New York City - The Drama League's 27th Annual Benefit Gala gave a cross-section of theater lovers a lesson in divadom. How? By honoring two-time Tony winner Patti LuPone. The black-tie dinner culminated in a two-hour entertainment that was strong on talent and not shy in referencing some of LuPone on and off stage theatrics, including her admonishing an audience member to shut off his cell phone. The honors became official when one of England's Theatre Royalty, Vanessa Redgrave, currently starring in the hit "Driving, Miss Daisy," introduced LuPone.

Alessa Herbosch and Jano Herbosch.

The Benefit Chair of this not-to-be-missed evening was Drama League Board member and Broadway producer Bonnie Comley. Comley and her husband and producing partner Stewart F. Lane are responsible for some of Broadway's noteworthy productions including the hotly anticipated "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert," the highly praised "Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson" and the undervalued "Enron." Theater lovers take note: Lane has a new book due this spring, "Jews on Broadway."

During cocktails in the Pierre's Terrace Room, Jamie de Roy, star of the 20-year old cable and cabaret show "Jamie de Roy and Friends" was greeting William Ivey Long, a five-time Tony Award Winner for costumes. They are both associated with and giddy with the prospects of the incoming new musical "Catch Me If You Can."

Long has costumed LuPone for her one-woman shows. He flew back to New York Super Bowl Sunday from dressing two other Broadway divas, Tovah Feldshuh and Betty Buckley in the Dallas Theater Center's revival of "Arsenic and Old Lace," which is being directed by Scott Schwartz, son of Broadway composer/lyricist Stephen Schwartz.

Co-Chairs Harriet Inselbuch and Katy McGovern were circulating through cocktails, welcoming and chatting with the guests, a nice warm touch.

Among the civilians (non-theater industry) in the capacity crowd were captains of Finance, Martin Shafiroff; Real Estate, Elizabeth Stribling; Business, Arie Kopelman; Orchestras, Alex Donner; NAPCO Security Systems Richard Soloway and Public Relations, Roger Webster. Of course a theater evening would be incomplete without some award-winning examples of female grace. They included: Melissa Morris in a Teal blue. Barbara Regna, in Pink, Jean Shafiroff in Electric Blue, who is Chairman of the Southampton Hospital Annual Gala, Cece Cord and Libby Kabler in black, Kate Edmund in Emerald Green, Coco Kopelman in - what-else - Chanel, Meera T. Gandhi, Donna Soloway and actress Julie Sharbutt.

Bonnie Comley.

The capacity audience came not only to salute Patti LuPone but also to support the League's Directors Project. The Project bridges the gap between academic training and professional opportunities. In the League's words, among its goals are to, "|Enhance young directors' artistic growth, broaden their knowledge, and hone their skills by providing opportunities to work with and learn from leading directors, playwrights, actors and designers around the country."

As LuPone told the adoring crowd when she finally took the stage, "They say it's all in the casting. Let me tell you. It's with the director. He's the one who guides us in the story telling."

Before LuPone got to the stage, there was a two-hour show directed by Roger Danforth and Cady Huffman. The entertainers were a selection of friends, cast mates, and writers who have worked with her in one capacity or another.

To say the show was stopped several times minimizes the thrill of the whole production. To start the evening, Tommy Bracco, Nathaniel Braga, Marco Santiago and C.J. Tyson used the Pierre Ballroom stage for an acrobatic ballet, that is until Christopher Sieber, a multi-nominated performer, joined them. He sang, clowned, and was a semi-emcee for the evening. He shared memories of the beginnings of his friendship with LuPone, as a 24-year old novice from St. Paul who was called in join her in recording Irving Berlin's "An Old Fashion Wedding."

Chris Burke, her son from her the legendary "Life Goes On" television series shared his memories of working with the diva that played his mother with tenderness and warmth.

A performance at the gala.

Primarily, the evening was music. More than anything else, LuPone is one of the reigning musical theater goddesses.

The musical writers Marc Shaiman, music, and Scott Wittman, lyricist, shared memories. "If you're her friend, it lasts forever. If you're her enemy, it lasts even longer." They finished singing a parody to Cole Porter's "You're the Top." They wrote the songs for "Hairspray" and the previously mentioned "Catch Me If You Can."

Emily Skinner, Liz Callaway and Ann Hampton Callaway sang separately. All dynamite. However Hampton Calloway hijacked the audience when she sat down at the piano and asked for 10 words from the crowd. On the spot, she composed a song at the piano. One of the words was tuba. The line in the instant composition was, "The first time I saw you play the tuba in "Sweeney Todd" is the first time I believed in God."

Only Audra MacDonald could follow her and did with "There's a Parade in Town" from Stephen Sondheim's "Anyone Can Whistle."

Another one of the show stopping laugh-filled musical moments was the Glee-like glee club from Northport, Long Island (LuPone's hometown) that sang a medley of songs associated with the diva. It was made up of Broadway performers: Montego Glover, Chad Kimball from "Memphis," Nick Adams, "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert," Will Chase, "Billy Elliot;" and Daniel Reichard, "Jersey Boys."

Laura Benanti and Boyd Gaines, LuPone's Tony Award winning cast mates from "Gypsy" clowned and sang "Together," using a life size, picture of LuPone as Mama Rose.


The audience took the roof off of the Pierre Ballroom when James Monrtoe Inglehart ("Memhis") and a chorus of 90 Broadway performers sang Porter's "Blow Gabriel Blow."

Redgrave walked on stage elegant and regal. She presented LuPone with her Drama League award. When LuPone, a radiant and luminous woman, walked onto the stage, the ballroom was awash with cheering fans. She said she asked her press agent why she was getting the award, that she wasn't aware of anything she did to deserve it. He answered, "You're 60." Maybe. Or, maybe that was a press agent hyperbole. Whatever her age, she is ageless.

MacDonald returned to the stage and asked the audience to help her get the diva to sing. The audience cheered, again. The sometimes-difficult LuPone did. They sang a counterpoint duet of "Get Happy" and "Happy Days Are Here Again."

What was most obvious from the evening: New York is a community rich in talent, culture and the arts. For four hours, everyone could forget Egypt, Afghanistan, and the quakes in the financial markets. Is it good to forget? You bet. That micro-vacation makes it possible to return to the problems with renewed vigor, insight and the memories of a once-in-a-lifetime night.