A benefit to honor Nederlander and "to raise funds for arts education and audience development initiatives" will take place on May 17 in the Broadway Ballroom of the Marriott Marquis Hotel.

Half of the proceeds will be given to the National High School Musical Theatre Awards to support "The Jimmys," a national scholarship program celebrating outstanding student performance and excellence in theatre arts education in high schools across the United States.

The other half of the funds will be used to support the arts education and audience development initiatives of The Broadway League.

Charlotte St. Martin, executive director of The Broadway League, said, "The festive evening we are planning will showcase the love and respect that our Broadway community feels for James Nederlander. Jimmy's unique and worthwhile contributions to arts education make him the perfect person on whom to bestow this award, just as Gerald Schoenfeld's passion for education inspired The Broadway League to introduce this award in his name."

Founded by David T. Nederlander, the Nederlander Organization began in 1912 with the purchase of a 99-year lease on the old Detroit Opera House. The company is now into its third generation of theatre development, ownership, management and production, and is one of the world's largest and most experienced operators of live theatre. Its Broadway theatres include the Brooks Atkinson, the Gershwin, the Lunt-Fontanne, the Marquis, the Minskoff, the Nederlander, the Neil Simon, the Palace and the Richard Rodgers. The recipients of the first Schoenfeld Vision for Arts in Education Award were the late Gerald Schoenfeld, chairman of the Shubert Organization and Joel Klein, chancellor of the New York City Department of Education.

Details about this year's event will be announced soon. Limited tickets are available by calling (917) 693-7414 for information.

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The Broadway League is the official trade association for the Broadway theatre industry, operating under the "Now THAT'S Broadway!" banner, which signifies genuine Broadway productions and events. Founded in 1930 as the League of New York Theatres, the League is a membership organization whose 600-plus members include theatre owners and operators, producers, presenters, general managers, and suppliers of theatrical goods and services. Each year The Broadway League and its members bring Broadway theatre to nearly 30 million people in more than 240 cities across the U.S. and Canada. Visit www.BroadwayLeague.com.