As previously announced, Signature Theatre of Arlington, VA, is giving the 2011 Sondheim Award to Peters (Into the Woods, Sunday in the Park With George and the recent Broadway revival of A Little Night Music, opposite Buntrock), who will star as Sally in the spring DC Kennedy Center revival of Follies.

"To commemorate the evening and to help celebrate Ms. Peters' impressive body of work, special musical performances will be given by" Buntrock, Luker (Broadway's Mary Poppins, Show Boat and The Phantom of the Opera), as well as Signature favorites Gamble (Signature's Chess, Les Miserables, Into the Woods) and Morton (Broadway's Sondheim on Sondheim and Taboo and Signature's Chess).

Composer-lyricist Stephen Sondheim stated, "This award is given for artistry and achievement, and it is a joy for me that Bernadette, who so deserves it, is the recipient."

The first Sondheim Award, in 2010, went to Angela Lansbury.

The 2011 gala, chaired by philanthropists Ted and Mary Jo Shen, will be held at the Embassy of Italy. Honorary hosts are Sondheim, Helen Henderson, His Excellency Gary Doer and Ms. Ginny Devine, The Honorable James Moran, His Excellency Giulio Terzi and Ms. Antonella Cinque, and The Honorable Jim Webb and Mrs. Webb. The Sondheim Award Gala will help to benefit Signature Theatre's numerous artistic, education and community programs. Cocktails, dinner, tribute performances and presentation of the Sondheim Award are part of the black-tie Sondheim Award event.

Signature artistic director Eric Schaeffer will direct Sondheim and James Goldman's Follies at the Kennedy Center in May.

Tony Award winner Peters recently starred on Broadway as Desiree in Sondheim's A Little Night Music. Her other Sondheim roles on Broadway include Dot in Sunday in the Park With George, Rose in Gypsy and The Witch in Into the Woods. She is heard on a concert cast album of Sondheim's Anyone Can Whistle, and her concerts and solo recordings over the years have featured songs by Sondheim. Peters won the Best Actress Tony Award for Annie Get Your Gun and Song and Dance.

Sponsorship packages for the 2011 Sondheim Award Gala range from $1,000 to $50,000 and include rewarding, year-long visibility and entertainment benefits. Individual tickets and ticket packages range from $650 to $5,000.

For more information about sponsorship and tickets, contact Mari Chin at (571) 527-1828 or [email protected].