| THE DRAMA LEAGUE Announces Fall Benefit Honoring Wayne Brady + 4 New Board Members: Irene Gandy, Sarah Hutton, Townsend Teague, & Kumiko Yoshii | |
| Last Edit: Official_Press_Release 05:33 pm EDT 08/30/21 | |
| Posted by: Official_Press_Release 05:27 pm EDT 08/30/21 | |
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| THE DRAMA LEAGUE ANNOUNCES 2021 FALL BENEFIT "LIGHT THE LIGHTS" HONORING EMMY AWARD WINNER & GRAMMY NOMINEE WAYNE BRADY MONDAY, OCTOBER 18 AT THE PLAYERS THE BENEFIT WILL ALSO TOAST FOUR NEW ADDITIONS TO THE DRAMA LEAGUE BOARD OF DIRECTORS: IRENE GANDY, SARAH HUTTON, TOWNSEND TEAGUE AND KUMIKO YOSHII (New York, NY) The Drama League (Artistic Director, Gabriel Stelian-Shanks; Executive Director, Bevin Ross) - which has been at the forefront of the American Theatre community since 1916, providing life-long artistic resources for directors and a platform for dialogue with audiences - is thrilled to announce their 2021 FALL BENEFIT "LIGHT THE LIGHTS! A DRAMA LEAGUE CELEBRATION" honoring Emmy Award winner and Grammy nominee Wayne Brady ("Let's Make A Deal," "Whose Line Is It Anyway?", Hamilton) as well as the addition of four new dynamic board members joining the organization. Taking place at the historic Players Club in Manhattan, the benefit will include cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, and intimate musical performances. Honoree Wayne Brady has been dazzling audiences for decades on both stage and screen, with recent theater roles including Aaron Burr in the Chicago production of Hamilton, Lola in the hit Broadway musical Kinky Boots, and featured performances in the 2021 Tony Award honoree Freestyle Love Supreme and the groundbreaking virtual musical Ratatouille. A member of The Drama League's National Advisory Council, Brady is a champion of innovation and inclusivity in the arts across all platforms as well as a vibrant artistic force. Sceneworks Studios is the 2021 Benefit Sponsor. Broadway HD is the Venue Sponsor. The event is co-chaired by Drama League Board Members Mary Jain and Joe Pizza. "As the theater we have missed so dearly begins to reopen, we at The Drama League are so thrilled to be lighting the lights with a celebration honoring the extraordinary Wayne Brady, who dazzles every stage he is on," says Bonnie Comley, Drama League Board President. "We are also delighted and energized to be moving forward in this new era of theater making and beyond with four new brilliant minds, from different sectors of the industry, on our Board of Directors - Irene Gandy, Sarah Hutton, Kumiko Yoshii, and Townsend Teague." As The Drama League continues to propel new voices and foster talent across all aspects of the industry, they are excited to add four new members to their Board of Directors: Sarah Hutton, Kumiko Yoshii, Irene Gandy, and Townsend Teague. Sarah Hutton, Director of Client Development at Ticketmaster, has 12+ years of experience in the theatre and live entertainment industry, including at The Shubert Organization. Kumiko Yoshii, Executive Vice President & Head of International Business Development of The John Gore Organization, Inc. and President of Gorgeous Entertainment Inc, has produced Broadway and international touring productions throughout her career. Irene Gandy is a well-known, veteran theatrical press agent, and the first Black female member of ATPAM. Townsend Teague is the Founder & CEO of Teague Theatrical Group and has worked as a General Manager for several Broadway productions. The Drama League is incredibly excited to welcome these four new members to their growing Board of Directors. "I am thrilled to be joining the Board of this historic organization at such an exciting moment," said Irene Gandy. "The Drama League has been a long-standing leader in the field, providing invaluable education and career development opportunities for directors, and I look forward to working with them to support this community as in-person theater makes its triumphant return." For tickets to the Benefit, call 212.244.9494 ext 111 or email events@dramaleague.org. Tickets will be available online on September 1, 2021 via https://dramaleague.org/benefit/ . www.dramaleague.org Facebook |The Drama League Instagram | @dramaleague Twitter |@dramaleague #LightTheLights BIOGRAPHIES: WAYNE BRADY, a five-time Emmy Award winner and Grammy Award nominee, has made his mark on stage and screen as an actor, singer, dancer, songwriter, and television personality. A true multi-hyphenate, Brady's career path, and personal life journey have helped him see the world in a very unique