Sandy Duncan and John Gasdaska to Be Honored at Abingdon Theatre Gala
John Gasdaska will receive the company's inaugural Beacon Award, with direction by Chad Austin and music direction by Robbie Cowan.
Abingdon Theatre Company has announced that three-time Tony Award nominee Sandy Duncan (Peter Pan) as a 34th Anniversary Gala Honoree alongside the previously announced two-time Emmy Award nominee, Michael Urie. Abingdon will also honor longtime Board Member John Gasdaska with the inaugural Beacon Award, celebrating his unwavering commitment to brave new work and his contributions to the New York theatrical landscape. Abingdon's gala will kick off their 34th season, Ever Forward, Ever Evolving, on Monday, November 2, 2026 at the Edison Ballroom (240 West 47th Street).
The evening will begin at 6PM and include cocktails, dinner, a mission-based auction, and live performance featuring New York's bravest voices from Off-Broadway to Broadway; with direction by Chad Austin and music direction by Robbie Cowan. Special guests and performers to be announced at a later date.
Biographies
Sandy Duncan is a three time Tony Award-nominated and two-time Emmy Award-nominated actor whose extraordinary career has captured audiences across Broadway, television, and film for more than six decades. Following her Broadway debut in The Canterbury Tales, she earned widespread acclaim for performances in The Boy Friend and the iconic title role of Peter Pan, cementing her place as one of Broadway's most beloved leading ladies. On television, Duncan earned Emmy nominations for her starring roles in Funny Face and the landmark miniseries Roots, with additional credits including The Sandy Duncan Show, The Hogan Family, and countless memorable appearances. A two-time Golden Globe nominee, her film career includes Star Spangled Girl, The Million Dollar Duck, The Cat from Outer Space, and more. With her unmistakable energy, remarkable versatility, and enduring stage presence, Duncan has remained a beloved and iconic figure of the stage and screen.
Established over 34 years ago, Abingdon Theatre Company (ATC) develops and produces critically acclaimed brave, new American work by emerging and established artists. Over the years, ATC has produced dozens of lauded Off-Broadway premiere productions such as Maybe Tomorrow by Max Mondi; Robin & Me: My Little Spark of Madness written and performed by Dave Droxler; Queens Girl in the World by Caleen Sinnette Jennings; V's (formerly Eve Ensler) Fruit Trilogy directed by Marc Rosenblatt; Jacqueline Novak's The New York Times Critics' Pick and Drama Desk-nominated Get on Your Knees and more. The company's acclaimed One Night Only Series has served as an incubator for high-profile new work, including Alex Edelman's Just for Us which later received a Broadway premiere and subsequent Emmy Award; Back by Matt Webster starring Emmy Award nominee Madeline Brewer and Tony Award nominee James Cusati-Moyer; The Prompter starring Oscar-winning actor Estelle Parsons; Subverted written and performed by Emmy Award nominee Dominique Fishback; Stella & Marlon by Julia Adler Batavia starring “Blue Bloods” star Amy Carlson and Kevin Csolak. Through their Pamela Paul Around the Table Reading Series, ATC has advanced the development of new plays, including work written by Artists-in-Residence, such as Anonymous Skin by Cris Eli Blak and Son of an Unknown Father by Reynaldo Piniella. In 2020, ATC expanded into film production with the launch of Abingdon Virtual led by Executive Producer Chad Austin. The initiative has produced multiple award-winning films that have screened internationally including As Apple Pie, written and directed by Artist-in-Residence Pierre Marais, an official selection of the Cannes World Film Festival. Other films include It Cries Too Loudly, Apart, and Ghost Light.
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