News & Events

Award-winning Broadway producer Stewart F. Lane will be the guest speaker at Temple Emanuel of Great Neck on Friday, May 17 at 7:30 p.m.

Lane will offer the talk: “Jews on Broadway,” which is the name of his recently published, critically acclaimed book.

All members of the community are invited to attend the Sabbath Eve Service. (There is no charge for admission to the Service.)

The Sisterhood of Temple Emanuel will sponsor a Shabbat dinner in Lane’s honor at 5:45 p.m., preceding the service, to which congregants and all members of the community are invited. The donation is: $25/member; $27.50/non-member; and $18/child, 12 or under. R.S.V.P by calling 773.0097 or 482.7181 for information and to make your reservation for dinner.

Lane is a five-time Tony award winning producer for “War Horse,” “Jay Johnson: The Two & Only,” “Thoroughly Modern Millie,” “Will Rogers Follies” and “La Cage Aux Folles,” as well as an eight-time nominee for the Broadway Productions of “The Merchant of Venice” starring Al Pacino, Alfred Hitchcock’s “The 39 Steps,” “Sunday in the Park” (revival), “Fiddler on the Roof” (revival) starring Alfred Molina, “Gypsy” (revival) starring Bernadette Peters, “1776” (revival), “The Goodbye Girl” starring Martin Short, and “Woman of the Year” starring Lauren Bacall.

Current Broadway shows are: “Jekyll & Hyde” and Irving Berlin’s “Top Hat” in the West End.

In all, he has been nominated for 11 Tony awards, and has been nominated for and received numerous other industry awards including four Drama Desk Awards, a Drama Critics Circle Award, Outer Circle Critics Award, and a Drama League Award. He has additionally expanded into film and television, producing documentaries, movies, and Broadway shows for venues such as PBS’ Great Performance series.

Giving back to the theater community, Lane has created numerous scholarship funds.

He is a graduate of the Boston University’s College of Fine Arts, a native of Great Neck and longtime member of Temple Emanuel.

Temple Emanuel of Great Neck is located at 150 Hicks Lane. For further information, please call 516.482.5701.

"Top Hat" Takes Top Honors At 2013 Oliviers!

Broadway producers Stewart F. Lane, Ted Hartley and Bonnie Comley took home top honors at the 2013 Oliviers for "Top Hat". The musical received three Laurence Olivier awards for Best New Musical, Best Choreography, and Best Costume design and was nominated for seven including, Best Actor in a Musical, Best Actress in a Musical, Best Set Design and Best Sound Design.

The musical is filled with the glamour of Hollywood's golden age and topped off with the tap-dancing magic of Hollywood legends Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. "Top Hat" brings many of Irving Berlin's greatest hits including "Cheek to Cheek", "Puttin' on the Ritz", "Top Hat", "White Tie & Tails" to the West End in London. The show, directed by Matthew White, currently stars Tony and Olivier award nominated Gavin Lee as Jerry Travers and Broadway leading lady Kristen Beth Williams as Dale Tremont.

For more information visit www.tophatonstage.com

May 9, 2013

The Theatre Museum has announced the honorees for the 2013 Theatre Museum Awards for Excellence. The mission of The Theatre Museum is to preserve, protect, and perpetuate the legacy of the theatre, it is the first and only chartered non profit museum dedicated to the history of Theatre. Since 1995 The Awards for Excellence have recognized individuals and organizations for their contribution to theater arts, education, theater history and preservation. The 2013 Theatre Museum Awards will take place on Monday, June 3rd at 6PM at The Players Club 16 Gramercy Park, NYC.

This year The Theatre Museum honors Helen Marie Guditis, posthumously, with the Distinguished Service to the Theatre Award. The award will be presented by Stewart F. Lane, Chairman of The Theatre Museum. In 1986 Helen Marie Guditis founded the "Broadway Theatre Institute", in 2007 the name was changed to "The Theatre Museum". Ms Guditis dedicated her life to theater education and preservation. Ms Guditis was President of The Theatre Museum until she died of cancer in 2012.

The Theatre Museum Advisory Board member , Bonnie Comley, will present The Award for Excellence in Theatre Arts Education to Emerson College. Established in 1880, Emerson College is a diverse, coeducational, and multifaceted degree-granting institution with campuses in Boston, Los Angeles and the Netherlands. Its mission is "to explore and push the boundaries of communication, art, and culture and, thereby, to contribute to the advancement of society." Emerson College students study with professional artists in the theaters and performances spaces that include the newly renovated 600 seat Paramount Center and the 1200 seat Cutler Majestic Theater. Emerson College owns more theater and performing space than any other institution in Boston and all spaces are available for their students' education.

Because the year 2013 marks the 100th anniversary of The Palace Theater on Broadway in addition to the awards, the event will present a Tribute to The Palace Theater. The tribute will feature appearances by Trav S. D., Todd Robbins, Ariela Pizza, Joe Franklin, Leah Lane, Rod Kimball & Company, Chris McDaniel, and Jim Dale. A video tribute to vaudeville actors who performed at The Palace Theater will be provided by Ron Hutchinson and The Vitaphone Project. The 2013 TTM Awards are produced by Alyssa Renzi and Trav S. D.

The Theatre Museum currently functions as a museum-at-large with administrative offices at 40 Worth Street NYC until a permanent gallery is located. The Theatre Museum produces exhibitions in collaboration with other cultural institutions in NYC and across the country. For more information see: www.thetheatremuseum.org
Individual tickets for the Awards ceremony and dinner are priced at $250.
For tickets call 212-315-0502

May 6, 2013

Jekyll & Hyde opened at the Marquis Theatre on April 18, 2013. The new Broadway production of international musical sensation JEKYLL & HYDE, starring Tony Award nominee Constantine Maroulis in the dual title role of ‘Dr. Henry Jekyll' & ‘Edward Hyde' and Grammy nominated R&B superstar Deborah Cox as ‘Lucy'. After four thrilling, chilling years on Broadway and multiple worldwide tours, this dark and dangerous love story returns in a stunning new production that includes all the classic songs ("This is the Moment", "A New Life", "Someone Like You") that first grabbed audiences by the throat and transformed Jekyll & Hyde into a fourtime Tony Award nominated theatrical phenomenon. Conceived for the stage by Tony and Grammy Award nominee Frank Wildhorn and Steve Cuden, Jekyll & Hyde features a book & lyrics by twotime Oscar winner, Emmy winner and fourtime Tony Award nominee Leslie Bricusse, music by Frank Wildhorn, and direction & choreography by Tony Award nominee Jeff Calhoun.

May 5, 2013

The Olivier, Stewart F. Lane, Bonnie Comley, Top Hat and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time!

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time picked up a record breaking seven Olivier, including best actor for its star, Luke Treadaway. The 28-year-old, beat out Rupert Everett, James McAvoy, Mark Rylance and Rafe Spall. Last year it was the musical Matilda that won the same amount of awards. The play tells the story of 15-year-old Christopher – who has an autistic spectrum condition, or behavioral problems, as he puts it – as he sets out to investigate who killed his neighbor’s dog, opening in the process all sorts of cans of worms.

In her fourth Olivier nomination and her first win, Helen Mirren picked up the prize for her performance as the Queen in The Audience. The musical awards were shared by Top Hat and Sweeney Todd, which won three apiece.

May 4, 2013

Top Hat won three 2013 Laurence Olivier awards for Best New Musical, Best Choreography (Bill Deamer), and Best Costume design (Jon Morrell) at the ceremony held on April 28. Bringing the prestigious statuette back to the US are Broadway producers Stewart F. Lane, Ted Hartley and Bonnie Comley. Scroll down for a photo of the producers with their award!

The musical was nominated for seven Oliviers including, Best Actor in a Musical (Tom Chambers), Best Actress in a Musical (Summer Strallen), Best Set Design (Hildegard Bechtler) and Best Sound Design (Gareth Owen).

Top Hat brings the glamour of Hollywood's golden age and the glorious, tap-dancing magic of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers to the West End in one of the greatest dance musicals of all time. Packed full of Irving Berlin's greatest hits including, Cheek to Cheek, Top Hat, White Tie & Tails, Let's Face the Music & Dance and Puttin' on the Ritz, TOP HAT is an exhilarating celebration of 1930s song and dance. The show, directed by Matthew White, currently stars Tony and Olivier award nominated Gavin Lee and Broadway leading lady Kristen Beth Williams star as Jerry Travers and Dale Tremont.

Top Hat the movie was made by RKO Radio Pictures in 1935 and is widely regarded as the greatest of the Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers dance musicals. For RKO, it was also their most profitable costing $620,000 to make and taking $3 million (approximately equivalent to $47m today) on its initial release making it RKO's biggest earner of the 30's. Ted Hartley, the current CEO of RKO Pictures is eager to bring Top Hat to Broadway although no dates have been announced.

