Andrew Rannells, Caissie Levy & More Join Host Committee for JQY Gala

JQY (Jewish Queer Youth) has unveiled the star-studded host committee and the production team behind its annual gala on Monday, March 16, in the David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center in New York City.

Co-chaired by JQY board member and award-winning brand strategist Duvi Stahler and inaugural Jewish Queer Icon Awardee, Tony Award-winning producer Rachel Sussman, the host committee includes Tovah Feldshuh, Caissie Levy, Bess Kalb, Judy Kuhn, Joshua Malina, Cristin Milioti, Andrew Rannells, Jeanine Tesori, and Zachary Noah Piser, among others. A full host committee list can be found at jqy.org/gala.

“The breadth of the Host Committee demonstrates the broad, growing support for our mission to empower Jewish queer youth to live as their full, complete selves,” said Rachael Fried, executive director of JQY. “We look forward to celebrating our impact and raising funds to support more Jewish LGBTQ teens and young adults than ever before.”

As previously reported, the organization’s annual gala will honor Tony Award-winning actor Brandon Uranowitz with the Jewish Queer Icon Award. JQY will also honor Tony Award-winning producer Riva Marker with the JQY Trailblazer Award, a recognition that will be presented at their annual gala for the first time.

The evening will be produced by Heather Shields and Robb Nanus. Shields’s Broadway credits include Cabaret with Eddie Redmayne​, The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window, Bandstand, and A Christmas Carol, which won a record-breaking 5 out of 5 Tony awards. Nanus’ production credits included the national tour of Charlie Rosen’s Grammy Award-winning 8-Bit Big Band, the world premiere of NUBIA, the first all-Black drag extravaganza featuring stars from RuPaul’s Drag Race, the ACLU/NYCLU’s Broadway Stands Up for Freedom concert with Kelli O’Hara, the award-winning musical Newton's Cradle, the Obie-winning The Woodsman, the Drama Desk-winning The Lion, and the New York premiere of Andrew Lippa's I Am Harvey Milk starring Kristin Chenoweth at Lincoln Center.

Emily Maltby, a theater director, choreographer, and writer, will direct the evening’s performances. Maltby’s recent credits include: the world premiere of Dare to Dream, Jr (Disney Theatrical Group), It's a Miracle (Vineyard Theater), and Evita (ART, STC, and NYCC). Her work has also been seen around the country at theaters including Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, and McCarter Theater Center, as well as internationally in Tokyo, Singapore, and London.

The gala raises funds for JQY’s programs, including free mental health services, community-building events, and critical support for LGBTQ youth in need. Further details about the gala can be found here.