Theater News

American Theatre Wing Gala Honoring Andrew Lloyd Webber Raises Over $1.6 Million

The money will be put toward the Wing’s programs and the Andrew Lloyd Webber Initiative Legacy Fund.

Playwright David Henry Hwang, American Theatre Wing President & CEO Heather Hitchens, Andrew Lloyd Webber, and his wife Madeleine Lloyd Webber at the 2018 American Theatre Wing Gala.
Playwright David Henry Hwang, American Theatre Wing president & CEO Heather Hitchens, Andrew Lloyd Webber, and his wife Madeleine Lloyd Webber at the 2018 American Theatre Wing Gala.
(© Tricia Baron)

The American Theatre Wing announced today that its annual gala, which honored celebrated musical theater composer Andrew Lloyd Webber last night at Cipriani 42nd Street, raised a record-breaking total of $1,652,502 in support of the Wing's programs and the Andrew Lloyd Webber Initiative Legacy Fund.

The evening's program began with a salute to the Wing's Andrew Lloyd Webber Initiative, which was established by initial funding from the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation, and has provided more than $1.5 million in grants and scholarships for schools and students. Scholarship recipients have included Nena Daniels, Daelin Elzie, Marcus Gladney, Amara McNeil, and Jaqueline Cabrero.

Performances included Norm Lewis and Sierra Boggess singing the title song from The Phantom of the Opera; Boggess performing "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again" from The Phantom of the Opera in English and French; Katrina Lenk performing "Song and Dance: Tell Me on a Sunday" from Tell Me on a Sunday; Brandon Victor Dixon performing "Heaven on Their Minds" from Jesus Christ Superstar; Alex Newell performing "As If We've Never Said Goodbye" from Sunset Boulevard; and Andrew Lloyd Webber Initiative scholar Sydney Lopes performing the title song from Whistle Down the Wind. The evening's band also included School of Rock alumni Evie Dolan, Ethan Khusidman, Raghav Mehrotra, and Brandon Niederauer.

Additional revenue for the American Theatre Wing is being generated by a group of online auctions, hosted by Charitybuzz.com, which are open until Thursday, September 27 at 3pm ET. To bid on auction items or for more information, click here.