder, President, and CEO of STG International, Inc. (STGi), a workforce solutions firm providing specialized professional services in the areas of healthcare delivery services and early childhood education/Head Start training and technical services to Federal government agencies. Established in 1997 in Ms. Lee's home, STGi currently has offices in Arlington, VA. Ms. Lee originally started STGi by providing library services to Federal civilian agencies. Wanting to have a greater impact Ms. Lee wasn't satisfied with providing only library services, fast forward 25 years and STGi's impact is difficult to quantify and measure. STGi serves some of our nations most vulnerable, underserved, and deserving populations. Working alongside the Department of Veteran's Affairs STGi designs and builds state of the art outpatient clinics for the exclusive use of over 70,000 Veterans nationwide. Another example of the impact is STGi's work with the office of Head Start where STGi touches over 600,000 low-income children and families in the continental U.S., Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. STGi has earned a spot on the Inc. 500 list eight times, a feat only a few other companies have achieved and has been recognized with SmartCEO's "Corporate Cultural Award" - for exuding a positive, productive, and performance-driven company culture.

Ms. Lee actively supports professional, academic, and civic organizations, serving on several executive boards. Ms. Lee is the Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of ServiceSource, Inc., a leading regional not-for-profit that serves individuals with disabilities and their families; providing employment opportunities, rehabilitation, and housing services in eight states and the District of Columbia. Ms. Lee has served on the Board of Directors since 2008. An advocate for delivering healthcare to the underprivileged, Ms. Lee has served as a trusted advisor on the Board of Directors for MedStar Washington Hospital Center Foundation, located in Washington, DC, since 2008. Ms. Lee also serves as the Founding Member on the Board of Directors for the MedStar Heart and Vascular Institute. Numerous business organizations have recognized Ms. Lee's accomplishments, including the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE), the Ernst & Young Discussion Panel on Diversity and Entrepreneurship, the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG), the National Association for Women Business Owners (NAWBO), SmartCEO Future 50 Hall of Fame - five (5) times award winner, Washington Technology Fast 50, Forbes Magazine, Washington Business Journal Women Who Mean Business Award, and Woman-Owned Business of the Year Finalist for the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Corporate Citizenship Award. She has been a featured guest on several radio shows, including the Executive Business Leaders Radio, The Growth Strategist, and Leaders Portfolio with Rebecca Blacksmith, and cover story and highlighted in SmartCEO Magazine, American Executive, and the Washington Business Journal. A firm believer in community service, Ms. Lee and STGi contribute significantly to the vitality of the Northern Virginia community by supporting arts and culture activities at Signature Theatre. For the past ten years, Ms. Lee's philanthropic efforts have contributed to Signature Theatre's award-winning productions and community initiatives. Ms. Lee's enthusiasm for helping others is contagious as she has mobilized employees at STGi and individuals in her professional network to support her philanthropies. Ms. Lee holds a Master of Science in Library and Information Sciences from Texas Woman's University. Ms. Lee is a member of Leadership Greater Washington Class of 2015 and the 2014 class of Leadership Foundry, Women in Technology.

ABOUT THE J. WATKINS DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD

The J. Watkins Distinguished Service Award honors community leaders who have made an extraordinary impact in the greater DC community through their passion and advocacy for theater and arts education. The award is made in memory of J. Watkins, a long-time Signature Board Member, an important part of the Sondheim Award Gala leadership team, and a tremendous ambassador for Signature and the arts in our community.

ABOUT SIGNATURE

Signature Theatre is a Tony Award®-winning regional theater that broadens and brightens the region's cultural landscape with its bold productions of challenging new and established works and engaging education and outreach programs. Founded in 1989 by Eric Schaeffer and Donna Migliaccio, and currently under the leadership of Managing Director Maggie Boland and Artistic Director Matthew Gardiner, musical theater is Signature's "signature," and the Theatre is renowned for its definitive Sondheim productions, inventive adaptations of overlooked or forgotten works, and investment in fresh new projects. Signature combines Broadway-caliber productions with intimate playing spaces and aims to be a leading force in U.S. musical theater.

Since its inception, the Theatre has produced 59 world premiere works-including 19 new musical commissions. Signature opens its doors to more than 100,000 people annually from the Washington, DC region and beyond and reaches more than 10,000 students every year through its innovative education programs, including the award-winning initiative Signature in the Schools. Signature has won 134 Helen Hayes Awards for excellence in the Washington, DC region's professional theater and has been honored with 482 nominations.