On October 26th, the Dramatists Guild Fund held its annual gala, GREAT WRITERS THANK THEIR LUCKY STARS, at Gotham Hall in New York, hosted by Darren Criss (Glee and Hedwig and Angry Inch), who also performed on October 26, 2015.
Jenna Ushkowitz and Ann Harada attend the Dramatists Guild Fund’s Gala: ‘Great Writers Thank Their Lucky Stars’ at Gotham Hall on October 26, 2015 in New York City. Photo by Lia Chang
DGF honored two patrons of the arts and philanthropists Lynne Greene, Group President, The Estée Lauder Companies, Inc., and Louise Camuto, Chief Creative Officer of Camuto Group. Great Writers Thank Their Lucky Stars also paid a special tribute to composer, lyricist, performer, and President Emeritus of the Dramatists Guild Fund, Gretchen Cryer, for her 10 years of service to dramatists across the country.
Jon Cryer and his mom Gretchen Cryer attend the Dramatists Guild Fund’s Gala: ‘Great Writers Thank Their Lucky Stars’ at Gotham Hall on October 26, 2015 in New York City. Photo by Lia Chang
The DGF’s gala featured award-winning playwrights, lyricists and composers introducing the stars who brought their work to life on stage. The evening’s performances were directed by Leigh Silverman (Violet, The Wild Party, Chinglish) with Music Direction by Charlie Rosen.
Darren Criss and Leigh Silverman attend the Dramatists Guild Fund’s Gala: ‘Great Writers Thank Their Lucky Stars’ at Gotham Hall on October 26, 2015 in New York City. Photo by Lia Chang
Check out the composers, the performers and the song list below.
Sheldon Harnick
Danny Burstein
“If I Were a Rich Man” from Fiddler on the Roof
Benj Pasek & Justin Paul
Ben Platt
“Waving through a Window” from Dear Evan Hansen
Laurence O’Keefe & Nell Benjamin
Mo Rocca
“A Modest Proposal”
Benjamin Scheuer
“Weather the Storm” from The Lion
Kirsten Childs
Felicia Finley, Ann Harada, Rashidra Scott & Alysha Umphress
“Three Magicial Fairies” from Funked up Fairy Tales
Gretchen Cryer & Nancy Ford
Karen Ziemba
“Old Friend” from I’m Getting My Act Together and Taking it on the Road
Stephen Schwartz
Darren Criss
“All I Ever Wanted” from The Prince of Egypt
Kristin Chenoweth
“For Good” from Wicked
Steven Sater
Christy Altomare, Gerard Canonico, Blake Daniel, Robert Hager, Brian Charles Johnson, Frances Mercanti-Anthony, Ben Moss, Eryn Murman, Matt Shingledecker, Phoebe Strole, Jenna Ushkowitz and Remy Zaken.
