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2026 Sondheim Award Gala

Honoring Vanessa Williams Mar 16, 2026
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Signature Theatre is thrilled to honor Broadway, music, television and film star Vanessa Williams. For more than four decades, Vanessa has been entertaining and captivating audiences with her powerful voice and elegant stage presence. She has earned Tony, Grammy and Emmy nominations for her work, including her role as the Witch in Sondheim’s Into the Woods in 2002. Read more about Vanessa Williams by clicking her headshot below.

We invite you to join Signature for an unforgettable evening honoring Vanessa Williams at our upcoming Gala — a celebration of achievement, legacy, and the transformative power of the arts.

Stay tuned for more information and prepare for a night of glamour, gratitude, and tribute to one of the greats.

Save the Date

  • Location

    The Anthem

    The Wharf
    901 Wharf Street, Washington, DC 20024

  • Schedule

    5PM Cocktails

    6PM Seated Dinner

    6:30PM Tribute Performances and Award Presentation

  • Dress

    Black Tie

  • Parking

    Complimentary Valet Parking

  • Performance-Only Tickets

    Interested in performance-only tickets to the Sondheim Award Presentation? Click here to learn more.

Honoring

Vanessa Williams

Vanessa Williams

Vanessa Williams is one of the most respected and multi-faceted performers in the entertainment industry today. Her career in film, television, stage and music has been recognized with 4 Emmy nominations, 11 Grammy nominations, a Tony nomination, 3 SAG Award nominations and 7 NAACP Image Awards. Her Platinum single, "Colors of the Wind," from Disney's “Pocahontas,” won the Oscar, Grammy and Golden Globe for Best Original Song.

Vanessa can currently be seen starring as the iconic role of “Miranda Priestly” in the West End’s production of THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA at the Dominion Theatre. She previously returned to Broadway in the World Premiere of Selina Fillinger's comedy, POTUS, directed by Tony Award-winner Susan Stroman. She also starred in the acclaimed West End revival of CITY OF ANGELS opposite Theo James. Prior to this, she starred with Cicely Tyson in THE TRIP TO BOUNTIFUL, which was the #1 play of its Broadway season. Vanessa earned a Tony Award nomination for her portrayal of “The Witch” in the James Lapine-directed Broadway revival of INTO THE WOODS and received a Theatre World Award for her Broadway debut in the Tony Award-winning production of KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN. Additional Broadway credits include ST. LOUIS WOMAN, SONDHEIM ON SONDHEIM and AFTER MIDNIGHT. She headlined a special limited engagement of HEY, LOOK ME OVER at New York City Center and a special performance of Stephen Sondheim's ANYONE CAN WHISTLE at Carnegie Hall. She was a producer of the Broadway production of A WONDERFUL WORLD: THE LOUIS ARMSTRONG MUSICAL.

Perhaps best known for her Emmy and SAG Award-nominated role of “Wilhelmina Slater” in the worldwide hit, UGLY BETTY, Vanessa has had an extensive career on screen. She starred on DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES, VH1's DAYTIME DIVAS, ABC's movie musical BYE BYE BIRDIE and most recently in CBS' ELSBETH. Her many film credits include ERASER, SOUL FOOD, SHAFT, DANCE WITH ME, HOODLUM and JOHNSON FAMILY VACATION. In the unscripted space, Vanessa appeared as a
judge on two seasons of RuPaul's competition series, QUEEN OF THE UNIVERSE, with Michelle Visage, Trixie Mattel, Leona Lewis and Melanie Brown, hosted by Graham Norton.

Vanessa has sold millions of records worldwide, amassing numerous #1 and Top 10 hits. Her discography includes her debut album, The Right Stuff, The Comfort Zone, The Sweetest Days, The Real Thing and her classic holiday albums, Star Bright and Silver & Gold. Hit singles include “Save the Best For Last,” “Dreamin',” “The Right Stuff,” “Work to Do” and “Love Is,” among many others. Her first new release in 15 years, SURVIVOR, a genre-defying collection of songs that reflect her rich and diverse musical catalogue.