May 1, 2013

The Annual National Meningitis Association

Give Kids a Shot Gala!

The annual National Meningitis Association (NMA) Give Kids a Shot Gala was once again an emotion filled evening but a stellar success in aiding the fight against meningitis, a potentially vaccine preventable disease. Held in the elegant ballrooms of the historic New York Athletic Club with phenomenal views of Central Park as a backdrop, hundreds of New York's movers and shakers turned out to support the cause and also to congratulate meningitis survivor & Para Olympic Gold Medalist Nick Springer, an Honorary Chair along with Ambassador & Mrs. John L. Loeb, Jr. Scroll down for photos from the event!

Guests mingled over cocktails and hors d'oeuvres while poring over the dazzling array of Silent Auction gifts from breathtaking jewels to one of a kind fashions and even a commemorative bottle of Medea Vodka with an LED message from Richard Thomas shimmering across the bottle like a Broadway marquee.

April 28, 2013

Top Hat has won this year's Best New Musical Olivier Award, triumphing in a hotly contest category that also included Loserville, Soul Sister and The Bodyguard.

Based on the 1935 film of the same name and nominated for a total of seven awards at this year's ceremony, Top Hat brings a glamorous touch of Hollywood opulence to the West End, evoking the the golden age of the silver screen and Fred Astaire and Ginger Rodger's world-famous dance partnership to tell the story of Broadway star Jerry Travers as he tries to win the heart of beautiful socialite Dale Tremont.

Opening at the Aldwych theatre last May with Olivier Award nominees Tom Chambers and Summer Strallen in the leading roles, the Matthew White-directed musical was met with critical and public acclaim. Official London Theatre described Irving Berlin's popular classics, which pack the Top Hat score, as "as toe-tappingly catchy as they ever were, proving a gloriously uplifting score for a host of memorable Bill Deamer-choreographed tap routines," while The Sunday Telegraph's Tim Walker said it was "The most sublimely performed, choreographed, orchestrated and costumed musical I have seen in the past 25 years."

After collecting the award alongside other members of the company, Top Hat producer Kenny Wax said: “We’re absolutely over the moon. Really delighted. So many people have worked so hard on the show. [I’m] just overjoyed for everybody really.”

The show is still playing at the venue with Tony and Olivier Award nominated Gavin Lee and Broadway's Kristen Beth Williams now leading the company as Jerry and Dale.

April 18, 2013

JEKYLL & HYDE Opening Night!

Conceived for the stage by Tony and GRAMMY Award nominee Frank Wildhorn and Steve Cuden, the four time Tony Award Nominated musical JEKYLL & HYDE features a book & lyrics by two-time Oscar winner, Emmy winner and four-time Tony Award Nominee Leslie Bricusse, music by Frank Wildhorn, and is directed and choreographed by Tony Award Nominee Jeff Calhoun.

After four thrilling, chilling years on Broadway and multiple world-wide tours, this dark and dangerous love story returns in a stunning new production that includes all the classic songs (This is the Moment, A New Life, Someone Like You) that first grabbed audiences by the throat and transformed JEKYLL & HYDE into a theatrical phenomenon. The musical is based on the acclaimed novella The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson, about a London doctor who accidentally unleashes his evil alternate personality in his quest to cure his father's mental illness.

April 14, 2013

MOTOWN: THE MUSICAL features arrangements and orchestrations by Ethan Popp, who will also serve as musical supervisor for the 18 piece orchestra and reproduce the classic "Sound of Young America" for the Broadway stage, with co-orchestrations and additional arrangements by Bryan Crook, dance arrangements by Zane Mark and music direction by Joseph Joubert.

March 26, 2013

February 20, 2013

The Drama League's 2013 Musical Celebration of Broadway was held on Monday February 11, 2013 at The Pierre Hotel Ballroom. This year's honoree was five time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald. The Drama League’s annual Benefit Gala is easily one of the most exciting events of the season. Exclusive and elegant, the annual black-tie soiree — featuring a cocktail reception, a dazzling silent auction, and a specially-crafted three-course meal – is a night where the greatest stars of Broadway and Hollywood come together in a unique, one-night-only musical revue celebrating the career of the year’s Gala Honoree.

The Benefit Gala raises much-needed funds for the vital education programs of The Drama League Directors Project. Since 1984,
the Benefit Gala has honored exceptional artists whose talent and passion have served as a benchmark for others. Each year, an enthusiastic audience of 500 theatre lovers – comprised of recognizable names from the professional theatre community and society pages, as well as Drama League members and supporters – come out to support the Drama League Directors Project.

The evening was all about Audra with heartfelt tributes from her friends and colleagues on Broadway and tv but the Drama League also made a special presentation. The leads of Priscilla Queen on the Desert, Tony Sheldon, Will Swenson and Nick Adams announced the new Drama League Theater Center, a new, state-of-the-art facility that will bring world-class theater artists, emerging talents, and New York theatergoers together under one roof. The Center, located on the lobby level of the historic former AT&T Building at 32 Avenue of the Americas, in the heart of TriBeCa’s arts district, is scheduled to open in April 2013 and will be named in honor of Tony Award Winning producers, Stewart F. Lane and Bonnie Comley.

Among the evening's guests and performers and were: Zoe Caldwell, Patti Lupone, Taye Diggs, Phylicia Rashad, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Tyne Daly, Victor Garber, Norm Lewis, Mary Testa, Anthony Crivello, Seth Rudetsky, Tony Sheldon, Bonnie Comley, Stewart Lane, Judith Light, Julie White, and Senator Tom Duane, Bonnie Comley, Stewart Lane, Judith Light, Julie White and Senator Tom Duane.

February 12, 2013

Drama League Announces Founding of Studio Lab and Welcome Center, Components of Drama League Theater Center!

At the Drama League's Feb. 11 29th Annual Musical Celebration of Broadway honoring Audra McDonald, former Priscilla Queen of the Desert co-stars Will Swenson, Tony Sheldon and Nick Adams announced the founding of The Stewart F. Lane and Bonnie Comley Studio Lab and The Joseph and Lauren Pizza Welcome Center, both to be components inside the new Drama League Theater Center.

Located in Tribeca's cultural district, The Drama League Theater Center will open its doors at 32 Avenue of the Americas this spring.

The Stewart F. Lane and Bonnie Comley Studio Lab, according to press notes, will be a "flexible-configuration creative space for the development of new plays and musicals for Broadway, Off-Broadway, and for leading theatres around the country. It will house workshops, readings, classes, open rehearsals, symposia, panel discussions, and the new Drama League Resident Artists Program, where selected directors and their collaborators will cultivate new works for the theatre." It will also offer premium rehearsal space, state-of-the-art sound and video projection capability, and production workstations among its amenities.

The Joseph and Lauren Pizza Welcome Center will be the space "welcoming guests as they enter The Drama League Theatre Center, where the Founders Wall, Hospitality Lounge, reception amenities, a reservations desk for all events and the entrances to The Stewart F. Lane and Bonnie Comley Studio Lab and the Creatve Suites will be located."

Both spaces are designed by FXFowle, the architects behind Lincoln Center's renovation of Alice Tully Hall, and FisherDachs, co-founded by Jules Fisher, eight-time Tony Award-winning lighting and theatre designer.

The Drama League Theater Center and its programs are estimated to serve approximately 15,000 artists and audience members annually.

"It's increasingly rare to come across arts leaders like Stewart, Bonnie, Joe and Lauren. These four individuals have made lifelong commitments to the arts, and their support of The Drama League Theater Center is just the latest iteration of their enthusiasm for great theater. We are honored to have their names linked with ours in our new home," stated Gabriel Shanks, The Drama League executive director.

Since 1916, The Drama League of New York has been at the "forefront of the American Theatre community, providing talent, audiences, and prosperous support. It is one of the nation’s oldest continuously-operating, not-for-profit arts advocacy and education organization."

January 23, 2013

"Jekyll & Hyde" Starring Constantine Maroulis and Deborah Cox, Will Arrive at Broadway's Marquis in April!

Following the completion of its current national tour, the 13-week limited Broadway engagement of Jekyll & Hyde will begin previews at Broadway's Marquis Theatre (rather than the previously announced Richard Rodgers Theatre) April 5 prior to an official opening April 18.

Tickets for the Nederlander Presentations, Inc., Independent Presenters Network, Chunsoo Shin, Luigi Caiola and Stewart F. Lane/Bonnie Comley production are available exclusively to Audience Rewards (www.audiencerewards.com) members beginning Jan. 22 and will go on sale to the general public Feb. 2 at 10 AM ET via www.ticketmaster.com.

Performances will continue at Broadway's Marquis (1535 Broadway) through June 30.

Tony Award nominee Constantine Maroulis heads the cast in the dual title role of Dr. Henry Jekyll and Edward Hyde with Grammy-nominated R&B star Deborah Cox as Lucy, Teal Wicks as Emma Carew, Laird Mackintosh as John Utterson and Richard White as Sir Danvers Carew.

