Jim Dale to be Honored at Workshop Theater's unGala This Fall

Jim Dale--one of the world's great stage entertainers: singer, dancer, comedian, Shakespearean actor and raconteur--will be honored with the Second Annual Jewel Box Award at Workshop Theater Company's second unGala on October 19 from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM at 353WEST, 353 West 46th Street, NYC. Mr. Dale will celebrate his 50 years as an entertainer and will even take stage for a short performance.

Among the other VIPs expected in appearance at this fresh, fun evening are Zach Grenier ("The Good Wife"), Scott Ellis (director), David Thompson (Tony-nominated book writer for Kander & Ebb, nominated for "Steel Pier"), Judy Blazer (actor and singer), Brad Oscar (Tony Nominee for "Something Rotten") and Bob Cuciolli (Tony nominee for "Jeckyl and Hyde").

Celeb photos will be available from 7:00 PM to 7:45. Performances will begin about 9:00 PM. Incidental music will be provided by the Greg Bufford Jazz Trio. Finger food and desserts will be passed and there will be an open bar.

Jim Dale actually passed his 50th anniversary as a performer this spring. He began his career as the youngest professional comedian on the British Music Hall stage. Subsequently, he joined the National Theatre at the request of Sir Laurence Olivier, starred in 28 films including 11 of the "Carry On" series and enjoyed Broadway triumphs in "Scapino," "Barnum" and "Me and My Girl," among others. He has narrated all seven Harry Potter audiobooks for the US market.

He was recently nominated for his seventh Drama Desk Award for his appearance in the Roundabout Theatre production of Athol Fugard's "The Road to Mecca" with Rosemary Harris and Carla Gugino, directed by Gordon Edelstein. His last musical on Broadway was "The Threepenny Opera" for which, in recognition of his his performance as Mister Peachum, he received a Drama Desk Award, Outer Critics Circle Award, Richard Seff Award, Drama League Award and Tony Award Nomination. The American Theatre Critics Association recently inducted him into the American Theatre Hall of Fame for Lifetime Achievement in the Theater.

The Workshop Theater, now 23 years old, is devoted to the rigorous development and production of new American plays and musicals that transport, challenge and surprise both artists and audiences. Notable successes include "The Man who was Peter Pan" by Allan Knee (debuted at WorkShop in 2004, the basis for the Academy Award nominated film "Finding Neverland" and last season's Broadway musical of the same name) and "The Navigator" by Eddie Antar (debuted at WorkShop in 2012; recipient of two Drama Desk nominations). Now under the direction of Thomas Coté (Artistic Director), the company maintains a full schedule of writers' nights, readings series and two-week productions of plays-in-progress. It will present two subsequent mainstage productions this season: "The Astonishing Times of Timothy Cratchit" by Allan Knee (December 3 to 27, 2015) and "Verona Walls" by Laura Hirschberg (March 10 to April 3, 2016).

Tickets to the unGala are $200 and can be purchased from the WorkShop Theater website, www.workshoptheater.org. For more info, call 212-695-4173.

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