way. His aspirations have always gone beyond solely starring in various entertainment projects, and under his Makin' It Up Productions banner, he's set out to create new content across different platforms that showcase innovation and inclusivity in fun and powerful ways. Brady made his Broadway debut starring as legal showman 'Billy Flynn' in the long-running hit musical, Chicago. Soon after, Brady starred as the ground-breaking character 'Lola' in Kinky Boots, the Tony Award winning musical with music and lyrics by Cyndi Lauper and a book by Harvey Fierstein. His interpretation of the lead role was so popular, he returned for an additional limited run the following year. Brady would later assume his biggest theatrical role to date headlining as 'Aaron Burr' in the Chicago production of Lin-Manuel Miranda's Tony Award winning juggernaut Hamilton. A five-time Emmy Award winner (the first to win Daytime and Primetime awards in two consecutive years), Brady was also the only entertainer across the 2019-2020 season to have a presence across five different television series ("Let's Make A Deal," "The Masked Singer," "Whose Line Is It Anyway?," "Black Lightning" and "Comedy IQ") - each spotlighting different aspects of his immense talent. All of this followed on the heels of his award winning daytime talk show "The Wayne Brady Show." In addition to being a force in front of the camera, Brady is heavily active behind the scenes wearing the hats of executive producer for "Whose Line Is It Anyway?," "Let's Make A Deal" and "Comedy IQ," which he also co-created. He recently took on another dual role with "Game of Talents," a new series in which he starred and executive produced. A writer across all of his various projects, one of Brady's proudest accomplishments is his team-up with Dave Chappelle on Comedy Central's "Chappelle's Show", spoofing the film Training Day. Co-written by Brady and Chappelle, the segment has been enshrined in the Museum of TV and Film as one of the top sketches of all time. An accomplished singer and performer, Brady's musical acumen has always been a personal passion, and he used that as fuel to help win the second season of "The Masked Singer". Off his victory, Brady dropped a brand-new original single, entitled "Flirtin' w/ Forever," which quickly climbed the streaming charts, as well as an accompanying music video. This followed the success of his debut album, headlined by a version of Sam Cooke's "A Change is Gonna Come" which earned him a Grammy Award nomination in the Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance category. Last year represented the latest step in Brady's career evolution as he took his talents to TikTok, amassing a stellar following in a short period of time. Whether utilizing the platform to raise awareness to important social issues or collaborating with his extended family, TikTok has helped him continue to reach and interact with new fans in surprising and innovative ways. Wayne Brady currently resides in Los Angeles. SARAH HUTTON is an account management executive with 12+ years of experience in the theatre and live entertainment industry. She has a proven track record in relationship building, problem-solving, cross-department collaboration, and project management, and is skilled in consensus building and crafting effective presentations, with a passion for non-profit work. Some of her recent work experience includes Client Development Director at Ticketmaster, Director of Sales at Choice Entertainment Technologies, Senior Account Executive at The Shubert Organization, Broadway Production Associate at Ponturo Management Group, and Communications Director at Camp Broadway. KUMIKO YOSHII is EVP & Head of International Business Development of John Gore Organization. Since 2009, she has brought 10 touring productions to Japan as part of Broadway Across America Series including Dreamgirls, West Side Story, Million Dollar Quartet, War Horse, A Chorus Line, and Xanadu. She is Executive Producer of IHI StageAround Tokyo, which opened in 2017 where she produced West Side Story. China engagements include Wicked, Blue Man Group, and Shrek the Musical. Kumiko is also President of Gorgeous Entertainment. Her credits include Be More Chill, The True (The New Group), Pacific Overtures (4 Tony noms), Prince of Broadway (MTC and its world premiere in Japan) and The Fantasticks (West End). She also serves as Executive Producer of Japan Day @ Central Park since 2007. Her upcoming projects include the Broadway-aimed The Karate Kid which will premiere at STAGES St. Louis in