Tony nominee David Alan Grier, who currently stars in Broadway's Porgy and Bess, emcees the black-tie event, which begins at 6:30 PM and includes a silent auction, cocktails, entertainment and dinner.
The evening, which also honors Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland Play House and CEO & chairman of Ernst & Young James S. Turley, celebrates individuals and institutions who have made significant contributions to the national theatre community. The gala also raises funds for NCTF member theatres in the U.S.
"NCTF supports national theatre utilizing innovative partnerships with companies, individuals and artists to enhance the cultural lives of our communities," said NCTF executive director Bruce E. Whitacre in a statement. "Our honorees reflect that innovation and vision by combining theatre with other endeavors: economic development, medicine, cultivating a people-oriented professional culture, and bringing the heart and soul of jazz to Broadway."
Emmy award winner Mariska Hargitay ("Law & Order: SVU") presents Connick, Jr. with NCTF's Theatre Artist Award; Kate Mulgrew (Equus) presents the Cleveland Play House with the Achievement in Theatre Award; and Joe Dowling, artistic director of the Guthrie Theater, presents Turley with the NCTF Leadership Award. Cleveland Clinic is the evening's institutional honoree; playwright David Henry Hwang presents Cleveland Clinic president and chief executive officer Toby M. Cosgrove, M.D. with the award.
Connick, Jr., who was last seen on Broadway in On a Clear Day You Can See Forever, was nominated for a Tony Award for his performance in The Pajama Game. He also received a Tony nomination for Original Score for his work on Thou Shalt Not. For more on Connick, Jr.'s theatrical history, visit the Playbill Vault. National Corporate Theatre Fund (NCTF) is a not-for-profit association dedicated to "sustaining America's finest not-for-profit theatres, on the stage and in the community, through innovative partnerships with companies, individuals and artists."
The Pierre Hotel is located at 2 East 61st Street. For more information, call (212) 750-6895, email [email protected] or visit nctf.org.
