Black Theatre United's second annual gala, titled Generations of Excellence, will be presented September 30 at the Ziegfeld Ballroom in Manhattan.
Directed by Jerry Dixon with music direction by Joseph Joubert, the evening will feature performances from André De Shields, Leslie Uggams, Stephanie Mills, Ephraim Sykes, Nichelle Lewis, and Audra McDonald plus newcomers Sydney Terry, Gabrielle Rice, Darrin Scott, Savannah Lee Henry, and Caleb Mayers.
Attendees can also expect a performance by Matthew Whitaker and the next generation of musical theatre performers from the class of 2024: Owen Scales, Aidan Jones, Kianna Kelly Futch, Logan Durrah Broadnax, Jalen Bunch, Aria Evans, Ahmeer Bethea, Harry Cornelio, Kal Rutledge, Jenna Rose Young, Talib Thompson, Joshua Lewis, Kennedy Jackson, and Amirah Joy Lomax.
The gala will additionally feature presentations by Shoshana Bean, Telly Leung, Kristin Chenoweth, Danny Burstein, Mia Neal, Peggy Eisenhauer, Juliana Canfield, Raúl Esparza, Jeanine Tesori, Kara Young, and Mario Cantone as well as BTU Founders Norm Lewis, Vanessa Williams, LaChanze, Michael McElroy, Tamara Tunie, Allyson Tucker Mitchell, Darius de Haas, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Schele Williams, Capathia Jenkins, NaTasha Yvette Williams, Wendell Pierce, and Lillias White.
The evening, celebrating the indelible mark Black culture has had on Broadway and multiple industries, will honor conductor, composer, and music director Linda Twine with the 2024 Accountability Award; Chief Diversity Officer of Meta Maxine Williams with the 2024 Advocacy Award; and 16-time Grammy-winning artist Alicia Keys with the 2024 Aspire Award.
The star-studded lineup of honorary co-chairs includes Whoopi Goldberg, Ariana DeBose, Josh Groban, Marc Shaiman, Patti LuPone, Richard Jay-Alexander, Spike Lee, and Stephen Schwartz. Gala co-chairs include Dr. Indira Etawroo (Harlem Stage), Kevin Brown (Ernst & Young), and Jana Fleischman (Roc Nation).
Gala Co-Chair Vanessa Williams said in a statement, “It’s a thrill to present our second BTU Gala to the theatre community and show all the progress, inclusion, and education that has been accomplished within a year. Plus it’s always the best party in town!”
BTU was founded to build pathways of access and opportunities for Black and other students and industry professionals who have been historically marginalized in the theatre community. Proceeds from the gala will support BTU’s empowering programs in Mentorships, Student Internships, BTU’s Annual Advocacy Summit, and BTU’s Education program.
Tickets and tables are available now at BlackTheatreUnited.com/Gala.