Vanessa earned a BFA degree in musical theatre at Syracuse University. She is a strong advocate for equal rights, especially for the gay community and minorities and was honoured with the Human Rights Campaign Ally for Equality Award for her humanitarian contributions. She received her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2007 and her 2012 autobiography, You Have No Idea, co-written with her mother Helen Williams, was a New York Times Best Seller. She is a proud mum of four and grandmother to Sunny.

Individual Tickets and Sponsorships

$1,500

Individual Level Sponsorship

1 Person

$6,000

Silver Level Sponsorship

5 People/Half Table

$12,000

Gold Level Sponsorship

10 People/One Table

$25,000

Platinum Level Sponsorship

10 People/Premier Table

$50,000

Diamond Level Sponsorship

20 People/Two Premier Tables

Performers

Norm Lewis

Norm Lewis

Emmy, Grammy, Tony, and SAG Award nominee, Norm Lewis, was recently seen onstage starring in the critically acclaimed off-Broadway revival of Ceremonies in Dark Old Men by Lonnie Elder.  He recently starred in the national tour of the Tony Award-winning production of A Soldier's Play and in Andrew Lloyd Webber's West End Concert of Love Never Dies. He starred in Spike Lee's critically acclaimed, Da 5 Bloods, and in the groundbreaking FX series, Pose.  Additionally, Mr. Lewis can be seen starring opposite Hilary Swank in the feature The Good Mother, Amazon Prime's newest series, Swarm, and Hulu's, Up Here. He was also seen as 'Caiaphas' in the award-winning NBC television special, Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert!, alongside John Legend, Sara Bareilles, and Alice Cooper.

Mr. Lewis returned to Broadway in the Fall of 2021, starring in Chicken and Biscuits at the Circle In The Square Theatre. He previously appeared in the Broadway revival of Once on This Island and as Sweeney Todd in the Off-Broadway production of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street at the Barrow Street Theatre, receiving the AUDELCO Award for his performance.  In May of 2014, he made history as The Phantom of the Opera’s first African American Phantom on Broadway.

He has been seen on PBS in the Live From Lincoln Center productions of Showboat with Vanessa Williams, Norm Lewis: Who Am I?, New Year’s Eve: A Gershwin Celebration with Diane Reeves, as well as American Voices with Renée Fleming and the PBS Specials First You Dream – The Music of Kander & Ebb and Ella Wishes You A Swingin' Christmas.  He can be seen recurring in the VH1 series, Daytime Divas, also alongside Vanessa Williams.  His additional television credits include Women of The Movement, Law & Order, Dr. Death, Mrs. America, Better Things, The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Bull, Chicago Med, Gotham, The Blacklist, and Blue Bloods, as well as in his recurring role as Senator Edison Davis on the hit drama Scandal.

Mr. Lewis is a proud, founding member of Black Theatre United, an organization which stands together to help protect Black people, Black talent and Black lives of all shapes and orientations in theatre and communities across the country. He received Tony, Drama Desk, Drama League, and Outer Critics Circle award nominations for his performance as Porgy in the Broadway production of The Gershwins’ Porgy & Bess. Other Broadway credits include Sondheim on Sondheim, The Little Mermaid, Les Misérables, Chicago, Amour, The Wild Party, Side Show, Miss Saigon, and The Who’s Tommy. In London’s West End he has appeared as Javert in Les Misérables and Les Misérables: The 25th Anniversary Concert, which aired on PBS.

Off-Broadway Mr. Lewis has performed in Dessa Rose (Drama Desk nomination, AUDELCO Award), Shakespeare in the Park’s The Tempest, The Two Gentlemen of Verona (Drama League nomination), Captains Courageous, and A New Brain. His regional credits include Porgy in The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess (A.R.T.), Ragtime, Dreamgirls (with Jennifer Holliday), First You Dream, Sweeney Todd, and The Fantasticks.

His additional film credits include Christmas In Tune (starring opposite Reba McEntire), Magnum Opus, Winter’s Tale, Sex and the City 2, Confidences, and Preaching to the Choir.

