Theater News

Wasserstein, Durang, and Landesman to Help National Corporate Theatre Fund Honor Robert Brustein

Robert Brustein
Robert Brustein

The National Corporate Theatre Fund, an association of 11 not-for-profit theaters, will honor Robert Brustein, founding director of the Yale Repertory and American Repertory Theatres, at its 25th anniversary chairman’s awards gala on Monday, May 19. As a warmup to the event, playwrights Wendy Wasserstein and Christopher Durang and Jujamcyn president Rocco Landesman — all former students of Brustein — will join in toasting Brustein’s career at a cocktail reception on April 30.

“We congratulate Bob Brustein for his NCTF career achievement award,” said Harvard University president Lawrence Summers. “He has had a profound impact in creating a world-class theater at Harvard and in training artists who will be the future of the theater.” Said Rocco Landesman of Brustein, “He’s my mentor and best friend. He’s been a decisive influence in my career — whether he likes it or not.”

NCTF will also honor James S. Turley, chariman and CEO of Ernst & Young, with the Corporate Leadership Award; Laura Pels with the Theatre Professional Award; and Dixie Carter with the Theatre Artist Award. Kate Mulgrew (Tea at Five) will serve as emcee of the May 19 event and presenters will include Cherry Jones, Hal Holbrook, and George C. Wolfe.

The awards gala will be held at the Essex House (160 Central Park South). Tickets start at $1,000 and may be ordered by calling Christopher Wynn at 212-750-6895 or e-mailing him at cwynn@nctf.org.