The 25-week national tour continues in Tulsa, OK (Jan. 22-27 at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center) and Los Angeles, CA (Feb. 12-March 3 at the Pantages Theater).

and Steve Cuden, the four-time Tony-nominated musical Jekyll & Hyde features a book and lyrics by two-time Oscar winner, Emmy winner and four-time Tony Award nominee Leslie Bricusse and music by Wildhorn.

The touring production also features scenic and costume design by Tobin Ost, lighting design by Jeff Croiter, sound design by Ken Travis and projection design by Daniel Brodie. Orchestrations are by Kim Scharnberg. Musical supervision and arrangements are by Jason Howland.

Jekyll & Hyde is based on the novella "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" by Robert Louis Stevenson, about "a London doctor who accidentally unleashes his evil alternate personality in his quest to cure his father’s mental illness," according to press notes.

Following a 30-city tour, the original Broadway production opened at The Plymouth Theatre April 28, 1997, and earned four Tony Award nominations. Directed by Robin Phillips and choreographed by Joey Pizzi, the production starred Robert Cuccioli, Linda Eder and Christiane Noll. After 1,543 performances and featuring such replacements as Sebastian Bach and David Hasselhoff in the title role, the production played its final performance Jan. 7, 2001.

The current tour is produced by Nederlander Presentations, Inc., Independent Presenters Network, Chunsoo Shin, Luigi Caiola and Stewart F. Lane/Bonnie Comley.

"American Idol" finalist Maroulis earned a 2009 Best Actor Tony Award nomination for portraying Drew, an aspiring musician with pipes of steel in the Tony-nominated musical Rock of Ages. He originated the role in the Off-Broadway production at New World Stages in 2008. He has also appeared on Broadway in The Wedding Singer, Off-Broadway in Jacques Brel… and the national tour of Rent.

January 7, 2013

Kristen Beth Williams, Alex Gaumond and More Join Gavin Lee in TOP HAT; Booking Extended Through April 2014!

From 5 February 2013, joining the previously announced Gavin Lee who will play Jerry Travers in the West End hit musical Top Hat are Broadway actress Kristen Beth Williams as Dale Tremont, Olivier award nominee Alex Gaumond as Alberto Beddini and Clive Hayward as Horace Hardwick. Vivien Parry continues as Madge Hardwick and Stephen Boswell as Horace's valet Bates.

In addition, on 28 January 2013, over 275,0000 tickets will be released for sale taking bookings for Top Hat at the Aldwych Theatre to 27 April 2014.

Seventy seven years after its movie release which saw Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers playing the roles of Jerry Travers and Dale Tremont, Matthew White's production arrived in the West End in April 2012 having completed a 20 week sell-out UK tour. Performed by a cast of 31 and accompanied by a live band of 15, this new musical comedy includes Irving Berlin classics from the original movie. A further ten numbers have been interpolated from Berlin's 1200 strong back catalogue. In November last year Top Hat won the Evening Standard Theatre Award for London's Best Night Out. The production has also been nominated for 5 Whatsonstage.com Awards.
Jerry Travers, the famous American tap dancer, arrives in London to appear in his first West End show. Travers meets the irresistible Dale Tremont, the girl of his dreams, and follows her across Europe in an attempt to win her heart.

Ensemble and swing members are Michelle Andrews, Caroline Bateson, Jeremy Batt, Charlie Bull, Alan Burkitt, Matthew Cheney, Louise Davidson, Russell-Leighton Dixon, Matt Gillett, Jonny Godbold, Ian Goss, Fenton Gray, Alyn Hawke, Lauren Jade, Paul Kemble, Jenny Legg, Martin McCarthy, Grace McKee, Debbie Paul, Holly Rostron, Callum Train, Lois Urwin, Graham Vick, Alexandra Waite-Roberts and ARon Wild.

Gavin Lee returns to the West End where he previously originated the role of Bert in the London production of Mary Poppins for which he was Laurence Olivier award nominated. He went on to play the role on Broadway for which he received Drama Desk and Theatre World Awards as well as a Tony Award nomination. While in New York he appeared at Carnegie Hall in Showboat and on television guest starred in Law and Order SUV and The Good Wife. His other London credits include Crazy For You, Peggy Sue Got Married, Me and My Girl, Over My Shoulder, Oklahoma and Contact. His regional theatre credits include Singin' In The Rain, Snoopy, Noel Coward's Masterpieces, Of Thee I Sing, Saturday Night, Chicago and Alan Ayckbourn's Whenever. Gavin Lee is extremely grateful to Cameron Mackintosh, Tom Schumacher and Kenny Wax for making this opportunity possible.

Kristen Beth Williams joins the cast of Top Hat directly from the Broadway production of Nice Work If You Can Get It and previously Anything Goes, both directed and choreographed by Kathleen Marshall. She has also appeared in the Broadway production of Promises Promises directed by Rob Ashford. She has been regular performer in the City Centre Encores! seasons performing in Follies, Applause, Face The Music and The Marvellous Wondrettes. On tour in the US she has been seen in White Christmas, Turn of the Century, Singin in the Rain and Chicago.

Kristen Beth Williams, Alex Gaumond and Clive Hayward Will Join Gavin Lee in West End's Top Hat!

New casting for the West End's Top Hat will see Broadway's Kristen Beth Williams and the West End's Alex Gaumond and Clive Hayward join the previously announced Gavin Lee in principal roles. They will begin performances Feb. 5 at the Aldwych Theatre.

Vivien Parry and Stephen Boswell continue in their previous roles as Madge Hardwick and the valet Bates, respectively.

Williams, who will play Dale Tremont, joins Top Hat directly from the Broadway production of Nice Work If You Can Get It and previously Anything Goes, both directed and choreographed by Kathleen Marshall. She has also appeared in the Broadway production of Promises, Promises directed by Rob Ashford. She has been a regular performer in the City Center Encores! seasons performing in Follies, Applause and Face The Music.

Hayward, who will play Horace Hardwick, has most recently been seen at the Trafalgar Studios as Bernard Woolley in Yes Prime Minister. Previous theatre credits include Much Ado About Nothing at Wyndham's Theatre, Private Lives and Cyrano de Bergerac at the Royal Exchange Theatre, and Earthquakes in London for the National Theatre.

Gaumond, who will play Alberto Beddini, was last seen in the West End playing Galileo in We Will Rock You and Emmett Forrest in Legally Blonde the Musical (for which he was Olivier Award-nominated). Other musical theatre credits include Desperately Seeking Susan at the Novello Theatre and the UK tour of the Donmar Warehouse production of Guys and Dolls.

To book tickets, which are now on sale through April 27, 2014, contact the box office on 0844 847 1712, or visit www.tophatonstage.com for more details.

SOURCE: Playbill.com

January 3, 2013

"Really Really" Star Zosia Mamet Is Still Getting Used to Being Your New Best Friend

All of this prying, of course, is not easy for a self-described loner. She has a few close friends and a newish boyfriend but doesn’t want to talk about him except to say that he isn’t an actor. Her preference is to be left to wander the city or to read. (She was reading John Fante’s “Ask the Dust” when we met and had just finished “Moby-Dick.”)

But wandering the city uninterrupted is becoming harder and harder for her — recently, during a bout of food poisoning, she popped down to her local bodega in her pajamas and was promptly recognized by a bystander. “No one wants anyone in that moment to talk to them,” she says. “I understand why people sometimes say that some celebrity was such a bitch. Sometimes I’m late for a doctor’s appointment. Sometimes I’m being called to the set. I don’t always have time.” She continued, “I would like to be a little more anonymous.” I asked her if she ever feels invaded. She said, “I’m not sure that invaded is the right word, but, well. . . .”

She has had high-visibility supporting roles in the past — on “Parenthood” as a heartsick teenager; on “United States of Tara” as a lovelorn high-school student; on “Mad Men” as a sardonic photo editor who flirts with Peggy Olson — and in January she starts rehearsals for the off-Broadway show “Really Really.” But that very quality that made Euston once call her a transformer — her ability to truly disappear into each role — may be working against her as Shoshanna, in that her fans really believe she’s that girl, drifting through her confused and crazy 20s just the way they are. But she’s not that girl. “I don’t necessarily relate to it in that I’m not experiencing that same thing,” she says. “I’m not lost.”

Still, she gets it, in theory. She certainly gets why “Girls” has hit a nerve. “Your 20s are weird, but nobody tells you that,” she says. “I think that’s what Lena’s trying to say. Everyone tells you that your adolescence, that’s going to be hard. High school is going to suck. But nobody tells you that your 20s are going to be rough, that basically you’re cast into the real world and told to figure it out.”

