Laura Benanti, Ali Stroker and More to Join TDF's Fall Fundraiser BROADWAY BREAKFAST

Laura Benanti will host TDF's annual fall fundraiser Broadway Breakfast. The event will also feature performances by Benanti with musical direction by Billy Stritch, and by honoree and Tony Award winner Ali Stroker. Honoring Stroker, Robert E. Wankel, and Samaritan Daytop Village, the sold-out event will be held at the iconic Rainbow Room on Wednesday, October 15 at 8 a.m. Guests will enjoy a seated breakfast and the glamorous venue’s unparalleled NYC skyline views along with unforgettable performances and inspiring stories that celebrate the power of the performing arts and those who make them accessible for all of us.

Robert E. Wankel, Chairman and CEO of The Shubert Organization, will receive the TDF Founders Award. This award honors individuals and organizations who have demonstrated a deep commitment to TDF and its mission, and who embody TDF’s vision of a world where the transformative experience of attending live theatre and dance is essential, relevant, accessible, and inspirational.
 
Tony Award winner Ali Stroker will be honored with the inaugural Christina Trivigno Advocate Award. Last fall, TDF lost a beloved friend and colleague, Christina Trivigno, after a protracted battle with cancer. Not only was Christina fearless in her advocacy for accessibility, but she was also a senior leader in our industry, representing a small number of wheelchair users who have reached the echelons of upper management in the American theatre, modeling for so many what is possible. To honor Christina’s contributions to TDF and to the field at large, the Christina Trivigno Advocate Award will be granted each year to an extraordinary artist, activist, or creator in our community.
 
Samaritan Daytop Village will receive the Victoria Bailey Impact Award, acknowledging its 30-plus years of dedicated service to veterans, nearly a decade of partnership with TDF’s Veterans Theatregoing Program, and its belief in the healing power of the performing arts. The award acknowledges the dedication and vision of TDF’s former Executive Director, Victoria Bailey, and is given each year to an individual or community organization that furthers TDF’s mission.
 
The funds raised at the TDF Broadway Breakfast will provide vital support for the not-for-profit’s wide range of Accessibility, Education, and Community Programs that ensure the performing arts are accessible to all. While this year’s event is sold out, those interested in supporting the mission of TDF can visit tdf.org.