Norm's albums "The Norm Lewis Christmas Album" & "This is The Life" can be found on Amazon.com as well as cdbaby.com.

Michael Urie

Michael Urie

Emmy Award nominated actor, producer, director, and host Michael Urie is well-known for bringing stories to life onscreen, onstage, and behind the scenes.

Celebrated for his breakout role as Marc St. James on ABC’s 2000s dramedy TV series, UGLY BETTY, Michael has most recently been delighting audiences in the first two seasons of AppleTV+’s award winning dramedy series, SHRINKING, which will return for a third season on January 28, 2026. The show, which was created by Bill Lawrence, Jason Segel and Brett Goldstein, also stars Jason Segel, Harrison Ford, Jessica Williams, and Christa Miller. For his role as ‘Brian,’ Michael was nominated for a 2025 Emmy Award for ‘Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series’ and earned the 2025 Critics Choice Award for ‘Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series’.

Other hit TV shows Michael has appeared on include NIGHT COURT, MODERN FAMILY, THE GOOD WIFE & FIGHT, YOUNGER, WORKAHOLICS, and HOT IN CLEVELAND, among others.

Most recently, Michael played the titular role in an off-Broadway production of Shakespeare’s RICHARD II, reimagined by Craig Baldwin for The Red Bull Theater. On Broadway, in 2025, Michael played Mary's teacher in the two-time Tony Award winning show, OH, MARY!, alongside Kumail Nanjiani and Jinkx Monsoon.

In 2024, Michael starred in ONCE UPON A MATTRESS, a musical adaptation by Amy Sherman-Palladino, with Sutton Foster. His crowd pleasing portrayal of ‘Prince Dauntless’ earned him a Drama Desk Award for ‘Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical,’ as well as a nomination for an Outer Critics Circle Award.

Previously, he delighted audiences as ‘Sir Robin’ in the revival of the Monty Python musical comedy SPAMALOT, reprising his role as ‘Sir Robin’ from the popular Kennedy Center production. Prior, he starred as William Shakespeare in Talene Monahon's Jacobean feminist revenge farce JANE ANGER at the New Ohio Theater in NYC; he went on to reprise his highly acclaimed role in DC at the infamous Shakespeare Theatre Company. That same year, he appeared in Todd Stephens’ SWAN SONG, the queer horror comedy SUMMONING SYLVIA and on Broadway in Douglas Lyons’ raucous family comedy CHICKEN AND BISCUITS.

For originating the role of Alex More in Jonathan Tolins’ BUYER & CELLAR in 2013, Michael received a Drama Desk Award, a Clarence Derwent Award, a Lucille Lortel Award, an LA Drama Critics Award, and nominations for the Drama League and Outer Critics Circle Awards. At the beginning of 2020, amidst the Covid pandemic, Michael put on a livestream performance of the show from his living room, raising nearly $300,000 for Broadway Cares.

Other previous Broadway credits include the Tony-nominated revival of TORCH SONG, the 35th-anniversary production of Harvey Fierstein's landmark play, Bess Wohl’s GRAND HORIZONS, and HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING alongside Nick Jonas.

In December 2021, Michael led Netflix’s first gay holiday rom com, SINGLE ALL THE WAY, which instantly landed on the streamer’s “Top Ten” lists across multiple territories; the film featured a stellar cast alongside Michael, including Jennifer Coolidge, Kathy Najimy, Barry Bostwick, Philemon Chambers, and Luke Macfarlane. On the big screen, he also appeared in Netflix’s Oscar nominated film MAESTRO, starring and directed by Bradley Cooper, and in GOODRICH, with Michael Keaton, Mila Kunis, and Andie MacDowell.

Michael is the co-founder of Pride Plays, an annual festival that celebrates and elevates LGBTQIA+ voices in the theater. He hosted Discover +’s CLIPPED and four seasons of Logo’s COCKTAILS AND CLASSICS. For the stage, he directed BRIGHT COLORS AND BOLD PATTERS and produced HAPPY BIRTHDAY DOUG, both written and performed by Drew Droege and both captured for BroadwayHD. Michael also directed SILVER FOXES written by Stan Zimmerman and James Berg, for Uptown Players in Dallas, TX. For the screen, Michael directed HE’S WAY MORE FAMOUS THAN YOU, THE HYPERGLOT and co-directed the documentary THANK YOU FOR JUDGING – all available for streaming.