Spring 2022, as well as Working Girl with Aged Wood Productions (Robyn Goodman and Josh Fiedler). IRENE GANDY, winner of the 2020 Tony Honors Excellence in Theatre Award, is the only Black female press agent member of ATPAM (Association of Theatrical Press Agents and Managers) for over 50 years. Working with Producer Jeffrey Richards for over 3 decades, she is a Tony-Award winning producer on Broadway for The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess and was a producer for Lady Day At Emerson Bar and Grill starring Audra MacDonald. She was also co-producer with Voza Rivers of the National tour of South African musical Sarafina. In 2008, she became the first female press agent to be immortalized with a Sardi's caricature. A fashionista known for her furs, in 2015 she launched a signature collection featured in Vogue Magazine and will debut a Lady Irene Fur line in 2022. Gandy's recent productions include The Great Society, American Son, China Doll, Fiddler on the Roof, and You Can't Take It With You. Gandy began her career in 1968 as a publicist with Douglas Turner Ward and Robert Hooks' Negro Ensemble Company. Since then, she has worked on over 100 Broadway shows, including August Osage County, Glengarry Glen Ross, Radio Golf, Bubbling Brown Sugar, Smokey Joe's Cafe, Lena Horne: The Lady and her Music, and The Wiz. In addition to her work in theatre, she was Associate Director of Special Markets for CBS Records, working with such artists as Earth, Wind and Fire, The Jacksons, and Labelle, and her personal music clients include Freddie Jackson and Nona Hendryx. Gandy is the Press Consultant for Harlem Week, recipient of the 1997 National Action Network's "Woman of Excellence Award," the 2007 Vanguard Award from Black to Broadway Productions, the 2004 Black Public Relations Society Award, the 2013 "Inspire in New York" Award, 2015 Pioneer Award for BLACK PRIDE NYC, and the 2015 Café Mocha "Salute Her" Media Legend Award. Other awards include "Project 1 Voice Lifetime Achievement" for outstanding achievements and vision to artistic excellence in the American Theater; 2017 HARLEM WEEK Vivian Robinson Arts & Culture Award; and "Life Changers" presented by WNBA players Teresa Weatherspoon and Rita Haywood for inspiring, transforming, and empowering others. In 2018, she was honored with Vivian Robinson/AUDELCO "Pioneer Award" for Recognition Awards for Excellence in Black Theatre. In 2019, she was honored with the NAACP-LGBQT David Weaver Prize for Excellence in the Arts. In 2020, Gandy was inducted into New York Public Lincoln Center Performing Arts Library as part of The League of Professional Theatre Women's Oral History Project. Gandy currently serves on the boards of City College for the Arts, HARLEM WEEK, and New Heritage Theater. TOWNSEND TEAGUE is a respected voice on the topics of company formation, organizational development, and the relationship between Broadway, technology, and media businesses. In a career that spans two decades, he has collaborated with many of the world's leading producers and creatives, and held senior positions on Broadway, touring, and international productions, including titles presented in Canada, China, Indonesia, Japan, and Singapore. As a theatrical General Manager, Townsend has provided expertise in budgeting, negotiating, and overseeing operations for productions of An American In Paris, Annie, 42nd Street, Ghost, Bring It On, West Side Story, and Priscilla Queen of the Desert. ABOUT THE DRAMA LEAGUE: The Drama League advances the American theater by providing life-long artistic resources for directors and a platform for dialogue with audiences. Founded in 1916, we are one of the longest-running arts service organizations in the country. We enable directors to make the most powerful, impactful work possible across multiple mediums reaching ever-wider audiences, and build sustainable careers. Uplifting directors of all economic classes, races, abilities, genders and identities is a cornerstone of this mission. We provide support to directors throughout their artistic life, and our work in education offers both continued learning to professionals and introduces the skills of directing to young people. Underpinning our work is the support of our members, a community of ardent theater fans and industry professionals whose commitment to advancing the art form helps develop the careers of the talented directors we champion. |
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| Link | https://dramaleague.org/benefit/ |
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