Jane Alexander, Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, joined the Theatre Development Fund in a salute to The Shubert Foundation the week of July 15.

The celebration, held at the Marriott Marquis's Astor Ballroom, honored The Shuberts for becoming the not-for-profit arts service organization's largest private funder (more than $1.5 million since TDF's founding in 1968).

Speaking in support of increasing private funding for the arts: TDF president Tom Leahy; its president's council chairman, Wendy Wasserstein; its chairman, David D. Holbrook, and NYC's Commission of Cultural Affairs, Schuyler Chapin.

More than 250 theatre-industry folk and corporate funders attended. Among the most conspicuous were Kitty Carlisle Hart, Tony winner Irene Worth, set designer Robin Wagner, Manhattan Theatre Club's Barry Grove, William Morris agent Biff Liff and Lincoln Center Theatre's Andre Bishop and Bernie Gerstein.

-- By Harry Haun