Alan Menken to Receive Carrington Award at Paper Mill Playhouse Gala; Laura Benanti to Make Guest Appearance

Eight time Academy Award-winning composer Alan Menken will receive the Frank Carrington Excellence in the Arts Award at Paper Mill Playhouse’s Center Stage Celebration, to be held on Friday, May 13.

Menken is currently represented on Broadway by the new musical Sister Act. He is composing additional songs with lyricist Jack Feldman for the new musical Newsies, which will premiere at Paper Mill in the fall. The songs will supplement the ones that the pair wrote for the original film, on which the musical is based.

The Frank Carrington Excellence in the Arts Award is named after Paper Mill Playhouse’s co-founder and first Executive Producer. This award is given to a Paper Mill Playhouse artist who has experienced a distinguished career in the entertainment industry.

The gala will offer an evening of dinner, dancing, auctions and entertainment with students from Paper Mill Playhouse’s arts education programs performing a tribute to Mr. Menken and a special guest appearance by Tony Award winner Laura Benanti, who was the first Paper Mill Playhouse Rising Star Award winner for a Leading Actress in a Musical.

For tickets and more information on the gala, click here.