On Friday, May 6th, Paper Mill Playhouse will hosts its 78th annual gala. Touted as Paper Mill Playhouse’s largest fundraiser of the year, the gala will honor some of Hollywood and theatre’s most talented stars.
In an announcement, the company said it will honor Haute 100 lister Robert De Niro, Chazz Palminteri and the entire creative team behind the musical A Bronx Tale. The team behind the production includes co-director De Niro and four-time Tony Award winner Jerry Zaks, with choreography by four-time Drama Desk Award nominee Sergio Trujillo, A Bronx Tale: The Musical features a book by Palminteri, music by Alan Menken, and lyrics by Glenn Slater. In addition to being honored, the gala will feature performances from cast members of the A Bronx Take: The Musical as well as the West Side Story.
All of the creative team behind A Bronx Musical is slated to receive the Frank Carrington Excellence in the Arts Award. Governor Brendan T. Byrne will be presented with a lifetime achievement award for his long-standing commitment to Paper Mill Playhouse and the arts in New Jersey.
“Nearly 350 of our theater’s community of influential business executives, civic leaders, discerning consumers and tastemakers will gather together for an evening that reflects the heart, artistry and vitality of Paper Mill Playhouse,” stated Mark S. Hoebee, Paper Mill Playhouse’s Producing Artistic Director. “We are excited to honor the creative team behind Paper Mill Playhouse’s hit musical A Bronx Tale. Bringing together the best creative minds to create something new is core to Paper Mill Playhouse’s mission. We hope you will join us in celebrating the work of Robert De Niro, Alan Menken Chazz Palminteri, Glenn Slater, Sergio Trujillo and Jerry Zaks.”
For those of you unfamiliar with A Bronx Tale, it is based on the real story of Palminteri. The musical is set against the backdrop of racial strife and organized crime in the 1960s. It is the story of an Italian-American teenager finding his path in life as he must choose between the father who raised him and a mob-boss father figure who fascinates him.
The gala will take place at the Hilton Short Hills.