“The Song of Purple Summer” from Spring Awakening
Darren Criss attends the Dramatists Guild Fund’s Gala: ‘Great Writers Thank Their Lucky Stars’ at Gotham Hall on October 26, 2015 in New York City. Photo by Lia Chang
Jenna Ushkowitz attends the Dramatists Guild Fund’s Gala: ‘Great Writers Thank Their Lucky Stars’ at Gotham Hall on October 26, 2015 in New York City. Photo by Lia Chang
Jenna Ushkowitz attends the Dramatists Guild Fund’s Gala: ‘Great Writers Thank Their Lucky Stars’ at Gotham Hall on October 26, 2015 in New York City. Photo by Lia Chang
Jenna Ushkowitz and Darren Criss attend the Dramatists Guild Fund’s Gala: ‘Great Writers Thank Their Lucky Stars’ at Gotham Hall on October 26, 2015 in New York City. Photo by Lia Chang
Jenna Ushkowitz and Darren Criss attend the Dramatists Guild Fund’s Gala: ‘Great Writers Thank Their Lucky Stars’ at Gotham Hall on October 26, 2015 in New York City. Photo by Lia Chang
Jenna Ushkowitz attends the Dramatists Guild Fund’s Gala: ‘Great Writers Thank Their Lucky Stars’ at Gotham Hall on October 26, 2015 in New York City. Photo by Lia Chang
Jenna Ushkowitz and Ann Harada attend the Dramatists Guild Fund’s Gala: ‘Great Writers Thank Their Lucky Stars’ at Gotham Hall on October 26, 2015 in New York City. Photo by Lia Chang
Ann Harada attends the Dramatists Guild Fund’s Gala: ‘Great Writers Thank Their Lucky Stars’ at Gotham Hall on October 26, 2015 in New York City. Photo by Lia Chang
Ann Harada and Laurence O’Keefe attend the Dramatists Guild Fund’s Gala: ‘Great Writers Thank Their Lucky Stars’ at Gotham Hall on October 26, 2015 in New York City. Photo by Lia Chang
Rashidra Scott, Alysha Umphress, Ann Harada, Felicia Finley and Kirsten Childs attend the Dramatists Guild Fund’s Gala: ‘Great Writers Thank Their Lucky Stars’ at Gotham Hall on October 26, 2015 in New York City. Photo by Lia Chang
Diana Son attends the Dramatists Guild Fund’s Gala: ‘Great Writers Thank Their Lucky Stars’ at Gotham Hall on October 26, 2015 in New York City. Photo by Lia Chang
Jenna Ushkowitz and Diana Son attend the Dramatists Guild Fund’s Gala: ‘Great Writers Thank Their Lucky Stars’ at Gotham Hall on October 26, 2015 in New York City. Photo by Lia Chang
Laurence O’Keefe and his wife Nell Benjamin attend the Dramatists Guild Fund’s Gala: ‘Great Writers Thank Their Lucky Stars’ at Gotham Hall on October 26, 2015 in New York City. Photo by Lia Chang
Mo Rocca and Nell Benjamin attend the Dramatists Guild Fund’s Gala: ‘Great Writers Thank Their Lucky Stars’ at Gotham Hall on October 26, 2015 in New York City. Photo by Lia Chang
Laurence O’Keefe and his wife Nell Benjamin with Garth Kravits at the Dramatists Guild Fund’s Gala: ‘Great Writers Thank Their Lucky Stars’ at Gotham Hall on October 26, 2015 in New York City. Photo by Lia Chang
Stephen Kaplan and Leigh Silverman attend the Dramatists Guild Fund’s Gala: ‘Great Writers Thank Their Lucky Stars’ at Gotham Hall on October 26, 2015 in New York City. Photo by Lia Chang
David Bloch, Leigh Silverman and Andrew Lippa attend the Dramatists Guild Fund’s Gala: ‘Great Writers Thank Their Lucky Stars’ at Gotham Hall on October 26, 2015 in New York City. Photo by Lia Chang
Leigh Silverman and Lia Chang attend the Dramatists Guild Fund’s Gala: ‘Great Writers Thank Their Lucky Stars’ at Gotham Hall on October 26, 2015 in New York City. Photo by Garth Kravits
Andrew Lippa and David Bloch attend the Dramatists Guild Fund’s Gala: ‘Great Writers Thank Their Lucky Stars’ at Gotham Hall on October 26, 2015 in New York City. Photo by Lia Chang
Sheldon Harnick and Margery Gray Harnick attend the Dramatists Guild Fund’s Gala: ‘Great Writers Thank Their Lucky Stars’ at Gotham Hall on October 26, 2015 in New York City. Photo by Lia Chang