She is proud to be helping her audience figure it out, or at least helping them understand there are other people like them out there who haven’t. And she’s very happy the show is so popular. But she’s not Shoshanna. She’s someone else — someone who’s still getting used to the idea that you might want to tell her all about your sex life. “Like, the closeness that I guess people feel to me, things that people have shared voluntarily with me immediately, are so insane,” she says. “And I’m not an easily shocked human."

January 2, 2013

ANNIE breaks the Palace box office record with $2 million week!

The acclaimed new production of ANNIE, which opened November 8 at the Palace Theatre, had its best week yet on Broadway and joined the $2 million club. The show grossed $2,054,710 for the week ending 12/30/12. ANNIE features a book by Thomas Meehan, music by Charles Strouse and lyrics by Martin Charnin, with all three authors receiving 1977 Tony Awards^® for their work. ANNIE is directed by Pulitzer Prize and three-time Tony Award^®-winner James Lapine and choreographed by Tony Award^®-winner Andy Blankenbuehler.

ANNIE stars two-time Tony Award^® winner Katie Finneran as Miss Hannigan, Australian star Anthony Warlow making his Broadway debut as Daddy Warbucks and 11-year-old Lilla Crawford as Annie, withBrynn O’Malley as Grace Farrell, Clarke Thorell as Rooster Hannigan, and J. Elaine Marcos as Lily St. Regis. The Orphans are Madi Rae DiPietro as July, Georgi James as Pepper, Junah Jang as Tessie,Tyrah Skye Odoms as Kate, Taylor Richardson as Duffy, Emily Rosenfeld as Molly and Jaidyn Youngas standby for the roles of Annie, Pepper, Duffy and July. The production also features Ashley Blanchet, Jane Blass, Jeremy Davis, Fred Inkley, Merwin Foard, Joel Hatch, Amanda Lea LaVergne, Gavin Lodge, Liz McCartney, Desi Oakley, Keven Quillon, David Rossetti, Sarah Solie, Dennis Stowe andRyan VanDenBoom.

November 20, 2012

Stellar Productions' WHALES Stage Reading!

Stellar Productions held a staged reading of Bob Barlett's "Whales" this weekend directed by Stewart F. Lane. The script has been a finalist in several play writing festivals including Baltimore Playwriting Festival, Catholic University, Kendeda Playwriting Festival, and Seven Devils Playwriting Conference. The cast included Ian Biesinger, Rob Pedini, Kathy Curtis, Bonnie Comley, David Mangiamele, and Alyssa Renzi.

While visiting his family’s secluded cottage on the lower Outer Banks of North Carolina, Owen, a typically urban fourteen-year-old boy, and his fisherman father clash until an unlikely and healing communion with an injured whale awakens in Owen a forgotten boyhood and connection with the sea.

Bob Barlett's play have been performed at DCAC, Flashpoint, the Capital Fringe Festival, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Source Theatre, the Kennedy Center’s Page-to-Stage Festival, the Baltimore Playwrights Festival, Theatre J, Catholic University of America, Active Cultures, First Draft and Bowie State University.

November 12, 2012

November 9, 2012

Liza Minnelli, The Nederlanders and More at

'LivingLandmarks' Fall 2012 Gala!

The 19th annual “Living Landmarks” gala was a star-studded event attracting some 450 people to The Plaza ballroom on November 8th. Each year, The New York Landmarks Conservancy recognizes New Yorkers who have made outstanding contributions to the City and honors them as Living Landmarks. This year the honorees are: Daniel Boulud, Robert Caro, Peter L. Malkin, Liza Minnelli, James M. Nederlander, James L. Nederlander, and E. John Rosenwald, Jr. Scroll below for photos from the event!

The New York Landmarks Conservancy is dedicated to preserving, revitalizing, and reusing New York’s architecturally significant buildings. Through pragmatic leadership, financial and technical assistance, advocacy, and public education, the Conservancy ensures that New York’s historically and culturally significant buildings, streetscapes, and neighborhoods continue to contribute to New York’s economy, tourism, and quality of life.

The Conservancy advocates for preservation in Washington, Albany, and at City Hall by encouraging sound policies that incorporate preservation as an integral part of urban planning. To safeguard the more than 21,000 building protected by the City’s Landmarks Law, the Conservancy works closely with property owners, community groups, the Landmarks Preservation Commission, and other public agencies.

The Conservancy was founded in 1973 by a small group of architects, lawyers, planners, writers, and preservationists eager to save and reuse landmark buildings. Some early successes include saving the U.S. Custom House on Bowling Green and the Fraunces Tavern block, also in Lower Manhattan, restoring the Church of St. Ann and the Holy Trinity in Brooklyn, and converting the Federal Archive Building in Greenwich Village to residential apartments and stores. The Conservancy is one of the leading preservation groups in the country.

October 3, 2012

Zeus (voiced by Joey Lawrence) and the Bannister family have moved into a new home just in time for Halloween! When Zeus and George (Gary Valentine of ''The King of Queens'') decide to investigate a creepy neighbor (Lance Henriksen of Aliens), they discover a scary dog (voiced by Mayim Bialik of ''Blossom'' and ''The Big Bang Theory''), a haunted house and form a surprising partnership with a familiar pair of bumbling burglars (Dean Cain and Joey ''Coco'' Diaz). Can Zeus bust some ghosts, find a missing cat and face his biggest fear, all in time to go trick or treating? Elisa Donovan (''Sabrina the Teenage Witch'') and Curtis Armstrong (Revenge of the Nerds) star in this all-new thrills & chills adventure from the creators of The Dog Who Saved Christmas and The Dog Who Saved Christmas Vacation.

August 25, 2012

The 37th Annual Hamptons Classic began on Sunday August 26 and runs through September 2, for another year of exciting equestrian competition, luxurious shopping, and activities with something for every member of the family. Set amidst the splendor of Long Island's spectacular Hamptons, near some of the world's most beautiful beaches, the Hampton Classic is the culminating event of the Hamptons' summer season.

Masses of spectators, socialites and celebrities – and anyone looking for a top summer destination – return year after year to the eastern end of Long Island to see and be seen at New York's iconic end-of-summer event.

The Hampton Classic is one of the most prestigious horse shows in the nation and features the world's best horses and riders, including riders returning from the 2012 London Olympic Games, heading the list of entries in this year’s Classic.

August 13, 2012

Stewart F. Lane & Bonnie Comley Attend Hamptons

Gala In Support Of Guild Hall!

East Hamptons - This weekend Alec Baldwin and his new bride Hilaria Thomas attended one of the actor's favorite Hamptons fundraisers in support of the Guild Hall Annual Summer Gala with a pre-dinner cocktail reception celebrating artist Eric Fischl's new exhibition "Beach Life."

Guild Hall is one of the jewels of the rich and highly diverse cultural identity that is pure Hamptons. Combining art, theatre, music, dance, film and lecture series, Guild Hall not only serves the East End's summer community, it provides year-round programming that is a vital component of the intellectual and artistic lifestyle that indeed makes the Hamptons an island paradise.

Baldwin and Thomas, along with others of the Hamptons A-List like husband/wife theatrical producers Stewart Lane and Bonnie Comley and fellow Broadway producer Roy Furman and his wife Frieda, strolled the Guild Hall gallery taking in the striking pieces in Fischl's new show. The Furman's actually had a Fischl painting from their private collection on loan for the exhibition.

Fellow notables in attendance where, of course, Guild Hall Executive Director Ruth Appelhof and Chariman of the Guild Hall Board of Trustees Mickey Strauss and his wife Leila. Also on hand were performance artist Laurie Anderson, show business legends actress Dina Merrill and producer Ted Hartley, super-model Stephanie Seymour, playwright Jon Robbin Batz and Fischl's wife, well known landscape artist April Gornik, among others.

A post cocktail hour dinner reception was held at a private East Hampton estate honoring philanthropists Estrellita and Daniel Brodsky with comedian and talk-show host Joy Behar serving as Mistress of Ceremonies. DJ Alexandra Richards, daughter of Rolling Stone guitarist Keith Richards, provided the evening's musical entertainment.

Guild Hall has an impressive lineup scheduled for the summer including the Paul Taylor Dance Company, Audrey Flack and the History of Art String Band with commentary by Dick Cavett, "Celebrity Autobiography" with Scott Adsit, Alec Baldwin, Christie Brinkley, Jerry O'Connell, Eugene Pack, Dayle Reyfel, with more celebrities still being scheduled, and other theatrical performances that feature legends like Christine Ebersole, Blythe Danner and Harris Yulin.

Guild Hall has enriched the cultural life of East Enders for 80 years; do not miss the chance to let it enrich yours this summer.

August 11, 2012

Stewart F. Lane attends Authors Night 2012 at the East Hampton Library!

The East Hampton Library presented the premier literary event of the Hamptons summer season at the Gardiner Farm on James Lanes in East Hampton Village. Guests had the opportunity to meet and mingle with renowned local authors, buy their books and have them personally inscribed.

