Abigail Disney News

The Acting Company's 40th Anniversary Ruby Ball was held on December 3, 2012 at Capitale, and James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director of the Signature Theatre and the Richard Rodgers Director of Juilliard's Drama Division, accepted the John Houseman Award recognizing his profound commitment to the development of American actors and an audience for the theater. Earl Weiner, Board Chairman of both The Acting Company and the Theater Development Fund (TDF) received the Warburg Humanitarian Award for his outstanding philanthropic endeavor and leadership. Check out photos from the event below!

At The Acting Company's 40th Anniversary Ruby Ball tonight, December 3, 2012 at Capitale, James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director of the Signature Theatre and the Richard Rodgers Director of Juilliard's Drama Division, will accept the John Houseman Award recognizing his profound commitment to the development of American actors and an audience for the theater.

At The Acting Company's 40th Anniversary Ruby Ball on Monday, December 3, 2012 at Capitale, James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director of the Signature Theatre and the Richard Rodgers Director of Juilliard's Drama Division, will accept the John Houseman Award recognizing his profound commitment to the development of American actors and an audience for the theater. Earl Weiner, Board Chairman of both The Acting Company and the Theater Development Fund (TDF) will receive the Warburg Humanitarian Award for his outstanding philanthropic endeavor and leadership. According to Barbara Fleischman, Gala Chair, Harriet Harris(Thoroughly Modern Millie, upcoming in Cinderella) and Dr. Kate Levin, Commissioner of New York City's Department of Cultural Affairs, will present the awards; Jim Dale will host, Kate Baldwin (Finian's Rainbow, upcoming in Giant) will perform and tributes will be offered by Angela Lansbury, Kevin Kline, Patti LuPone, Rainn Wilson, Dana Ivey, Hamish Linklater, Joe Dowling, Director of The Guthrie and Michael Kahn, Artistic Director of Washington's Shakespeare Theater. Four hundred guests complete an industry-filled audience of producers, directors, entertainers and other notables including The Honorable Thomas Kean, record producer Clive Davis,director/choreographer Susan Stroman, TV personality Pia Lindstrom, Juilliard President Joseph Polisi, composerMary Rodgers Guettel and The Broadway League's Charlotte St. Martin. Tickets from 212-258-3111.

From Oscar- and Emmy-nominated filmmaker Kirby Dick (This Film Is Not Yet Rated; Twist of Faith) comes THE INVISIBLE WAR, a groundbreaking investigation about one of America's most shameful and best kept secrets: the epidemic of rape within the U.S. military. Following its U.S. theatrical release in June from Cinedigm Entertainment Group, a division of Cinedigm Digital Cinema Corp. (NASDAQ: CIDM), and Docurama Films, THE INVISIBLE WAR makes its iTunes (www.iTunes.com) debut on September 25 for sale or rent in HD, and debuts on VOD and DVD today, October 23.

From Oscar®- and Emmy®-nominated filmmaker Kirby Dick (This Film Is Not Yet Rated; Twist of Faith) comes THE INVISIBLE WAR, a groundbreaking investigation about one of America's most shameful and best kept secrets: the epidemic of rape within the U.S. military.

Feminist, writer and activist Gloria Steinem, author, filmmaker and photographer Nigel Barker, actress Kathy Najimy and filmmaker Abigail Disney are all set to take part in after-show talkbacks for the powerful docu-theater drama Trafficked which was constructed by actual interviews and was created in partnership with representatives from the United Nations, telling the story of sex slavery and child exploitation through the eyes of fifteen young women across the globe. Abigail Disney will lead a talkback after the Sunday, 6/10 at 5:30pm performance, Gloria Steinem and Kathy Najimy will both lead the talkback after the Saturday, 6/16 at 4:30pm performance, and Nigel Barker will lead the talkback after the 6/21 at 5pm performance. Tickets for the shows (priced at $18) can be purchased online at www.PlanetConnections.org.

The White House Project, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization which works to advance a richly diverse, critical mass of women into leadership positions, today announced it will honor leaders in business, politics and popular culture.

