February 2,
2009. New York
City. The Drama
League held it's
annual Gala at
the Rainbow Room
high above the
New York City
skyline. The
brightest stars
of Broadway
came out to
bedazzle us in
honor of beloved
producers
Stewart F. Lane
and Bonnie
Comley as well
as to celebrate
the 25th Anniversary
of the Drama
League
Director's
Project.
The Drama League
described the
Honorees as,
"the powerhouse
husband-and-wife
producers
Stewart
F. Lane
and
Bonnie Comley."
Adding, aptly
nicknamed “Mr.
Broadway,” Lane
is a four-time
Tony Award
winner for
Jay Johnson: The
Two and Only
(2006),
Thoroughly
Modern Millie
(2002), The
Will Rogers
Follies
(1991), and
La Cage aux
Folles
(1984). Mr.
Lane's producing
career began in
1979 with
Jerry
Herman’s
The Grand
Tour
starring
Joel Grey;
since that first
venture, Lane
has produced
shows with some
of the theatres
brightest stars,
including
Liza Minnelli,
Lauren Bacall,
Raquel Welch,
Debbie Reynolds,
Harvey Fierstein,
Keith Carradine,
Martin Short,
Marisa Tomei,
and
Sutton Foster.
Teaming up with
wife Comley in
2003, the two
hit the Great
White Way with
Bernadette
Peters
in the revival
of Gypsy,
Alfred
Molina
in Fiddler
on the Roof,
Laura
Bell Bundy
in Legally
Blonde, and
Kevin
Kline
in last season’s
acclaimed
revival of
Cyrano de
Bergerac, other
recent shows
include Sunday
in the Park with
George, The 39
Steps, and the
upcoming revival
of American
Buffalo.
One of the many
highlights of
the evening's
grand dinner
was a musical
revue by
Chita Rivera
(Nine),
Donna Murphy
(Wonderful
Town),
Lee Roy Reams
(La Cage Aux
Folles) and
Cady
Huffman
(The Producers.)
Stars really let
their talents
shine in a night
filled with
music and
song. The show
included
performances
highlighting the
careers of Lane
and Comley, as
well as past
Broadway
productions
and the
reuniting of
original cast
members from
La Cage aux
Folles,
Urinetown
and some
cast members
including Keith
Carradine from
The Will Rogers
Follies
performing their
toe-tapping,
sing-along hits.
Cady Huffman,
choreographed
the evening with
skill and grace.
The Drama League
Directors
Project, is the
nation's leading
career
development
program for
early and
mid-career
theatre
directors.
Founded by
former Drama
League President
Julia Hansen,
The Directors
Project is aimed
at identifying
and helping
young, talented
directors to
bridge the gap
between academic
training and
professional
success. Through
its partnerships
with
professional
theaters across
the US and its
commitment to
ongoing career
development, The
Directors
Project uniquely
supports
aspiring theater
artists in
America. Notable
alumni of The
Directors
Project include
Christopher
Ashley,
Mark Brokaw,
Michael Mayer,
Diane Paulus,
John Rando
and
Alex Timbers.
All proceeds
from "A MUSICAL
CELEBRATION OF
BROADWAY"
support The
Drama League,
which was
founded in 1916
as an
association of
theatre
professionals
and patrons
dedicated to
encouraging the
finest in
professional
theatre and has
since then
developed into
the theatre's
premiere service
organization. To
learn more go to
www.dramaleague.org