Public's 09 Summer Gala Honors Susan Lyne, Mike Nichols 6/25

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Executive Director Andrew D. Hamingson) announced today that the 2009 Summer Gala will honor entertainment executive and longtime board member Susan Lyne and acclaimed director Mike Nichols for their outstanding commitment to the institution. The Gala will take place on Thursday, June 25 at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park on the opening night of TWELFTH NIGHT, the first production of the 2009 Shakespeare in the Park summer season.

"Susan Lyne, in addition to her amazing career in business and the arts, has been a wonderful Board member for The Public and a philanthropist and supporter of many cultural and educational institutions," said Public Theater Artistic Director Oskar Eustis. "We are proud to honor her."

"No American director, with the possible exception of Elia Kazan, has triumphed as fully in both film and theater as Mike Nichols. And Kazan wasn't funny!" Eustis said. "Mike has been a role model for American artists, a mentor to many, and an example to us all. He is an artist of astounding range, a man who wears his profound learning and sophistication with grace and ease, and a long-time friend of the Public Theater. New York is lucky to have him, and we are proud to honor him."

"The first time I went to Shakespeare in the Park was the night I fell in love with my adoptive city: brilliant actors performing one of the greatest plays in the English language; a summer night in Central Park; and an audience as diverse and engaged as the city itself," said Honoree Susan Lyne. "Shakespeare in the Park has been The Public Theater's gift to all New Yorkers for over 50 years. If there was ever a year to return the favor by celebrating and supporting this great tradition, it's this one."

The Public's annual Gala is one of the more unique events in New York City, featuring an outdoor buffet dinner in Central Park, followed by a performance at the Delacorte Theater and a post-show cast party at Belvedere Castle overlooking Turtle Pond and the Delacorte. Past gala attendees include President Clinton, Mayor Bloomberg and other top government officials, CEOs and business leaders of Fortune 500 and other major corporations, established leaders of the social community, young trendsetters and a wide range of celebrities. Last year's gala attendees included Steve Martin, Alec Baldwin, Cynthia Nixon, Diane Sawyer, Andie MacDowell, Ethan Hawke, Julianna Margulies and Kathleen Turner.

Directed by Daniel Sullivan and featuring Academy Award nominee Anne Hathaway as Viola, TWELFTH NIGHT is a beguiling comedy that follows the romantic adventures of Viola and her identical twin Sebastian, both shipwrecked in the enchanted dukedom of Illyria. As their story wends its way toward its happy end, they cross paths with heartsick lovers, partying aristocrats, household help with dreams of upward mobility, and even a singing clown. It will be followed in August with Euripides' THE BACCHAE, directed by JoAnne Akalaitis and featuring a new translation by Nicholas Rudall and original music by Philip Glass.

SUSAN LYNE (Gala Honoree) has a proven track record as a successful media and entertainment executive with an exceptional expertise in consumer branding. From 2004 until July 2008, Lyne served as President and CEO of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia (MSLO), where she led the company's recovery and return to profitability. She diversified its merchandising portfolio with the Martha Stewart Collection at Macy's; and with the acquisition of Chef Emeril Lagasse's company, MSLO became an established leader in lifestyle content and products. Prior to MSLO, Lyne spent eight years as an executive at the Walt Disney Company, principally as President of ABC Entertainment, where she oversaw the development of hits such as "Desperate Housewives," "Lost," and "Grey's Anatomy." During her tenure, ABC's movies and miniseries dominated the ratings and earned numerous awards, including the Peabody, Golden Globe and multiple Emmy's. Prior to ABC, she was Managing Editor of New Times and The Village Voice and, in 1987, created and launched Premiere Magazine, where she served as Editor-in-Chief for eight years. The Wall Street Journal has named Lyne as one of its "50 Women to Watch". Lyne is a Director of CIT Group and serves on the boards of The New School and The Posse Foundation.

Mike Nichols (Gala Honoree) most recently directed The Public's 2001 Shakespeare in the Park production of The Seagull, which starred Meryl Streep, Kevin Kline, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Natalie Portman. In 1964 Nichols won his first of eight Tony Awards for Neil Simon's Barefoot in the Park. He went on to helm an unprecedented string of Broadway hits, including Luv (Best Director Tony), The Odd Couple (Best Director Tony), The Apple Tree, Plaza Suite (Best Director Tony), Prisoner of Second Avenue (Best Director Tony), The Gin Game (1978 Pulitzer Prize) and Streamers (New York Drama Critics Award). He directed successful revivals of The Little Foxes and Uncle Vanya and the U.S. productions of Comedians as well as The Real Thing (Best Director Tony), Hurlyburly, Social Security, Waiting for Godot and Death and the Maiden. As a theatrical producer, he presented Whoopi Goldberg on Broadway and won the Tony for his blockbuster show Annie. Film credits include Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, The Graduate (Academy Award for Best Direction), Catch 22, Carnal Knowledge, Silkwood, Working Girl, Postcards From the Edge, Regarding Henry, The Birdcage, Primary Colors, Closer and Charlie Wilson's War and for HBO Wit and Angels in America (Emmy Award for Best Direction). In 1987, Nichols won the George Abbott Award and in 1990 was honored by the American Museum of the Moving Image for his contributions to the film industry. In 1999, Nichols was a recipient of Lincoln Center's Lifetime Achievement Award and in 2003 he received the Kennedy Center Honor. The Directors Guild of America honored him in 2004 with its annual Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his contributions to the film medium over the past four decades. Mr. Nichols has the rare achievement of winning all four of the major awards in American show business, the Grammy, Emmy, Tony and Oscar.

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