Hart, who lost his battle with pancreatic cancer Jan. 20, will be remembered by friends and colleagues in a memorial service to be held at 7:30 PM at the Public Theater.

Among Hart's contemporaries who will speak are Larry Kramer, Sam Shepard, Dare Clubb, Tim Guinee, Jessica Hagedorn, Tom Murrin, Barbara Eda Young and Haley and Joe Cross.

The memorial in Hart's honor will feature music from Marylouise Burke, Nicky Paraiso, Mary Cleere Haran, Deb Barsha, Mark Bennett, David Clement, Morgan Jenness, Frank London, Reza Salazar, Pat Conte, Citizen Kafka and Peter Stampfel.

Programming for the memorial also includes a poem penned by Hart's frequent collaborator, Sam Shepard.

A friend of Shepard, Hart enjoyed a professional collaboration with the playwright, having staged Shepard's Shaved Splits, The Tooth of Crime and States of Shock featuring John Malkovich. Hart's collaboration with Joseph Chaikin resulted in the Broadway transfer of Renaldo Povod's Cuba and His Teddy Bear starring Robert De Niro. His additional directorial credits include Keith Reddin's Displaced Persons, Povod's La Puta Vida at the Public Theater, and Nicky Paraiso's 20th Century Blues at La MaMa.

As literary manager for the Public Theater, Hart was instrumental in the development of Larry Kramer's The Normal Heart. Prior to his work as a stage director, Hart was a champion of the graffiti art movement and served as director/curator for the SoHo Razor Gallery.

The Public Theater is located at 425 Lafayette Street in Manhattan.