August 10, 2012

Come Meet Stewart F. Lane at The East

Hampton Library Authors Night!

On Saturday, August 11, 2012, The East Hampton Library will present its 8th Annual Authors Night benefit event. The evening begins at 5:00 pm with the Authors Reception under the tent, where guests will enjoy delicious hors d’oeuvres and wine and have the opportunity to meet and mingle with the authors, buy their books, and have them personally inscribed. The Authors Reception “under the tent” will be held this year at the Gardiner Farm, (36 James Lane, East Hampton village).

Tickets are available online at the Authors Night website www.authorsnight.org and at the Library.

August 8, 2012

Inside Watermill Center's BIG BANG Benefit

The Watermill Center held its annual summer benefit on Saturday, July 28th. Despite a downpour of rain, the spectacular event went on as planned with performance art and installations. Watermill International Summer Program Participants from over 25 countries created eight acres of installations and performances throughout the grounds of Watermill Center. The funds raised will support The Watermill Center's International Summer Program and year round Artist Residency Program, providing a unique environment for young and emerging artists to explore and develop their work.

July 26, 2012

Art Southampton — presented by Art Miami — made its Hamptons debut on Thursday evening, with an Opening Night VIP Preview benefiting Southampton Hospital. The fair features 50 international art galleries. Among works to be shown include Milton Avery, Ross Bleckner, Eric Fischl, Roy Lichtenstein, Pablo Picasso, Larry Rivers, Andy Warhol and many more. The fair runs from July 26 through 30, and is located at the Southampton Elks Lodge fairgrounds.

July 24, 2012

Bridgehampton Polo Club's Opening Day Party!

This weekend kicked off the sixteenth annual season at the Bridgehampton Polo Club, a mainstay of the Hamptons social scene that's open for just six Saturdays in July and August.

Reality TV stars, polo players, and Hamptons denizens mingled while watching the polo exhibition (the field was too wet for an official match) and checking out the cars over at the Ferrari Experience.

As usual, the attire did not disappoint. Click through to see the scene and dapper outfits on display at the event, courtesy of our friends at Guest of a Guest.

June 13, 2012

The 66th Annual Tony Awards were held at the Beacon Theater on Sunday night. The show was hosted by Neil Patrick Harris and broadcast on CBS. Songs from all of the nominated new musicals and revivals were presented including: Evita featuring Ricky Martin and Elena Roger, Follies featuring Tony nominated actor Danny Burstein, The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess featuring Tony nominees Audra McDonald, Norm Lewis and David Alan Grier, Jesus Christ Superstar featuring Tony nominee Josh Young, Leap of Faith featuring Raúl Esparza, Newsies, featuring Tony nominated actor Jeremy Jordan, Nice Work If You Can Get It featuring Matthew Broderick and Tony nominee Kelli O’Hara and Once featuring Tony nominees Steve Kazee, Cristin Milioti and Elizabeth A. Davis.

Presenters for the 2012 Tony Awards included: Ellen Barkin, Candice Bergen, Jessica Chastain, Sheryl Crow, Nick Jonas, Angela Lansbury, James Marsden, Jim Parsons, Mandy Patinkin, Patti Lupone, Tyler Perry, Bernadette Peters, Christopher Plummer, Paul Rudd, Amanda Seyfried, Trey Parker and Matt Stone.

Special Tony Awards were presented to Hugh Jackman, Bernadette Peters and Manny Azenberg. For a complete list of winners and nominees see:

One of the few things that's going to remain of our time is what artists are doing," Robert Wilson said at a cocktail party in his honor thrown by Bonnie Comley and Stewart F. Lane. "No one will pay any attention to the war in Iraq and Persia, Pakistan, 2,000 years from now." The Lanes reached out to him when they learned they would be honored at this year's ArtRageous benefit held at Cipriani Wall Street with over 500 in attendance, for the Edwin Gould Services for Children and Families (dealing with foster care). "And he said 'yes'," Comley told us.

Synchronistically, Wilson had his own story to tell. At the Harmonie Club, a week before ArtRageous, Wilson told it to the group. In 1967 he saw a policeman hitting a boy in Summit New Jersey, and intervened. The boy was deaf and about to be put in a juvenile delinquent home. "He was thought to be a dullard," Wilson said. "But, as far as I could tell, he knew no words...I went to court as a single man in 1967 at the age of 27, to adopt the boy, to prevent him from being institutionalized."

They boy isn't stupid, he told the judge. He "has a sense of humor. That's a sign of intelligence." That didn't work, "so at the end of the proceeding I said, 'Judge, if the state of New Jersey does not give me this boy it will cost...a hell of a lot of money'." Wilson got the child. "I made my first major work in the theater in collaboration with this thirteen-year-old African American boy who had never been to school," Wilson said. That was "Deafman Glance," in 1970, "seven hours long and silent."

Now, this internationally acclaimed genius was lending his name to an organization that pairs foster (and donors') children with established artists. "Something you'll never see in the school system," said Lane. "It's an amazing process. My kids have been participating." Leah Lane , now fourteen, worked with April Gornik in the Hamptons and Linda Mason in New York. "And on a Jeff Koons painting that went for half a million," Lane explained. "I bid on it, but a guy out bid me." He wasn't outbid this year on portraits to be painted by William Wegman and Max Ferguson. There's already a Ferguson hanging in the Lanes' Hamptons home, of Bonnie and Stew in the Palace Theater, which he co-owns. At ArtRageous, Ferguson sat at the Lanes table, with daughter Leah Lane, nephew Alex Washer, Jean Shafiroff, Robin Cofer and Dominick D'Alleva. He'd just got off a plane from Israel, where he lives, for this event and his exhibit in Hebrew Union College Museum, "Painting My Father," which runs through June 29. "I'm afraid my painting won't sell," he admitted to us. He needn't have worried. There was a bidding war.

The along with Bonnie and Stew, honorees for the evening were artist Roberto Dutesco and Louise Jones, the youngest woman to ever hold a seat on the NYSE. WPIX-11's Kirsten Cole hosted the evening and C K Swett of Phillips de Pury & Company auctioned off art worth over $1.5 million dollars. There were performances by Daisy Jopling, and Samba NY and then DJ Donna D'Cruz had the crowd dancing until midnight.Seen bidding and dancing were: Linda Argila, Jana Bullock, Elizabeth Fekkai, Robert F. Futterman, Alex Washer, Sommers Farkas, Marci Waterman, Leslie Feldman, Senator Roy Goodman, Olga and Vladimir Balaeskul, Debra Wasser, and Donna Poyiadjis among others.

The Lanes are also producers of "War Horse," which is still running on Broadway and in Toronto, and starting a tour this summer, opening in LA in June. Their "Top Hat" is having a successful West End run. We'll miss them in the Hamptons this weekend. They'll be at Sunday night's Tony's, as producers of "The Best Man." "The competition will be stiff," Lane admitted, "But we're happy to be nominated. It's always better to be part of the game."

June 8, 2012

Stewart F. Lane Honored at ARTrageous Gala to Raise

Funds for EGSCF

May 30, 2012

Photo Flash: ARTrageous Kicks Off at Harmony Club

A kick-off party for ARTrageous was held at the Harmonie Club on Monday hosted by Stewart F. Lane & Bonnie Comley, and Linda Argila with special guest speaker, Robert Wilson. ARTraegous is a unique fundraising event benefiting foster children through art. Kids residing in foster care and a kids committee collaborate with a dynamic group of artists to help create artwork for auction. The artwork created, along with donated works of art and luxury items will be sold in a silent and live auction at the ARTrageous Gala Dinner and Art Auction.

Money raised through ARTrageous benefits Edwin Gould Services for Children and Families (EGSCF). For more than 85 years, this non-profit organization has been serving and protecting children residing in foster care in New York City. Over the past decade ARTrageous has been a huge success, raising more than $15 million! Today EGSCF is one of the top Foster Care Agencies in New York City. There are more than 16,000 children and teens residing in foster care in New York City.

Robert Wilson gave an inspiring speech about adopting an unwanted "delinquent" child and collaborating with him on a play. Wilson's career spans theater, opera, dance, light and set design. His work, Einstein on the Beach, with music by Philip Glass is playing at the Luminato Festival in Toronto and will be at BAM in the fall.

Stewart F. Lane and Bonnie Comley are this year's ARTrageous
Gala's honorees. Lane and Comley have participated in the event for the last 12 years. The Tony Award winning couple are currently producing A Streetcar Named Desire, Gore Vidal's The Best Man, War Horse and Priscilal Queen on the Desert on Broadway and Top Hat in London's West End.

Guests attending the kick-off party included: Stephen Byrd, Alia Jones, Leah Lane, Alex Washer, Elizabeth Fekkai, Debra Wasser, Lee Fryd, Ellen Krass, Sara Herbert Galloway, G. Chris Andersen, Kathy Ferguson, Olga & Vladimir Balaeskoul, Jill Braufman and Daniel Nir, Judy & Rod Gilbert among others.

