Numerous Broadway stars gathered for the 2023 American Theatre Wing gala September 11 in honor of unsung heroes of the theatre industry. Each attendee was asked to bring a guest, a personal hero who doesn't often get recognition—from swings, to dressers, to creatives, and more. Several stars stepped into a portrait booth with their guest. Check out the photos below. 

The evening's attendees included J. Harrison Ghee, Melissa Etheridge, Ariana DeBose, Leslie Odom Jr., Lin-Manuel Miranda, Jane Krakowski, LaChanze, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Tituss Burgess, Justin Guarini, Danielle Brooks, and more. 

Some of the evening's "unsung heroes" included Verna Hobson, an usher at the Winter Garden Theatre who has been working for 30 years, and was an actor previously. Hobson attended with Tony Award winner Adrienne Warren: "We met at opening night of a show and not only was she so helpful before the show started and during intermission.. she was so kind and warm, which truly [made] my night," the actor shared on Instagram. "She is Broadway history and now a friend." 

The evening's honorees included more indispensable industry members like Shubert Organization Theatre Manager Kenny Nuñez, and Salisha Thomas, a Once Upon a One More Time understudy who stepped in as Cinderella last minute toward the end of the musical's run. See the full gallery of portraits below.

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Take a Look at Portraits from The American Theatre Wing's Fall Gala Honoring Unsung Heroes of the Theatre Industry

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