Amy Sherman-Palladino, Scott Ellis, Black Theatre United & More to be Honored at Roundabout Theatre Company's 2023 Gala

Roundabout Theatre Company's 2023 Gala will honor Amy Sherman-Palladino, Daniel Palladino, Scott Ellis, and Black Theatre United on Monday, March 6 at the Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York City. Two-time Tony Award winner Sutton Foster will perform a unique concert created exclusively for the special occasion.

The evening will celebrate Mr. Palladino and Mrs. Sherman-Palladino with the Ovation Award for Excellence in Philanthropy, given to those who are committed to growing New York City arts and culture and promoting the essential work of a cultural not-for-profit. Mr. Ellis will be honored for his contribution to the theater with The Jason Robards Award for Excellence in Theatre, named after the late Jason Robards for his longstanding relationship with Roundabout and memorable body of stage work. Black Theatre United will receive a Special Recognition Award for their work to create a more just and inclusive theatre industry. These awards are given to those who have made an indelible impact on both theatre and Roundabout.

All tickets and tables include a seat for the dinner, live auction, and the special concert performance by Sutton Foster.

All proceeds benefit Roundabout's many programs, including Education at Roundabout, which offers nationally recognized programs that use the stimulating power of the arts to inspire, engage, and promote social equity.

The evening is being co-chaired by Samantha Rudin Earls and David Earls, and Johannes (Johs) and Regis Worsoe. Gala Vice Chairs include Jeff Barker, Bank of America, Cynthia and Ron Beck, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Roxanne and Scott Bok, Karen McKeel Calby, John and Colleen Cook, Susan and Ed Forst, Sylvia Golden, Jeanne and Tom Hagerty, Tom and Kitty Patterson Kempner, Stephanie and Ron Kramer, Dr. Taylor W. Lawrence and Dr. Ryan P. Shelhamer, Alan P. Mark and Jeffrey Fraenkel, Beryl Snyder and Steven Trost, Mary Solomon, Diane and Tom Tuft, Frances and Paul Turner. The Gala Auction is CoChaired by Wendy Barker, Colleen Cook, and Sylvia Golden. The Gala Performance is underwritten by Dr. Taylor W. Lawrence and Dr. Ryan P. Shelhamer. The Education Paddle Raise is sponsored by Capital One.

Gala Tickets range from $2,500 - $10,000 and include seating for the dinner and performance, and an invitation to the private cocktail party with Roundabout artists starting at $3,500. Gala Tables start at $25,000 and include a table of ten for dinner and the performance.

To purchase tickets or a table to Roundabout's 2023 Gala, contact: events@roundabouttheatre.org For more information: https://gala.roundabouttheatre.org.

Amy Sherman-Palladino

began her career in the entertainment business as a staff writer on Roseanne during the show's third season, evolving into story editor and supervising producing posts. During her four seasons on Roseanne, Sherman-Palladino was nominated for Emmy and Writers Guild Awards and was honored with a Peabody.

In 2000, Sherman-Palladino created the beloved television series Gilmore Girls, which ran for seven seasons and went on to become the WB's most popular series. As creator, writer and executive producer, the show earned widespread critical acclaim, with Time magazine listing Gilmore Girls among its "100 Best TV Shows of All Time." Among later projects for Amy Sherman-Palladino was the ABC Family dance drama Bunheads, starring Sutton Foster.

Sherman-Palladino along with Daniel Palladino served as co-producers on Roundabout Theatre Company's 2014 production of Violet, which was nominated for four Tony Awards including Best Revival of a Musical.

2016 brought the highly anticipated return of Gilmore Girls to Netflix as a four-part mini- series with Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life. Sherman-Palladino served as executive producer, writer and director alongside her husband and frequent collaborator, writer/producer/director Daniel Palladino.

Currently, Sherman-Palladino is serving as creator, executive producer, director, and writer on the fifth season of the Prime Video series, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. The series has won 20 Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Comedy Series, and Sherman-Palladino made Emmys history with wins for both Comedy Writing and Comedy Directing. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel has also earned six Critics' Choice Awards, five SAG Awards, two PGA Awards, a WGA Award, and a Peabody Award.

Daniel Palladino

broke into television in 1989 on the hit ABC series Who's the Boss? Palladino also spent two years on Roseanne, serving as Executive Producer. In 2000, he worked on the hit WB series Gilmore Girls and eventually segued into directing. He went on to serve in producing and directing roles on The Return of Jezebel James and Bunheads.

Palladino was executive producer and showrunner of Family Guy for its initial two seasons, earning an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Animated Program for its debut season. From 2012- 2013, he returned as a consulting producer.

In 2016, Palladino helped navigate the return of Gilmore Girls, serving as executive producer, writer and director alongside series creator Amy Sherman-Palladino.