For more information on ARTrageous see: www.artrageousevent.com

ARTrageous Kick-off Party With Robert Wilson!

May 4, 2012

Stewart F. Lane at The Theatre Museum Awards for Excellence 2012!

The Theatre Museum Awards for Excellence were held Monday night, April 30, at The Players Club. Helen Guditis, President of The Theatre Museum, five time Tony winner Stewart F. Lane, Chairman of the Board of The Theatre Museum and 2011 Honoree for Distinguished Service to the Theatre, Bonnie Comley hosted a celebration to honor excellence in the theatre. See photos of the honorees and attendees below!

Founded in 2003, The Theatre Museum is New York's first and only chartered, non-profit museum dedicated to the history of theatre. Its primary mission is to preserve, protect and perpetuate the legacy of theatre through innovative programming. Currently a museum-at-large -- it presents exhibitions on a myriad of subjects in collaboration with other cultural institutions. The Museum's community outreach includes teaching children how to write, direct and stage live theatre, as well as the presentation of the Theatre Museum Awards for Excellence at its annual Gala.

Honorees at Monday's Gala included the prestigious Theatre Arts Education Award given to Stagedoor Manor and presented by Broadway director, producer, writer and lyricist Richard Maltby. The Theatre Museum honored Frederick O. Olsson with its distinguished Career Achievement Award presented by IATSE Local One president James J. Claffey, Jr.. Don B. Wilmeth, Emeritus Professor of Theatre and of English at Brown University, received the 2012 Theatre History Preservation Award presented by Laurence Maslon, Associate Chair/Associate Arts Professor at the NYU Graduate School of Acting. And the Award for Distinguished Service to the Theatre was awarded to the Theatre Communications Group (TCG) presented by two time Pulitzer Prize finalist and distinguished playwright Tina Howe.

May 1, 2012

Tony winner Kristin Chenoweth and Emmy winner Jim Parsons announced the nominees for the 66th Annual Tony Awards May 1 at The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center at Lincoln Center.

The Tony Awards, celebrating excellence in Broadway theatre in the 2011-12 season, will be broadcast in a live three-hour ceremony from the Beacon Theatre on the CBS television network June 10. Emmy winner Neil Patrick Harris will again host.

“Gore Vidal’s The Best Man” received two nominations, one for Best Revival of a Play and one for the performance of James Earl Jones.

For a complete list of Nominees click HERE and be sure to tune into the 66th Annual Tony Awards on Sunday June 10 at 8:00pm EST!

April 3, 2012

STAGEDOOR MANOR, THEATRE COMMUNICATIONS GROUP, DON B. WILMETH, PHD AND THEATRE INDUSTRY LEGEND FREDERICK O. OLSSON ARE THE DISTINGUISHED HONOREES AT THE 2012 THEATRE MUSEUM AWARDS

Continuing its tradition of celebrating outstanding achievement in theatre arts, The Theatre Museum will present its 2012 Awards on April 30 at Manhattan’s legendary Players Club in Gramercy Park, New York.

The Theatre Arts Education Award will be bestowed to Stagedoor Manor. Since 1976, Stagedoor Manor has been an oasis of discovery and unconditional acceptance for passionate young performers seeking a community where dreams are understood and shared. Even though Carl and Elsie Samuelson created this program almost 40 years ago, it is still a family business, currently run by sisters Cindy and Debra. Committed to encouraging all levels of talent and experience, Stagedoor Manor admits students without auditions on a first come basis. Boasting a nine-week schedule of 40 full-scale productions, the organization prides itself in searching out cutting-edge material as it keeps its casts and classes small. Continuously expanding, the program adds new theaters and classrooms almost yearly, seeks out fresh material directly from the Broadway stage, and lures a constant flow of leading professionals from the industry. Last year, Stagedoor Manor was host to young actors from 27 countries and 46 states. Well known alumni include Natalie Portman, Robert Downey, Lea Michelle, Adam Pascal, and Zach Braff.

The Theatre Communications Group (TCG) will be honored with the Award for Distinguished Service to the Theatre. For 50 years, this national organization has existed to strengthen, nurture and promote the professional not-for-profit American theatre. TCG’s constituency has grown from a handful of groundbreaking theatres to nearly 700 member theatres and affiliate organizations and more than 13,000 individuals nationwide. TCG is North America’s largest independent publisher of dramatic literature, with 11 Pulitzer Prizes for Best Play on the TCG booklist. It also publishes the award-winning AMERICAN THEATRE magazine and ARTSEARCH®, the essential source for a career in the arts. In all of its endeavors, TCG seeks to increase the organizational efficiency of its member theatres, cultivate and celebrate the artistic talent and achievements of the field, and promote a larger public understanding of, and appreciation for, the theatre.

Citing his invaluable contribution to the preservation of theatre history, the 2012 Theatre History Preservation Award goes to Don B. Wilmeth, Emeritus Professor of Theatre and of English at Brown University. A university mainstay for 36 years, Wilmeth has either written, co-authored or edited more than forty books on the subject. He co-edited the award-winning, three-volume Cambridge History of American Theatre and wrote George Frederick Cooke: Machiavel of the Stage (Hewitt Award). Contributor to dozens of reference works, for a decade he was series editor for Cambridge University Press' "Studies in American Theatre and Drama" and is currently editor of Palgrave Macmillan's "Studies in Theatre and Performance History." An ardent collector of theatre and entertainment ephemera and memorabilia, he has mounted three public exhibits drawn from his collection.

Anyone familiar with Broadway knows the groundbreaking work of this year’s Career Achievement Award -- Frederick O. Olsson. As a master carpenter for 38 shows at The Broadway Theatre, he has overseen the stage design for such wonderful productions as “South Pacific,” “Mr. Wonderful,” “A Most Happy Fella,” “Gypsy,” and “My Fair Lady.” Also an active singer and performer, Olsson’s dedication to his craft can best be summed up with his motto -- “Do your best, be your best – no matter what the job is and be a good person.”

A Queens, NY native, Olsson attended the Juilliard School of Music, and the Columbia University School of Engineering. He starred in two Broadway productions, “Arms and the Girl” (1950) and “Music in the Air” (1951), while he simultaneously juggled his job as carpentry foreman on the construction of the United Nations Security Building. Soon after, he began his long stint as one of the stage’s most respected master carpenters.

Mr. Olsson joined the Shubert Organization, the largest theatrical ?rm in the world, in 1964 where he excelled as Facilities Director, becoming Senior Consultant in 1992.

Overseeing The Theatre Museum tribute is prolific director and writer Gordon Greenberg. Busily hopping between London’s West End and both US coasts, Greenberg recently joined forces with Stephen Schwartz and Lin Manuel Miranda to direct the revival of Stud Terkel’s “Working” for Broadway in Chicago. Texas born and New York raised, Greenberg attended Stanford University and NYU Film School. He is a member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society and the Lincoln Center Directors Lab.

Preparations for this star-filled evening are in full swing with details to follow shortly. The celebration will kick off at 6 pm on April 30 at the Player’s Club at 16, Gramercy Park South. Business attire is requested.

Tickets for the Reception and Buffet Dinner, Presentation, and journal opportunities are available through The Theatre Museum website, by calling the office (212 764 4112), or by emailing awards@thetheatremuseum.org.

Founded in 2003, The Theatre Museum is New York’s ?rst and only chartered, non-pro?t museum dedicated to the history of theatre. Currently a museum-at-large -- it presents exhibitions on a myriad of subjects in collaboration with other cultural institutions. The Museum's community outreach includes teaching children how to write, direct, and stage live theatre, as well as the presentation of the Theatre Museum Awards for Excellence at its annual Gala. Its primary mission is to preserve, protect, and perpetuate the legacy of theatre through innovative programming. The Theatre Museum grew out of the legacy of The Broadway Theatre Institute.

The Museum’s Board of Trustees include five-time Tony Award- winning producer and owner and operator of the Palace Theater Stewart F. Lane (Chairman), Helen M. Guditis (President), James Heinze (Treasurer), Joseph Benincasa (Secretary), and William Walters (Member).

For more information, please contact:
(212) 764-4112
press@thetheatremuseum.org
http://www.thetheatremuseum.org

April 2, 2012

Gore Vidal's The Best Man, now at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre, which is about the political machinations at a 1960 nominating convention, is so spectacularly prescient it seems almost shocking that it was written 52 years ago. But the best news here is that Michael Wilson's smartly-timed, smartly directed, and very smartly acted revival of this consistently witty work simply can't be bettered.

Much of the credit belongs to the knockout cast, which includes James Earl Jones, John Larroquette, Candace Bergen, Angela Lansbury, Eric McCormack, Michael McKean, Kerry Butler, and Jefferson Mays, each of whom is terrifically good separately -- as well as being part of an extraordinary ensemble.

