Academy Award Winner and three-time Tony Awards Host Ariana DeBose (Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story), Tony Award Winner Caissie Levy (Ragtime), Broadway powerhouse Jessica Vosk (Beaches, Wicked), stage & screen favorite Jordan Fisher (Little Shop of Horrors, Moulin Rouge), Tony Award Nominee Christiani Pitts (Two Strangers Carry A Cake Across New York), Tony Award Nominee Sam Tutty (Two Strangers Carry A Cake Across New York), Tony Award Winner Ari’el Stachel (The Band’s Visit), Obie, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle Award Winner Larry Owens (A Strange Loop), Tony Award-winning director Michael Arden (The Lost Boys, Maybe Happy Ending), and The Band of Buena Vista Social Club are among the performers set for The Gala’s concert program. The American Theatre Wing (Heather Hitchens, President & CEO) is thrilled to announce that our 2026 Gala Celebration will be held on the evening of Monday, September 14th, 2026, at the Ziegfeld Ballroom, a new venue for The Wing.
The Wing is continuing its tradition of honoring the “Unsung Heroes of the Theatre Industry,” with stage stars shining a spotlight on their own personal Unsung Hero. From dressers who execute seamless quick changes between scenes, to understudies who don’t miss a beat when getting called into a show on little notice, to makeup artists responsible for impressive visual character transformations – and so many more vital contributors to the theatrical art form – the 2026 Gala celebrates members of the theatrical community who don’t often get the recognition they deserve.
Funds raised at the Gala go directly to American Theatre Wing programs, including:
- The Playreaders Club (in partnership with The Drama Book Shop)
- ATW’s Emmy® Award nominated Working in the Theatre Series.
Through these programs, the American Theatre Wing continues to be a catalyst for change in the industry by providing traditionally underrepresented talent with resources to begin or continue their artistic journey, supporting future generations of theatre artists in forging a path forward.
Performances by: Academy Award Winner and three-time Tony Awards Host Ariana DeBose (Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story), Tony Award Winner Caissie Levy (Ragtime), Broadway powerhouse Jessica Vosk (Beaches, Wicked), stage & screen favorite Jordan Fisher (Little Shop of Horrors, Moulin Rouge), Tony Award Nominee Christiani Pitts (Two Strangers Carry A Cake Across New York), Tony Award Nominee Sam Tutty (Two Strangers Carry A Cake Across New York), Tony Award Winner Ari’el Stachel (The Band’s Visit), Obie, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle Award Winner Larry Owens (A Strange Loop), Tony Award-winning director Michael Arden (The Lost Boys, Maybe Happy Ending), and The Band of Buena Vista Social Club.
We hope you will join us! To purchase a table or tickets, fill out this form and email it to gala@americantheatrewing.org
Underwriter — $150,000
Pamela and Peter D. Barbey
Diamond — $75,000
Drs. Pam Hurst-Della Pietra and Stephen Della Pietra, Avadon Broadway
Platinum — $50,000
Robyn Coles
Meg Fofonoff
Celso Gonzalez-Falla
John Gore Organization
Christine Schwarzman, No Guarantees
Marva A. Smalls
John Voege and Geoffrey Paul
Elaine C. Wilson
Pamela Zilly
Gold — $25,000
CeCe and Lee Black
Bloomberg Philanthropies
Brisa and Mark Carleton
CBS
Jennifer Daly
Ken Davenport
Dasha Epstein
Anna May and Tim Feige
James Higgins
Sandra and Howard Hoffen
Ashley Longshore
James L. Nederlander and Nick Scandalios
Darin Oduyoye
Judith O. and Robert E. Rubin
The Shubert Organization
Tiger Baron Foundation
Miranda Family Fund
Nadine Wong
Ruby — $15,000
Audience Rewards
Thomas and Susanne Brandt
Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS
Dale Cendali
Liz Claman
Amanda Dubois Productions
Elizabeth R. Kabler
Stewart Lane and Bonnie Comley
Anki Leeds
Laura Stevenson Maslon
Morgan Stanley
Lee Perlman and Linda Riefberg
David Rockwell
United Scenic Artists, Local USA 829, IATSE
