Ebersole and Murphy To Host Drama League's Benefit Gala

On Monday, February 2, 2009, Tony and Drama League Award winners Christine Ebersole and Donna Murphy will host The Drama League's annual all-star gala, "A MUSICAL CELEBRATION OF BROADWAY." This year's black-tie event, to be held at New York City's famed Rainbow Room (30 Rockefeller Plaza), will honor Broadway producers Stewart F. Lane and Bonnie Comley, as well as the 25th Anniversary of The Drama League Directors Project.

Gala honorees Stewart F. Lane and Bonnie Comley have produced many shows on Broadway, including recent productions of Sunday in the Park with George, Legally Blonde, The 39 Steps, Cyrano de Bergerac and the upcoming revival of American Buffalo.

Lane's Tony Award-winning producing efforts include Thoroughly Modern Millie, The Will Rogers Follies and La Cage Aux Folles. Together, Lane and Comley produced the Tony Award winning Jay Johnson: The Two & Only.

Each year, the one-night-only gala concert boasts an incredible roster of Broadway's biggest and brightest stars, performing favorite songs from Broadway seasons past and present. This year, the show will include performances highlighting the careers of Lane and Comley, as well as past Broadway productions helmed by alumni of The Drama League Directors Project. Directed by Johanna McKeon and Roger Danforth, and choreographed by Tony Award winner Cady Huffman, "A MUSICAL CELEBRATION OF BROADWAY" is written by Stephen Cole, and features musical direction by David Krane.

The musical revue is the highlight of The Drama League's annual benefit gala at Rockefeller Center's breathtaking Rainbow Room. The festive evening will begin at 7 p.m. with a cocktail reception and silent auction/raffle, where guests can take in the spectacular views of Manhattan. The evening continues at 8 p.m. with an elegant seated dinner in the main dining room, followed by the performance.

The gala also celebrates the 25th Anniversary of The Drama League Directors Project, the nation's leading career development program for early and mid-career theatre directors. Founded by former Drama League President Julia Hansen, The Directors Project is aimed at identifying and helping young, talented directors to bridge the gap between academic training and professional success.

Through its partnerships with professional theatres across the U.S. and its commitment to ongoing career development, The Directors Project uniquely supports aspiring theatre artists in America. Notable alumni of The Directors Project include Christopher Ashley, Mark Brokaw, Michael Mayer, Diane Paulus John Rando and Alex Timbers.

All proceeds from "A MUSICAL CELEBRATION OF BROADWAY" support The Drama League, which was founded in 1916 as an association of theatre professionals and patrons dedicated to encouraging the finest in professional theatre and has since then developed into the theatre's premiere service organization.

Tickets for "A MUSICAL CELEBRATION OF BROADWAY" are $900-$2,500. Tables of ten are available from $8,500-$25,000.

To arrange tickets or for any additional information about The Drama League, please call Roger Calderon, Development Office for Special Events, at (212) 244-9494, ext. 5. For more information, please visit www.dramaleague.org.

Photos by Walter McBride

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