At The Acting Company's Masquerade Gala on November 14 at Capitale, Brian Stokes Mitchell and Joseph Benincasa, Chairman and President respectively of The Actors Fund, will accept the Joan Warburg Humanitarian Award honoring the Fund's extraordinary legacy of providing health and human services to the entertainment community since 1882. James Bundy, Dean of Yale School of Drama and Artistic Director of Yale Repertory Theatre, will receive the John Houseman Award recognizing his profound commitment to the development of classical actors and a national audience for the theater. David Hyde Pierce and Charles S. Dutton will present the awards; the Godspell cast will entertain and Acting Company Alumnus Hamish Linklater (Seminar) emcees the evening for an industry-filled audience of producers, directors, entertainers and other notables including The Honorable Thomas Kean, legendary record producer Clive Davis, New York Times writer Enid Nemy and The Broadway League's Charlotte St. Martin. For ticket Information call: 212-258-3111 .

At The Acting Company's Masquerade Gala on November 14 at Capitale, Brian Stokes Mitchell and Joseph Benincasa, Chairman and President respectively of The Actors Fund, will accept the Joan Warburg Humanitarian Award honoring the Fund's extraordinary legacy of providing health and human services to the entertainment community since 1882. James Bundy, Dean of Yale School of Drama and Artistic Director of Yale Repertory Theatre, will receive the John Houseman Award recognizing his profound commitment to the development of classical actors and a national audience for the theater. David Hyde Pierce and Charles S. Dutton will present the awards; the Godspell cast will entertain and Acting Company Alumnus Hamish Linklater (Seminar) emcees the evening for an industry-filled audience of producers, directors, entertainers and other notables including The Honorable Thomas Kean, legendary record producer Clive Davis, New York Times writer Enid Nemy and The Broadway League's Charlotte St. Martin. For ticket Information call: 212-258-3111 .

The 2011 Tribeca Film Festival (TFF), presented by Founding Sponsor American Express, today announced the return of its signature free community events: the Tribeca Drive-In (April 21-23), Family Festival Street Fair (April 30), Tribeca/ESPN Sports Day (April 30), and free panel series, "Tribeca Talks: Pen to Paper" and "Tribeca Talks: Industry" (April 23-30).

The Tribeca Film Festival (TFF), presented by American Express, the Founding Sponsor of the Festival, today announced its jurors - a diverse and talented group of 38 individuals, including award-winning filmmakers and screenwriters, celebrated actors, respected journalists and media pioneers. They will be divided among the six competitive Festival categories and will announce the winning films, filmmakers and actors in those categories at the TFF Awards Night ceremony on April 28 hosted by Gideon Yago, which will be streamed live on TribecaFilm.com. The 2011 Festival runs from April 20 - May 1.

A moving history of one of the most harrowing and inspirational chapters of the Civil Rights movement, a behind the scenes look at the 1,400-year-old conflict between Islam and Christianity, an investigation of the unexplainable phenomenon of Colony Collapse Disorder, and a mash-up of 'Glee' and 'High School Musical' are all part of the wide-ranging lineup of films announced today for inclusion in the International Documentary Association's 14th Annual DocuWeeksTM Theatrical Documentary Showcase.

OWN: THE OPRAH WINFREY NETWORK is producing five OWN original two-hour documentaries with Julia Roberts, Forest Whitaker, Goldie Hawn, Gabriel Byrne and Mariel Hemingway, OWN announced today.

A moving history of one of the most harrowing and inspirational chapters of the Civil Rights movement, a behind the scenes look at the 1,400-year-old conflict between Islam and Christianity, an investigation of the unexplainable phenomenon of Colony Collapse Disorder, and a mash-up of 'Glee' and 'High School Musical' are all part of the wide-ranging lineup of films announced today for inclusion in the International Documentary Association's 14th Annual DocuWeeksTM Theatrical Documentary Showcase.

Eight cast members of Broadway's Burn the Floor (Damon Sugden, Rebecca Sugden, Patrick Helm, Sharna Burgess, Jeremy Garner, Sarah Hives, Kevin Clifton and Giselle Peacock) will open The Acting Company's Shakespearean Masquerade at The Pierre Hotel on Monday, November 16.