The American Theater Wing, a nonprofit organization that helps oversee the Tony Awards, raised a record-breaking $700,000 on Monday night at its annual gala, where 450 guests gathered at the Plaza Hotel to honor the legendary director and producer Harold Prince. The previous gala record was about $600,000, set last year.
During the evening Mr. Prince, who has won 21 Tonys over his 60-year career, was serenaded by the Broadway stars Glenn Close, Sierra Boggess, LaChanze, and others, who sang numbers from Prince productions including “Cabaret,†“Follies,†“Evita,†“A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,†and “The Phantom of the Opera.†The gala’s host, Angela Lansbury, who won a Tony in 1979 for “Sweeney Todd,†which Mr. Prince directed, credited him with “defining Broadway as the musical theater capital of the world.â€
Mr. Prince, who is 85, is now working on a musical retrospective of his career, “Prince of Broadway.†It was supposed to open on Broadway this fall but has been delayed due to financing problems; Mr. Prince said last night that it would open in Tokyo in 2015 and then come to New York.
“To state the obvious, I’m having a hell of a great life,†Mr. Prince said in his remarks at the gala. Thanking his wife Judy and his two children and their families, he added, “In 51 years, I’ve never had a boring or lonely day in my life. How many people can say that?â€
“I love to go to work, you know,†he said a few moments later. “I anticipate every day with excitement and every challenge - indeed, some very disappointing - but they usually lead to some solution and a measure of genuine satisfaction. I love the company of theater of people. I love working on the material with authors and designers - I love casting directors. And, tonight, I love theater owners.â€
