The event will feature performances by Tony winner Debra Monk and Claybourne Elder and Brynn O'Malley, who were seen in the Signature production of Sondheim and Lapine's Sunday in the Park with George.

As previously reported, Lapine, a long-time collaborator of composer Stephen Sondheim, will be honored with the award.

"I am thrilled to receive the Sondheim Award from the wonderful Signature Theatre," Lapine said in a statement. "I have already received the invaluable gift of over twenty-five years of collaboration and friendship with Steve. Now I get to have his award, too! I am most grateful."

The theatre, located in Arlington, VA, will present the award at a black-tie Gala Benefit at the Embassy of Italy March 30.

"James has been my good friend and collaborator over the course of thirty-two years, and it’s about time I thanked him ostentatiously," Stephen Sondheim added. "Signature Theatre has given me the opportunity, and I’m grabbing it." James Lapine’s collaboration with Stephen Sondheim began in 1984 with the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical Sunday in the Park with George and continued with Into the Woods in 1987 and Passion in 1994. Lapine directed all three productions and created the musical revue Sondheim on Sondheim, which premiered on Broadway in 2010. He co-produced and directed the HBO documentary "Six By Sondheim," for which he received an Emmy nomination and wrote the screenplay for the film version of Into the Woods.

His directing credits also include Act One, Annie, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and The Diary of Anne Frank, among others.

The Stephen Sondheim Award was established in 2009 in honor of the award-winning theatre writer and composer. Previous recipients include Jonathan Tunick, Angela Lansbury, Bernadette Peters, Patti LuPone and Hal Prince.

For more information visit signature-theatre.org.