PRIMARY STAGES GALA

honoring

Samuel "Biff" Liff

Legendary Broadway Agent, Producer and Stage Manager

Cocktails, Dinner, Silent Auction and Great Entertainment

Honorary Co-Chairs

Emanuel "Manny" Azenberg

Philip J. Smith

Past Events

Two performances only!

Celebrity Reading benefiting Primary Stages and the Writers Guild of America East Foundation

Godfather IV

Written by Tom Fontana
(Emmy Award-winning writer of "St. Elsewhere", "Homicide", "OZ" and most recently "The Philanthropist")

Featuring Chris Meloni ("Law & Order: SVU", "OZ")

Dean Winters ("Life on Mars", "30 Rock", "Rescue Me", "OZ");

and Lee Tergesen ("Generation Kill", "OZ", "Desperate Housewives")

and a special appearance by Tom Fontana

Directed by Linda Laundra

May 2, 2010
3pm and 7pm
59E59 Theater A

Tickets are $75 for Premium Seating or $50 for general seating.

    
Three actors from “Oz” sit in a diner, talking about their careers and the works of various screen immortals. When one of the trio (Chris Meloni) attacks the plausibility of the Jack Woltz scene in “The Godfather,” the other two (Lee Tergesen, Dean Winters) decide to “re-enact” the scene by sneaking a horse’s head into Meloni’s bed. Unexpected complications arise.

 
To purchase tickets, contact Development Assistant
Rebecca Aparicio at 212-840-9705 or rebecca@primarystages.org

GALA CELEBRATES PRIMARY STAGES 25 YEARS

Primary Stages family of artists and friends gathered at the Grand Hyatt’s Manhattan Ballroom on Monday, November 9th for a rousing evening honoring our 25 years of producing new work for the stage, supporting playwrights and theater artists through Artistic Development Programs, and engaging thousands of high school students through free programming.

The evening was hosted by playwright/actor Charles Busch (You Should Be So Lucky at Primary Stages, The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife) and actress/singer Julie Halston (You Should Be So Lucky, Chasing Manet).

Leading Ladies who have helped Primary Stages achieve this milestone anniversary participated in the evening. Guests enjoyed performances by Penny Fuller (Southern Comforts, Dividing the Estate), Isabel Keating (A Lifetime Burning), and Michele Ragusa (Adrift in Macao).   59E59 Theaters founder Elysabeth Kleinhans and actresses Judith Ivey, Marian Seldes and Liz Wilson recounted stories from Primary Stages past that reminded us all of how much we have accomplished and the many, many individuals who have come together to make it all happen!

Primary Stages Honors Stars of the Stage at Gala Benefit

October 27, 2008

Photos by Robert and Anita Shevett

Elliot Fox, Patti LuPone, Andrew Leynse - Alan & Barbara Marks, Sarah Murray, James Murray

Primary Stages held its annual Gala Benefit at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Manhattan on Monday, October 27, 2008.  Each year, Primary Stages recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the theater with its Commitment to New Plays Award.  Honorees for the 2008 Commitment to New Plays Award were Tony Award-winning actress Patti LuPone and The Baruch-Routh-Frankel-Viertel Group.

The intimate event began with cocktails and a Silent Auction, featuring exclusive vacation packages to Romania and Italy and a private backstage tour of Gypsy with Patti LuPone herself.  Dinner was held in The Manhattan Ballroom, which was decorated with centerpieces highlighting Primary Stages productions.  During dinner, President Emeritae Sue Breger and Artistic Director Andrew Leynse addressed the guests, highlighting Primary Stages programs and its productions in the 2008-2009 season.  

After dinner, attendees enjoyed rousing performances from actresses Laura Benanti and Leigh Ann Larkin with supporting remarks from Boyd Gaines, Mandy Patinkin and Jerry Zaks honoring the work of Ms. LuPone and the gentlemen of The Baruch-Routh-Frankel-Viertel Group.   

Tom Viertel, Richard Frankel, Laura Benati, Steven Baruch, Marc Routh - Annie Einhorn, Mark Podell, Marvin Einhorn, Helen Lee Henderson