The York Theatre Company presents the 30th Oscar Hammerstein Award Gala November 14 at The Edison Rooftop in Manhattan. York Associate Artistic Director Gerry McIntyre (Once on This Island) hosts the celebration.
The evening honors Tony-winning Broadway veteran Leslie Uggams (Hallelujah, Baby!; Anything Goes; Thoroughly Modern Millie)
with the 2022 Oscar Hammerstein Award for Outstanding Achievement in
Musical Theater and Ted Chapin, who was president of the Rodgers &
Hammerstein Organization for 40 years, with The York Theatre Company
Founders’ Award.
The gala begins with a cocktail reception at 6 PM, followed by dinner at 7 PM and a concert and awards ceremony at 7 PM. Michael Unger directs the celebration, while music director Christie Chiles Twillie leads an all-female band.
Performers include Shoshana Bean, Lilli Cooper, Jared Grimes, Christine Pedi, Klea Blackhurst, Gregg Edelman, Michael James Leslie, Ron Raines, Stephanie Umoh, Jeffrey Wright, Broadway Inspirational Voices, and Dionne Warwick, with video appearances by LaChanze, André De Shields, and Lee Roy Reams.
York Producing Artistic Director James Morgan said in an earlier statement, “Two show
business trailblazers—one on stages and screens of all sizes, the other
behind the scenes—Leslie Uggams and Ted Chapin have had tremendous
impact on musical theatre of the last half-century, and we are thrilled
to be honoring them.”
The Oscar Hammerstein Award, named in honor of the late, legendary
lyricist and librettist, recognizes significant outstanding achievement
in musical theatre. Past recipients include Stephen Sondheim, Betty
Comden and Adolph Green, Harold Prince, Cy Coleman, Charles Strouse,
Arthur Laurents, Jerry Herman, Stephen Schwartz, Peter Stone, David
Merrick, John Kander and Fred Ebb, Terrence McNally, Cameron Mackintosh,
Carol Channing, Tony Walton, Joseph Stein, George S. Irving, Jerry Bock
and Sheldon Harnick, Thomas Meehan, Barbara Cook, Paul Gemignani, Lynn
Ahrens & Stephen Flaherty, Angela Lansbury, Joel Grey, Tom Jones
& Harvey Schmidt, Susan Stroman, André De Shields, and, most
recently, Richard Maltby, Jr. and David Shire.
The York Theatre Company Founders’ Award recognizes individuals who have made a significant impact on the sustainability of the arts. Past recipients include York Founding Artistic Director Janet Hayes Walker, W. David McCoy, Sarah Tod Smith, Molly Grose, Robert Goldberg, Gerald F. Fisher, Betty Cooper Wallerstein, Riki Kane Larimer, and Elisa Stein.
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