‘Spring Awakening’ alumni cast members attend the Dramatists Guild Fund’s Gala: ‘Great Writers Thank Their Lucky Stars’ at Gotham Hall on October 26, 2015 in New York City. Photo by Lia Chang
Jemima Williams and her fiancé Benjamin Scheuer attend the Dramatists Guild Fund’s Gala: ‘Great Writers Thank Their Lucky Stars’ at Gotham Hall on October 26, 2015 in New York City. Photo by Lia Chang
David Bloch, Andrew Lippa, Jemima Williams and her fiancé Benjamin Scheuer attend the Dramatists Guild Fund’s Gala: ‘Great Writers Thank Their Lucky Stars’ at Gotham Hall on October 26, 2015 in New York City. Photo by Lia Chang
Garth Kravits and Benjamin Scheuer attend the Dramatists Guild Fund’s Gala: ‘Great Writers Thank Their Lucky Stars’ at Gotham Hall on October 26, 2015 in New York City. Photo by Lia Chang
Steven Sater, Stephen Schwartz and Andrew Lippa attend the Dramatists Guild Fund’s Gala: ‘Great Writers Thank Their Lucky Stars’ at Gotham Hall on October 26, 2015 in New York City. Photo by Lia Chang
Benjamin Scheuer, Eisa Davis, Nell Benjamin and Mo Rocca attend the Dramatists Guild Fund’s Gala: ‘Great Writers Thank Their Lucky Stars’ at Gotham Hall on October 26, 2015 in New York City. Photo by Lia Chang
Eisa Davis and Corey Michael Smith attend the Dramatists Guild Fund’s Gala: ‘Great Writers Thank Their Lucky Stars’ at Gotham Hall on October 26, 2015 in New York City. Photo by Lia Chang
Karen Ziemba and Kristin Chenoweth attend the Dramatists Guild Fund’s Gala: ‘Great Writers Thank Their Lucky Stars’ at Gotham Hall on October 26, 2015 in New York City. Photo by Lia Chang
Karen Ziemba and Kristin Chenoweth attend the Dramatists Guild Fund’s Gala: ‘Great Writers Thank Their Lucky Stars’ at Gotham Hall on October 26, 2015 in New York City. Photo by Lia Chang
Nancy Ford, Rachel Routh and Gretchen Cryer attend the Dramatists Guild Fund’s Gala: ‘Great Writers Thank Their Lucky Stars’ at Gotham Hall on October 26, 2015 in New York City. Photo by Lia Chang
Gretchen Cryer and Andrew Lippa attend the Dramatists Guild Fund’s Gala: ‘Great Writers Thank Their Lucky Stars’ at Gotham Hall on October 26, 2015 in New York City. Photo by Lia Chang
Gretchen Cryer is flanked by her son Jon Cryer and her granddaughter Hallie Steiner at the Dramatists Guild Fund’s Gala: ‘Great Writers Thank Their Lucky Stars’ at Gotham Hall on October 26, 2015 in New York City. Photo by Lia Chang
Gretchen Cryer (center) with Nancy Ford, her son Jon Cryer, her granddaughter granddaughter Hallie Steiner, Hallie’s fiancé Sammy Langford and Barbara Hogenson attend the Dramatists Guild Fund’s Gala: ‘Great Writers Thank Their Lucky Stars’ at Gotham Hall on October 26, 2015 in New York City. Photo by Lia Chang
Darren Criss, Mia Swier, Eleni Gianulis and Stephen Schwartz attend the Dramatists Guild Fund’s Gala: ‘Great Writers Thank Their Lucky Stars’ at Gotham Hall on October 26, 2015 in New York City. Photo by Lia Chang
Robert Cary and Jonathan Tolins attend the Dramatists Guild Fund’s Gala: ‘Great Writers Thank Their Lucky Stars’ at Gotham Hall on October 26, 2015 in New York City. Photo by Lia Chang
Team @BroadwayGirlNYC Cheryl Krucas and Laura Heywood at the Dramatists Guild Fund’s Gala: ‘Great Writers Thank Their Lucky Stars’ at Gotham Hall on October 26, 2015 in New York City. Photo by Lia Chang
2014-2015 DG Fund Fellows Naveen Bahar Choudhury and Kristine M. Reyes attend the Dramatists Guild Fund’s Gala: ‘Great Writers Thank Their Lucky Stars’ at Gotham Hall on October 26, 2015 in New York City. Photo by Lia Chang
The Dramatists Guild Fund’s Gala: ‘Great Writers Thank Their Lucky Stars’ at Gotham Hall on October 26, 2015 in New York City. Photo by Lia Chang
