By Lia Chang

AsAmNews Arts and Entertainment Reporter

The Dramatists Guild Fund held its annual gala , Great Writers Thanks Their Lucky Stars, at Gotham Hall in New York this week, hosted by Darren Criss (Glee and Hedwig and Angry Inch), who also performed.

DGF honored two patrons of the arts and philanthropists Lynne Greene, Group President, The Estée Lauder Companies, Inc., and Louise Camuto, Chief Creative Officer of Camuto Group. Great Writers Thank Their Lucky Stars also paid a special tribute to composer, lyricist, performer, and President Emeritus of the Dramatists Guild Fund, Gretchen Cryer, for her 10 years of service to dramatists across the country.

The DGF’s gala featured award-winning playwrights, lyricists and composers introducing the stars who brought their work to life on stage. The evening’s performances were directed by Leigh Silverman (Violet, The Wild Party, Chinglish) with Music Direction by Charlie Rosen.

Check out the composers, the performers and the song list below.

Sheldon Harnick

Danny Burstein

If I Were a Rich Man from Fiddler on the Roof

Benj Pasek & Justin Paul

Ben Platt

Waving through a Window from Dear Evan Hansen

Laurence O’Keefe & Nell Benjamin

Mo Rocca

A Modest Proposal

Benjamin Scheuer

Weather the Storm from The Lion

Kirsten Childs

Felicia Finley, Ann Harada, Rashidra Scott & Alysha Umphress

Three Magicial Fairies from Funked up Fairy Tales

Gretchen Cryer & Nancy Ford

Karen Ziemba

Old Friend from I’m Getting My Act Together and Taking it on the Road

Stephen Schwartz

Darren Criss

All I Ever Wanted from The Prince of Egypt

Kristin Chenoweth

For Good from Wicked

Steven Sater

Christy Altomare, Gerard Canonico, Blake Daniel, Robert Hager, Brian Charles Johnson, Frances Mercanti-Anthony, Ben Moss, Eryn Murman, Matt Shingledecker, Phoebe Strole, Jenna Ushkowitz and Remy Zaken.

The Song of Purple Summer from Spring Awakening

President Andrew Lippa and Executive Director Rachel Routh announced that DGF Board members Roe Green & Barbara Olcott have graciously pledged to match up to $100,000 of donations to support DGF’s growing programs for writers at all stages of their careers. To make a tax deductible donation to the Dramatists Guild Fund, visit dgfund.org/donate.

The Gala is the most critical fundraising event for the Dramatists Guild Fund, now celebrating 53 years of service to writers across the country through educational programs, writing development opportunities, and emergency aid to dramatists in need. This very special evening pays tribute to legendary writers and recognizes their significant contributions to American theater.

The Dramatists Guild Fund is the public charity arm of the Dramatists Guild of America. Its mission is to aid and nurture writers for the theater; to fund non-profit theaters producing contemporary American works; and to heighten awareness, appreciation, and support of theater across the country. Each year, DGF awards grants to non-profit theatrical organizations across the country that produce works by American writers, provides emergency aid to writers facing illness or other unforeseen circumstances, and supports numerous educational programs and writing development opportunities for dramatists. For more information visit www.dgfund.org.

Lia Chang is an award-winning filmmaker, a Best Actress nominee, a photographer, and an award-winning multi-platform journalist. Lia has appeared in the films Wolf, New Jack City, A Kiss Before Dying, King of New York, Big Trouble in Little China, The Last Dragon, Taxman and Hide and Seek. She is profiled in FebOne1960.com Blog, Jade Magazine and Playbill.com.

Other Articles:

Photos: Camille Darby, Naveen Bahar Choudhury, Kristine M. Reyes, Diana Son, Michael Korie, Larry O’Keefe, Michael Weller, Tonya Pinkins, Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty and More at DG Fund Fellows Presentation