The famously informed Vidal unfolds his plot in two Philadelphia hotel suites (ingeniously designed by Derek McLane): one where one-time Secretary of State William Russell (Larroquette), a man of great conscience, and one where Senator Joseph Cantwell (McCormack), a man of no conscience whatsoever, are vying for the delegate votes that will put one of them over the top.

Both candidates are seeking the endorsement of ex-President and party leader Arthur "Artie" Hockstader (Jones) as well as Sue-Ellen Gamadge (Lansbury), the sly chairman of the (unnamed) party's women's division, neither of whom have announced their decision.

In addition, the candidate's wives, the weary Alice Russell (Bergen) -- who has long dealt with her husband's philandering -- and the flighty if ambitious Mabel Cantwell (Kerry Butler) also become players, or more accurately pawns, in this political chess game.

Cantwell's win-at-any-cost attitude means he's prepared to circulate ill-obtained medical records containing details of a psychological break-down in Russell's past. The mounting suspense is not just whether Cantwell will disseminate the records, but whether Russell -- at the encouragement of Hockstader and campaign manager Dick Jensen (McKean) -- will lower himself to Cantwell's snake-in-the-gutter level.

Putting aside the sad observation that things have changed so much since 1960 that Bill Russell's strengths may not find their like in the 2012 presidential race, Larroquette deserves special praise for his authoritative performance, and he's well-matched by McCormack as the opportunistic Cantwell.

As a former President wielding power all the while his body is weakening, Jones is the major scene-stealer -- knowing, for instance, the wily way to make applause-getting exits. The same goes for Lansbury, whose speeches (delivered in a strong southern accent) about what the women of America want in their President are both funny and frightening.

March 20, 2012

Priscilla Queen of the Desert celebrated the musical’s landmark one year anniversary at the Palace Theatre before the show with the stars cutting the “Priscilla Pink Pie Face Pie” from Australia's most celebrated bakery café “Pie Face.” Following the celebratory performance, Priscilla’s half millionth audience member was crowned on stage along with a secret “Oprah-style” prizing moment and a special surprise performance from the cheerleading squad “Cheer New York"

Read more: http://broadwayworld.com/article/THIS-WEEK-IN-PICTURES-March-17-23-20120#ixzz1r0dawRHP

Feb 7, 2012

Kristin Chenoweth, Nick Jonas, Donna Murphy at Drama League Gala

Tony Award winner Kristin Chenoweth was honored at the Drama League's 28th Annual Musical Celebration of Broadway on Monday, February 6 at the Pierre Hotel.

The evening featured performances and presentations by Brent Barrett, Kevin Clash and Elmo, Erin Dilly, David Elder, Eden Espinosa, Jason Graae, Joel Grey, Cheyenne Jackson, Nick Jonas, Andrew Lippa, Debra Monk, Donna Murphy, Marni Nixon, Brad Oscar, Elaine Paige, Carole Shelley, Marlo Thomas, and Josh Young.

Among the musical selections were "Willkommen," "Everybody's Girl," "Popular," "For Good," "The Song Is You," "What Makes Me Love Her?", "Knowing When to Leave," "A House Is Not a Home," "What Did I Have," "I'll Never Fall In Love Again," "Gorgeous," and "I'm Still Here."

After accepting her award, Chenoweth closed the show by singing an a capella version of "You'll Never Know."

Among the other attendees at the gala were Rob Ashford, Preston Bailey, Laura Benanti, Stephen Cole, Bonnie Comley, Beverly D'Angelo, Phil Donahue, Jano Herbosch, Stewart F. Lane, Carly Rose Sonenclar, Barbara Steele, Michelle Williams, and B.D. Wong.

Feb 6, 2012

Gore Vidal's "The Best Man" Coming Back to Broadway!

Exciting News! I will be producing an all star cast of Vidal's "The Best Man". 'The amazing cast includes: James Earl Jones, Eric McCormack, Candice Bergen, Angela Lansbury, John Larroquette, Michael McKean, and Donna Hanover. Limited run so get your tickets early!

January 11, 2012

Laura Benanti, Elaine Paige, Cheyenne Jackson, et Set for Drama League 2012 Gala, 2/6

The Drama League (Executive Director Gabriel Shanks; Gala Chairpersons Bonnie Comley and Stewart F. Lane) has announced the roster of special guest for their 28th Annual Musical Celebration of Broadway honoring Tony® and EmmyAward®-winner Kristin Chenoweth, to be held on February 6, 2012 at the famed Pierre Hotel (2 East 61st Street). Designed by celebrity event planner Preston Bailey, the Gala supports the educational initiatives of The Drama League Directors Project.

This year The Drama League’s Gala will bring together 400 of New York City’s most influential arts supporters, celebrities, and luminaries for a black-tie evening of cocktails, dinner and the acclaimed, unforgettable one-night-only musical revue featuring dozens of stars from theater, film and television. Special guests include Academy® and Tony Award®-winner Joel Grey, Tony Award®-winner Laura Benanti, Elaine Paige, Tony Award®-winner Donna Murphy, Cheyenne Jackson, Tony Award®-winner Debra Monk, Andrew Lippa, Marlo Thomas, Brent Barrett, Tony Award®-winner Carole Shelley, Josh Young, David Elder, Marni Nixon, Jason Graae, Eden Espinosa, Kevin Clash from “Sesame Street,” plus original and current cast members from the Broadway musical Wicked. (Please note roster is subject to change and additional performers will be announced soon.)

The evening’s special all-star tribute, directed by Evan Pappas, produced by Drama League Artistic Director Roger T. Danforth, with book by Stephen Cole and musical direction by Steve Freeman, will include selections from Wicked, “Glee,” You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, Candide, Promises, Promises, Annie, The Music Man, Steel Pier, A New Brain, The Apple Tree, and many more.

The Benefit Gala raises much-needed funds for the vital education programs of The Drama League Directors Project. Since 1984, the Benefit Gala has honored exceptional artists whose talent and passion have served as a benchmark for others. Each year, an enthusiastic audience of 400 theatre lovers – comprised of recognizable names from the professional theatre community and society pages, as well as Drama League members and supporters – come out to support the Drama League Directors Project.

Since 1916, The Drama League of New York has been at the forefront of the American Theatre community, providing talent, audiences, and prosperous support. It is one of the nation’s oldest continuously-operating, not-for-profit arts advocacy and education organizations.

Through its programs, initiatives and events, The Drama League indelibly transforms the lives of artists and audiences by harnessing the unique social and creative dynamism of theatre. Its nationally-renowned, award-winning efforts have two vital goals: To train and nurture the artists of tomorrow and to deepen and strengthen the audience experience.

November 29, 2011

The National Yiddish Theatre - Folksbiene Honors Stewart F. Lane!

New York City - The National Yiddish Theatre - Folksbiene held their annual Cabaret Dinner on November 22, 2011 at Bohemian National Hall. The gala honored five-time Tony Award-winning Broadway producer and critically acclaimed author and playwright, Stewart F. Lane and holocaust survivor and owner of Martin Greenfield Clothiers, Martin Greenfield.

Lane has "War Horse" and "Priscilla Queen of the Desert" currently running on Broadway. Greenfield has created clothes for celebrities, presidents, politicians and most recently, for the cast of the Emmy Award-winning series "Boardwalk Empire."

The event featured performances by Judy Blazer, Judy Kaye, Elmore James, Stuart Zagnit, and Tony and Emmy-Winning actor, Ron Rifkin. A celebration of light and hope, the gala benefit also featured performances by young Folksbiene company members - some in their teens - who are being trained and nurtured by the Drama Desk Award-winning company to carry the torch of Yiddish culture, with all its rich, varied and profoundly humanist traditions.

The Cabaret Dinner benefits The National Yiddish Theatre - Folksbiene, the nation's only professional Yiddish theatre, and the longest continuously producing Yiddish theatre in the world. Now in its historic 96th consecutive season, Folksbiene presents plays, concerts and literary events in English and Yiddish, with English and Russian supertitles accompanying all performances.

The company's two-fold mission is to preserve the legacy of the Yiddish theatre - dating back to the late 19th century in Europe - and to add to this legacy by developing new work. Through its numerous accommodations for non-Yiddish speakers, its outreach to underserved audiences in and outside of New York, and its cultivation of new work and young actors, the company has significantly broadened and diversified its audience.

November 28, 2011

"A Christmas Wedding Tail" Produced by Stewart F. Lane coming to The Hallmark Channel & Amazon.com!

