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On Monday, March 19, 2007, Roundabout donors, friends and artists came together to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the opening of Studio 54 with a dazzling night of music and fun. Once the home of the world's most famous disco, Studio 54 has since been returned to Broadway and now showcases an astounding array of Roundabout productions such as Cabaret, Assassins, A Streetcar Named Desire and the current 110 in the Shade. For one night only at our Spring Gala, the worlds of Broadway and disco converged in an original musical revue created by director Kathleen Marshall and musical director David Chase with Broadway's brightest stars singing the hits of 1977.
Nearly 500 guests gathered at Roseland Ballroom to share in this extraordinary night. Guests enjoyed a delectable dinner while bidding on the exclusive entertainment and travel packages of our Live Auction, led by Hugh Hildesly of Sotheby's. The highlight of the evening was the musical tribute to Studio 54 which featured spectacular performances by an incredible array of talent including Mario Cantone, Michael Cerveris, Raul Esparza, Eugene Fleming, Jane Krakowski, Marc Kudisch, Megan Lawrence and Kelli O'Hara. Among the many highlights was "Lady Marmalade" with Joyce Chittick, Deirdre Goodwin and Bianca Marroquin; a Bee Gees medley with Peter Benson, Jonathan Dokuchitz and Alexander Gemignani; and a rousing finale of "Last Dance" by Roz Ryan as a team of astonishing dancers boogied down.
At this year's event we presented the Jason Robards Award for Excellence in Theatre to the institution that was key to our purchasing Studio 54: The City of New York. Through the incredible leadership of Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, the New York City Council and Speaker Christine C. Quinn, the City has been responsible for the revitalization of the entire Theatre District, transforming it from the seedy environs of 30 years ago to the vibrant neighborhood of today. A large part of this transformation has been the City's belief in theatre as a vital part of New York's cultural and economic fabric, made most evident by their investment in the restorations of Broadway theatres like Studio 54. Presenting the award were Artistic Director Todd Haimes and 110 in the Shade star Audra McDonald.
To us, the most magnificent part of the night was the generosity of our donors. Led by the efforts of Gala Co-Chairs Lois Robbins-Zaro and Steven Schroko, our supporters helped us raise more than $1.2 million for Roundabout's Musical Theatre Fund in one thrilling, star-studded night. These important funds will help ensure the future of Roundabout's musical workshops, readings and full-scale productions for years to come.
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Top Images (l to r):
Kelli O'Hara, Gala Table, Raul Esparza, Megan Lawrence, Marc Kudisch, Jane Krakowski and Michael Cerveris.
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