Shire, Weidman, et al. Honored by National Arts Club

On Sunday, November 14, 2010,  The National Arts Club was the site of a Gala evening honoring Richard Maltby, Jr., David Shire and John Weidman. The VIP guests enjoyed cocktails and a repast featuring the culinary artistry of the talented chefs at The National Arts Club. Guests were then entertained with a variety of music by David Shire and Richard Maltby,Jr. with selections from the musicals of Scott Frankel, Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman and performed by Stars of  Broadway, Television and Film, including BD Wong, Karen Ziemba, Mario Cantone, Lynne Wintersteller , Julia Lema and Fred Applegate.  Memorable Recollections were provided by theatre greats Susan Stroman and Gala honorary Chairs Maury Yeston  and Sheldon Harnick. After the awards presentation guests enjoyed Champagne, coffee and a magnificent array of desserts.

Encompass New Opera Theatre is the nation's leading champion and producer of new Opera and Musical works. Headed by Artistic Director, Nancy Rhodes, Encompass has gained international recognition by producing over 55 fully mounted operas with orchestra and staged readings of more than155 new works, from jazz, cabaret, musicals and opera. The groundbreaking company has the support of many of this century's theatre greats including Harold Prince, Stephen Sondheim and Charles Strouse.

Encompass is currently working on a compelling new opera, Angel of the Amazon by composer and librettist Evan Mack, about the life and work of Sister Dorothy Stang, an American nun who devoted forty years to help the indigenous people of Brazil gain land rights, build sustainable communities and preserve the rain forests. She was martyred in 2005 at the hands of the destroyers of the Amazonian rainforest.