Jennie Garth of ''90210'' stars as Susan, an unemployed Los Angeles museum curator and widowed single mom temporarily living in a small California town with her three sensitive sons. Jake (Brad Rowe of ''General Hospital'') is a single dad of two tomboys who owns a local winery. When Susan's dog Rusty (voiced by Jay Mohr of ''Ghost Whisperer'') falls for Jake's poodle Cheri (voiced by Nikki Cox of ''Las Vegas''), these canine matchmakers help their owners fall in love too. Now with a Christmas Day wedding to plan -- and major complications threatening to unravel it all -- can two mismatched broods find a way to make one happy family? Tom Arnold and Catherine Hicks (''Seventh Heaven'') co-star in this heartwarming holiday film from the producer/director of The Dog Who Saved Christmas Vacation and Your Love Never Fails.

Airing on The Hallmark Channel the following dates check local listings for times:

October 24, 2011

"A Moment in Time", new John Denver musical, gets New York reading!

“A Moment in Time”
A new musical featuring the songs of John Denver
with book by Stewart F. Lane
presented at reading in New York City

Last week (October 20^th and 21^st) there were industry readings in New York of A Moment in Time, a new musical featuring music and lyrics by the popular singer/song-writer John Denver, with a book by Stewart F. Lane.

Plans are in development for a fully staged production of A Moment in Time. The musical features such well known # 1 hits like “Annie’s Song,” “Sunshine on My Shoulders,” “Rocky Mountain High,” “Thank God I’m a Country Boy,” and Gold-certified songs including “Leaving on a Jet Plane,” “Calypso” and “Take Me Home, Country Roads.”

The 11-member cast for last week’s reading included Drake Bell (Nickelodeon’s Drake and Josh), Robert Cuccioli (Jekyll & Hyde, Les Miserables), Liz Larsen (Hairspray, The Most Happy Fella) and Lindsay Pierce (The Glee Project, Glee).

Created by Stewart F. Lane a.k.a. Mr. Broadway, A Moment in Time follows the story of a mortally wounded marine in Afghanistan who recalls a happier time with his family in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia and finds a reason to live through those memories.

The musical director, arranger and orchestrator for A Moment in Time is Christine Riley. The musical is produced by Stellar Productions.

Stewart F. Lane is a five-time Tony Award-winner and a four-time Drama Desk Award sinner. He was recently honored with the 2011 John Denver Spirit Award. He is also an author, playwright and the co-owner/operator of the Palace Theatre in New York.

John Denver (1943-1997) One of the world’s best-known and best-loved performers, John Denver earned international acclaim as a songwriter, performer, actor, environmentalist and humanitarian. He wrote and recorded more than 300 songs and released 12 Gold and 4 Platinum-selling albums. Denver’s career spanned four decades and his music has outlasted countless musical trends and garnered numerous awards and honors.

October 12, 2011

Stewart F. Lane Receives the John Denver Spirit Award!

Stewart F. Lane received the John Denver Spirit Award in Central Park, NYC on Tuesday, October 12, 2011. On Tuesday, October 12th the John Denver Spirit Award was presented to Stewart F. Lane at a ceremony in Central Park. Presented by Karmen T. Dopslaff of The Starsong Foundation and JoLynn Long of JD Spirit, the award celebrates the legacy of the late singer/songwriter John Denver.

The Award was given to Broadway producer Stewart F. Lane for promoting the world renowned singer/songwriter John Denver's music and the positive impact his music has made on society. Mr. Lane is the creator of "A Moment In Time," a new Broadway musical with music and lyrics by John Denver, and an original story. A developmental reading of the new musical is planned for later this month in New York City.

Stewart F. Lane is a five -time Tony award winning producer and a four - time Drama Desk Award winner. He is also an author, director, playwright and the co-owner/operator of the Palace Theatre in New York.The Award ceremony included a performance of John Denver songs by Broadway leading lady Liz Larsen along with a dedication of a park bench in honor of the occasion. The John Denver Spirit Award, a bronze marquette of a statue was designed by Sue DiCicco.Previous winners of the John Denver Spirit Award include Terry Lipman (2009), Joe Henry (2008), Bill Danoff (2007), Erma Deutschendorf (2006), Kenn Roberts (2005), Hal Thau (2004), Tom Crum (2003), Kris O'Connor (2002).

One of the world's best-known and best-loved performers, John Denver earned international acclaim as a songwriter, performer, actor, environmentalist and humanitarian. Denver's career spanned four decades and his music has outlasted countless musical trends and garnered numerous awards and honors.Denver contributed his talents to the benefit of many charitable and environmental causes and received numerous civic and humanitarian awards over the years. Fans responded to his heartfelt urgings about ecology, peace, and compassion that were consistently delivered in a gentle manner on his records and at live performances.John Denver died tragically in a plane crash on October 12, 1997. Today, millions of fans old and new enjoy the work of this extraordinary performer. His humanitarian work continues to strengthen our global village, and his dynamic celebration of life, spirit and nature is a powerful inspiration to us all. For more information see: www.starsongfoundation.org

October 4, 2011

Tim Boxer of "15 Minutes Magazine Reviews "Jews on Broadway"!

Producer Stewart F. Lane, who earned his fifth Tony Award this year for War Horse, has probed deep into the roots of the Great White Way to show the profound influence and input of Jews from Irving Berlin to Tony Kushner throughout the past century in every facet: performers, composers, lyricists, directors, choreographers and producers. Lane’s fascinating historical survey is an amazing page turner, full of delicious anecdotes and significant information. The Friars Club book party for Lane brought out such names as composer Charles Strouse, (Bonnie and Clyde, Bye Bye Birdie), lyricist Ervin Drake (I Believe, It Was A Very Good Year) legendary TV talk show host Joe Franklin, comedians Freddie Roman and Stewie Stone and many more to congratulate Lane. McFarland, softcover, 231 pages,

September 16, 2011

Producer Stewart F. Lane will receive the John Denver Spirit Award in New York City's Central Park on Wednesday, October 12. The Award will be presented by the Starsong Foundation and JD Spirit.

Lane is the creator of "A Moment In Time," a new Broadway-bound musical with music and lyrics by John Denver, about a mortally wounded marine in Afghanistan who recalls a happier time with his family in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia and finds a reason to live.

The ceremony will include a performance of John Denver songs and the dedication of a Park Bench.

May 10, 2013

Broadway producer Stewart F. Lane to give talk at GN Temple

"Top Hat" Takes Top Honors At 2013 Oliviers!

May 9, 2013

May 6, 2013

May 5, 2013

The Olivier, Stewart F. Lane, Bonnie Comley, Top Hat and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time!

May 4, 2013

May 1, 2013

The Annual National Meningitis Association

Give Kids a Shot Gala!

April 28, 2013

April 18, 2013

JEKYLL & HYDE Opening Night!

April 14, 2013

March 26, 2013

February 20, 2013

February 12, 2013

Drama League Announces Founding of Studio Lab and Welcome Center, Components of Drama League Theater Center!

January 23, 2013

January 7, 2013

January 3, 2013

"Really Really" Star Zosia Mamet Is Still Getting Used to Being Your New Best Friend

January 2, 2013

ANNIE breaks the Palace box office record with $2 million week!

November 20, 2012

Stellar Productions' WHALES Stage Reading!

November 12, 2012

November 9, 2012

Liza Minnelli, The Nederlanders and More at

'LivingLandmarks' Fall 2012 Gala!

October 3, 2012

August 25, 2012

August 13, 2012

Stewart F. Lane & Bonnie Comley Attend Hamptons

Gala In Support Of Guild Hall!

August 11, 2012

Stewart F. Lane attends Authors Night 2012 at the East Hampton Library!

August 10, 2012

Come Meet Stewart F. Lane at The East

Hampton Library Authors Night!

August 8, 2012

Inside Watermill Center's BIG BANG Benefit

July 26, 2012

July 24, 2012

Bridgehampton Polo Club's Opening Day Party!

June 13, 2012

Artist Robert Wilson Is ArtRageous

Honors acclaimed Broadway producers Bonnie Comley and Stewart F. Lane at NYC gala

June 8, 2012

Stewart F. Lane Honored at ARTrageous Gala to Raise

Funds for EGSCF

May 30, 2012

Photo Flash: ARTrageous Kicks Off at Harmony Club

ARTrageous Kick-off Party With Robert Wilson!

May 4, 2012

Stewart F. Lane at The Theatre Museum Awards for Excellence 2012!

May 1, 2012

April 3, 2012

April 2, 2012

March 20, 2012

Feb 7, 2012

Kristin Chenoweth, Nick Jonas, Donna Murphy at Drama League Gala

Feb 6, 2012

Gore Vidal's "The Best Man" Coming Back to Broadway!

January 11, 2012

Laura Benanti, Elaine Paige, Cheyenne Jackson, et Set for Drama League 2012 Gala, 2/6

November 29, 2011

The National Yiddish Theatre - Folksbiene Honors Stewart F. Lane!

November 28, 2011

"A Christmas Wedding Tail" Produced by Stewart F. Lane coming to The Hallmark Channel & Amazon.com!

October 24, 2011

"A Moment in Time", new John Denver musical, gets New York reading!

October 12, 2011