Industry NewsMemphis Tony Winner Joe DiPietro to Be Honored at Make Believe on Broadway GalaThe concert evening will feature performances by Tony winner James Monroe Iglehart, Constantine Maroulis, and Memphis stars Montego Glover and Chad Kimball.
By
Adam Hetrick
October 08, 2018
Two-time Tony Award-winning Memphis book writer and lyricist Joe DiPietro will be honored by Only Make Believe during its November 5 gala fundraising concert Make Believe on Broadway.
DiPietro, who has directed Make Believe on Broadway in previous years, will be honored with the Founder’s Award for his 19-year commitment to the organization that brings theatre to critically ill and disabled children at no cost. The night will also honor RHONY's Bethenny Frankel with the Sir Ian McKellen Award for her global philanthropic work for families in crisis.
Saturday Night Live’s Rachel Dratch will host the 7 PM event at the Schoenfeld Theatre that will include performances by DiPietro’s Tony-winning Memphis collaborator David Bryan, and the show’s original Tony-nominated stars, Chad Kimball and Montego Glover.
Also set to perform are James Monroe Iglehart, Michael McGrath, Constantine Maroulis, Marc Kudisch, Nate Russe, Judy Kaye, Brad Oscar, and Jeanna deWaal, star of DiPietro and Bryan's upcoming Princess Diana bio-musical.
Diana will debut at the La Jolla Playhouse this February under the direction of Christopher Ashley, who also directed their 2009 Tony-winning hit Memphis. That production also began its life at La Jolla prior to Broadway.
Playwright and librettist DiPietro is the writer of the long-running Off-Broadway revue I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change;and the 2009 Off-Broadway musical The Toxic Avenger. A two-time Tony Award winner for the 2009 rock musical Memphis, he has also written the books for the Broadway musicals All Shook Up, Nice Work If You Can Get It, and the 2015 play Living On Love.
A statement from the Off-Broadway company's board of directors pledges a future "filled with diversity," and "to continue our long legacy of supporting artists of all backgrounds."