Liz Smith to Host Theatre Hall of Fame Luncheon; Lansbury, Hoty, Ebersole to Honor Tune

By Andrew Gans
02 Jun 2010

Tommy Tune
Tommy Tune
Photo by Aubrey Reuben

Playbill.com has learned that gossip columnist Liz Smith will host the Seventh Annual Theater Hall of Fame Fellowship Luncheon, which will be held June 3 at the New York Friars Club.

As previously reported, nine-time Tony Award winner Tommy Tune will be honored for his 50 years in show business. Past honorees include Marian Seldes, Edward Albee, James M. Nederlander, Elizabeth McCann, Frances Sternhagen and Angela Lansbury.

Among those expected to honor Tune are fellow Theater Hall of Fame members Angela Lansbury, Frances Sternhagen, Estelle Parsons, Dana Ivey, Roger Berlind, Lois Smith and Charles Strouse as well as Broadway favorites Dee Hoty, Lee Roy Reams and Christine Ebersole.

The Theater Hall of Fame Fellowships were created, according to press notes, "as a vehicle for the Theater Hall of Fame, Inc. to help emerging artists in the New York theatre community." Three $1,000 fellowships will be presented at the luncheon by Enid Nemy, Marian Seldes and Lynn Lane. Recipients include composers Kirsten Childs and Paul Loesel and the Pearl Theater Company.

Terry Hodge Taylor is the executive producer of the upcoming event; Dame Celia Lipton Farris is the honorary chair.

A nine-time Tony Award winner, director-choreographer-actor Tune has helped create such Broadway shows as Nine, My One & Only, A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine, The Will Rogers Follies and Grand Hotel. He helmed Off-Broadway's The Club and Cloud Nine, and he spent two years starring in the Las Vegas production of the spectacular EFX at the MGM Grand Hotel. Tune was seen in the 2006 national tour of Dr. Dolittle, and helmed the new Broadway-aimed musical The Turn of the Century at the Goodman Theatre in fall 2008.

Tickets are available by calling (212) 307-1226.