The Dramatists Guild Fund’s Gala: ‘Great Writers Thank Their Lucky Stars’ at Gotham Hall on October 26, 2015 in New York City. Photo by Lia Chang
Ken Fallin and Darren Criss attend the Dramatists Guild Fund’s Gala: ‘Great Writers Thank Their Lucky Stars’ at Gotham Hall on October 26, 2015 in New York City. Photo by Lia Chang
Dustin Sparks, Laurence O’Keefe, Darren Criss, Rachel Routh, Mo Rocco, Nell Benjamin and guest attend the Dramatists Guild Fund’s Gala: ‘Great Writers Thank Their Lucky Stars’ at Gotham Hall on October 26, 2015 in New York City. Photo by Lia Chang
Garth Kravits and Lia Chang attend the Dramatists Guild Fund’s Gala: ‘Great Writers Thank Their Lucky Stars’ at Gotham Hall on October 26, 2015 in New York City. Photo by Laura Heywood
President Andrew Lippa and Executive Director Rachel Routh announced that DGF Board members Roe Green & Barbara Olcott have graciously pledged to match up to $100,000 of donations to support DGF’s growing programs for writers at all stages of their careers. To make a tax deductible donation to the Dramatists Guild Fund, visit dgfund.org/donate.
Andrew Lazarow, Rachel Routh, Andrew Lippa attend the Dramatists Guild Fund’s Gala: ‘Great Writers Thank Their Lucky Stars’ at Gotham Hall on October 26, 2015 in New York City. Photo by Lia Chang
The Gala is the most critical fundraising event for the Dramatists Guild Fund, now celebrating 53 years of service to writers across the country through educational programs, writing development opportunities, and emergency aid to dramatists in need. This very special evening pays tribute to legendary writers and recognizes their significant contributions to American theater.
The Dramatists Guild Fund’s Gala: ‘Great Writers Thank Their Lucky Stars’ at Gotham Hall on October 26, 2015 in New York City. Photo by Lia Chang
The Dramatists Guild Fund is the public charity arm of the Dramatists Guild of America. Its mission is to aid and nurture writers for the theater; to fund non-profit theaters producing contemporary American works; and to heighten awareness, appreciation, and support of theater across the country. Each year, DGF awards grants to non-profit theatrical organizations across the country that produce works by American writers, provides emergency aid to writers facing illness or other unforeseen circumstances, and supports numerous educational programs and writing development opportunities for dramatists. For more information visit www.dgfund.org.
Lia Chang attends the Dramatists Guild Fund’s Gala: ‘Great Writers Thank Their Lucky Stars’ at Gotham Hall on October 26, 2015 in New York City.
Lia Chang is an award-winning filmmaker, a Best Actress nominee, a photographer, and an award-winning multi-platform journalist. Lia has appeared in the films Wolf, New Jack City, A Kiss Before Dying, King of New York, Big Trouble in Little China, The Last Dragon, Taxman and Hide and Seek, which will screen at the Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival on November 21st. She is profiled in FebOne1960.com Blog, Jade Magazine and Playbill.com.
Other Articles:
Photos: Camille Darby, Naveen Bahar Choudhury, Kristine M. Reyes, Diana Son, Michael Korie, Larry O’Keefe, Michael Weller, Tonya Pinkins, Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty and More at DG Fund Fellows Presentation
Click here for the Lia Chang Articles Archive and here for the Lia Chang Photography Website.
All text, graphics, articles & photographs: © 2000-2015 Lia Chang Multimedia. All rights reserved. All materials contained on this site are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Lia Chang. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content. For permission, please contact Lia at liachangpr@gmail.com
Lia Chang Photography 