Get an inside look at the Dramatists Guild Foundation's 2025 Gala, held October 20 at the Ziegfeld Ballroom. The evening celebrated 25 years of the DGF Fellows program, which fosters emerging dramatists through mentorship and collaboration.
Author and Tony nominee Amber Ruffin (Some Like It Hot) returned to host for the third year. The celebration spotlighted the work of DGF Fellows, alums, and mentors, with performances by Carolee Carmello (1776, Parade), Christine Ebersole (Grey Gardens), Paulo Szot (Hadestown), Elizabeth A. Davis (1776), Amber Reauchean Williams (Amerikin), Victor Williams (Amerikin), Kate Abbruzzese (My Favorite Sociopath), and Anna Zavelson (Masquerade) plus appearances by DGF Board President Andrew Lippa and DGF President Emeritus Gretchen Cryer, Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, Stephen Schwartz, Aurin Squire, and Doug Wright. Noah Himmelstein will directed the evening’s program, with Lily Ling as music director.
This year's gala honored playwright and educator Chisa Hutchinson (who was a DGF Fellow from 2010-2011), Tony-nominated lyricist, librettist, and longtime DGF Fellows Chair and Mentor Michael Korie, and Playbill's first female publisher, Jolie Schaffzin.
See photos in the gallery below.
Rachel Routh and Molly Wenk
Rachel Routh, Michael Korie, and Andrew Lippa
Rachel Routh, Stephanie Dockery, and Liz Lemmons
Chisa Hutchinson
Jolie Schaffzin
Amber Ruffin
Carolee Carmello
Elisa Galindez and Tatianna Cordoba
Jordan Fisher
Christine Ebersole and Scott Frankel
Started at the Dramatists Guild in 2000, the DGF Fellows program was founded by Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty, Janet Neipris, and Susan Miller. Their mission was to bring writers together to learn from each other’s different perspectives, see how collaboration creates magic, and foster community. For nearly 25 years, the Fellows program has launched the careers of 250 playwrights and musical theatre writers.
Proceeds from the Gala support playwrights, composers, lyricists, and librettists for the American theatre through financial resources, education-driven programming, and free rehearsal spaces throughout their careers.
This year’s Gala Committee includes DGF Board Members Louise Evins, Donald J. Loftus, and Barbara Olcott; with Nolan Doran, Lawryn LaCroix, Rob Laqui, Anna Mack Pardee, Lucas McMahon, Rachel Sussman, and Laurie Wenk-Pascal.
Visit DGF.org/Gala.
