Industry NewsLight the Lights! A Drama League Celebration Honors Wayne Brady October 18Kandi Burruss hosts the evening, which also celebrates The Drama League's four new board members.
By
Andrew Gans
October 18, 2021
Wayne Brady
Layne Dixon
The Drama League's October 18 event, Light the Lights! A Drama League Celebration, honors Emmy winner Wayne Brady, whose theatrical credits include Broadway's Kinky Boots and Chicago as well as the national tour of Hamilton. Brady is also a member of The Drama League’s National Advisory Council.
Grammy winner and The Real Housewives of Atlanta star Kandi Burruss hosts the evening at The Players, which features performances by Tituss Burgess, Tony winner André De Shields, Telly Leung, and Bonnie Milligan. Josh Bergasse, Brenda Braxton, and Tony winner Jerry Mitchell are scheduled to speak at the event, with a special video message from Tony winner Chita Rivera.
Tituss Burgess, André De Shields, and Telly Leung
The winners of the Drama League's TikTok songwriting challenge—including Deborah Abramson and Amanda Yesnowitz; Nico Juber and Selena Seballo; Jordan Li-Smith; Paulie Pecorella and Sean McCabe; and Alec Powell—will have their five winning "Anthems for the Future of Theatre" performed at the celebration by the guest artists.
The creative team includes Drama League Artistic Line Producer Ali Skye Bennet, director Ben Villegas Randle, music director David Evans, production manager Alberto Ruiz, lighting designer Jenn Burkhardt, stage manager Rachel Gross, assistant stage manager Veronica Lee, producing assistant Latrice Smith, and social media strategist Molly Barson.
The onstage musicians include David Evans on piano, Michael Blanco on bass, Greg Skaff on guitar, and Joe Nero on percussion; pianist Eliza Randall will entertain prior to the main program.
The evening also celebrates the addition of four new members to the Drama League's board: Sarah Hutton, Kumiko Yoshii, Tony recipient Irene Gandy, and Townsend Teague.
The Drama League, founded in 1916, advances the American theatre by providing life-long artistic resources for directors and a platform for dialogue with audiences. For more information and tickets, visit DramaLeague.org.
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Wayne Brady Celebrates His Opening Night in Kinky Boots with Curtain Call and Party
Wayne Brady Celebrates His Opening Night in Kinky Boots with Curtain Call and Party
Emmy Award winner Wayne Brady succeeds Tony Award winner Billy Porter as glamorous drag performer Lola in the Tony-winning Broadway hit Kinky Boots at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre. Brady started on Nov. 21.
Next year, Carnegie Hall's house band will perform Bernstein’s “Kaddish” Symphony, unfinished works by Schubert, and the final concert of Conductor Bernard Labadie.