Palladino then served as Executive Producer and director on the Prime Video series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, which has won twenty Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Comedy Series, three Golden Globes and six Critics' Choice Awards, as well as the WGA award and the Peabody.

Palladino and Amy Sherman-Palladino provided major underwriting support and served as co-producers on Roundabout Theatre Company's 2014 production of Violet, which was nominated for four Tony Awards including Best Revival of a Musical.

He is a board member of New York City's Film Forum.

Scott Ellis

Broadway credits include: Take Me Out; Tootsie (2019 Tony Award nomination), Kiss Me, Kate; She Loves Me (2016 Tony Award nomination); On the Twentieth Century; You Can't Take It With You (Tony nomination); The Elephant Man; The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Tony nomination); Harvey; Curtains (Tony nomination); The Little Dog Laughed (Drama League Award nomination); Twelve Angry Men (Tony nomination); The Man Who Had All the Luck; The Rainmaker; 1776 (Drama Desk Award and Tony nominations); Picnic (Outer Critics Circle Award nomination); Company; A Month in the Country; and Steel Pier (Tony nomination). Off-Broadway credits include Dada Woof Papa Hot; The Unavoidable Disappearance of Tom Durnin; Gruesome Playground Injuries; Streamers; Good Boys and True; Entertaining Mr. Sloane; Flora, the Red Menace (Drama Desk nomination); And the World Goes 'Round (Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards), and The Waverly Gallery. His television credits include: "Julia", "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel", CBS' new show "East New York", "The Closer", "Weeds" (executive producer), "30 Rock" (Emmy Award nomination for Best Director), "Modern Family". Mr. Ellis is Deputy Associate Director of the Roundabout Theatre Company.

BLACK THEATRE UNITED

(BTU), a 501(c)3 nonprofit, was founded to build pathways of access and opportunities for Black and other students and industry professionals who have been historically marginalized in the theatre community. As members of the Black theatre community, they stand together to help protect Black people, Black theatre, and Black lives of all shapes and orientations in communities across the country. Their voices are united to educate, empower, and inspire through excellence and activism in the pursuit of justice and equality. They will tell their stories, preserve our history, and ensure the legacy of Black theatre as American culture. This call to action is just the beginning. It was the latest manifestations of police brutality that galvanized Black Theatre United into being. With roots reaching into all 50 of the United States this coalition can harness invaluable political scope and influence. To elevate a cause or to overturn policies that target black people in any one state or community, the group will draw on members with local connections to use their visibility and influence for good in theater and on the national stage. Passionate and committed, BTU's founding group of actors, directors, musicians, writers, technicians, producers and stage management includes: Lisa Dawn Cave, Darius de Haas, Carin Ford, Capathia Jenkins, LaChanze, Kenny Leon, Norm Lewis, Audra McDonald, Michael McElroy, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Wendell Pierce, Billy Porter, Anna Deavere Smith, Allyson Tucker, Tamara Tunie, Lillias White, NaTasha Yvette Williams, Schele Williams and Vanessa Williams.

Sutton Foster

is a Tony Award-winning American actress, singer, and dancer best known for her work on the Broadway stage. Her critically acclaimed roles as Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes and Millie in Thoroughly Modern Millie earned her two Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical Tony awards. Most recently, Sutton made her highly anticipated Broadway return as Marian in the revival of The Music Man, opposite Hugh Jackman at The Winter Garden Theatre, for which she earned another Tony Award nomination. Last fall Sutton released her memoir Hooked: How Crafting Saved My Life. The page turner is comprised of funny and intimate stories and reflections about how crafting has kept her sane while navigating the highs and lows of family, love, and show business. In the summer of 2021, Sutton reprised her role in Anything Goes at the Barbican Theatre in London in which she earned an Oliver Award nomination for Best Actress in a Musical. A cinematic version of the show had a subsequent limited release in US and Australia theaters. Other notable Broadway roles include performances in Violet, Shrek, Young Frankenstein, The Drowsy Chaperone, Little Women, Les Misérables, Annie, The Scarlet Pimpernel, and Grease. Off-Broadway, Sutton has been seen in Sweet Charity (The Pershing Square Signature Center) The Wild Party (City Center Encores!), Trust (Second Stage), and Anyone Can Whistle (City Center Encores!). She has toured all over the country with her solo albums, which include Take Me to the World, Wish and An Evening with Sutton Foster: Live at the Café Carlyle. On television, Sutton led Darren Star's hit TV Land series, "Younger" for seven seasons. She has also appeared in "A Million Little Things," "Instinct," "Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life," "Mad Dogs," "Elementary," "Psych," "Bunheads," "Royal Pains," "Law & Order: SVU," "Flight of the Conchords" and "Sesame Street." She holds an honorary doctorate from Ball State University, where she also teaches.