Michael’s voice can be heard in the Dan Harmon animated series KRAPOPOLIS for Fox, as well as Disney’s BEVERLY HILLS CHIHUAHUA and numerous audiobooks available on AUDIBLE.COM.

Hailing from Plano, Texas, Michael trained at the esteemed Juilliard School.

Mark G. Meadows

Mark G. Meadows

he/him SIGNATURE: Director of Signature Cabarets; Music Direction: The Color Purple, RENT, After Midnight, Spunk, Ain’t Misbehavin’; Jelly’s Last Jam. Apollo Productions: ELLA, An American Miracle. Kennedy Center: Acoustic Rooster REGIONAL: Oregon Shakespeare Theatre: Once on this Island. Denver Center for the Performing Arts: Choir Boy, Wildfire. LA JOLLA PLAYHOUSE: Associate Music Direction: The Outsiders.  ALBUMS: Be the Change, To the People, Somethin’ Good, A Child is Born. CONCERTS: Jazz at the Lincoln Center, DC Jazz Festival, Blues Alley, The Kennedy Center, Smalls Jazz, The Strathmore. INTERNATIONAL: Haiti, Russia, The Congo, Qatar, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Canada, The Caribbean. APPEARED WITH: Cynthia Erivo, Usher, Bobby McFerrin, Kendrick Lamar, Kamasi Washington, Nicholas Payton, Kurt Elling, Ledisi. AWARDS: 2020 DC Wammies Jazz Artist of the Year, Washington City Paper’s Artist & Composer of the Year. TEACHING: American University, Shenandoah University: Jazz Instructor; Duke Ellington School of the Arts: The Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University. MarkGMeadows.com @MarkGMeadows

Nova Y. Payton

Nova Y. Payton

SIGNATURE: Into the Woods, The Color Purple, We Shall Someday, After Midnight, Assassins, Blackbeard, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Jelly's Last Jam, La Cage aux Folles, Diner, Defying Gravity: Making of a SuperNOVA, Dreamgirls, The Best Little Whorehouse..., Xanadu, Hairspray. TOUR: 3 Mo’ Divas, Smokey Joe’s Café. DC AREA: Round House: Caroline, or Change; Shakespeare Theatre: The Amen Corner, Kiss Me, Kate; Ford's Theatre: Grace the Musical, Ragtime, Freedom’s Song; Olney Theatre: World Goes Round, Godspell; Arena Stage: Newsies, Smokey Joe's Café; Kennedy Center: How To Succeed.... REGIONAL: ZACH Theatre: Into the Woods; The 5th: Man of La Mancha, A Night with Janis Joplin; Milwaukee Rep: Dreamgirls.

Awa Sal Secka

Awa Sal Secka

SIGNATURE: Play On! (Lady Liv), Where the Mountain Meets the Sea (Natalie/Musician 2), Ragtime (Sarah), Gun and Powder (Flo), Jesus Christ Superstar (Simon). NEW YORK: The Public: GODDESS (Zawadi/Nadira u/s). NATIONAL TOUR: Jaja’s African Hair Braiding (Bea). REGIONAL: Paper Mill: After Midnight (Sassy); Berkeley Rep: GODDESS (Zawadi). DC AREA: Arena Stage: Chez Joey (Linda English); Kennedy Center: RENT (Joanne), Me…Jane (Maisie), Chasing the Wind (Abby); Ford’s: Into the Woods (Baker’s Wife), The Wiz (Glinda/Dorothy u/s); Theatre J: Intimate Apparel (Mayme); Round House: School Girls (Ama); Caroline, or Change (Dottie); Imagination: Charlie Brown (Lucy); ArtsCentric: AIDA (Aida), MEMPHIS (Felicia); Studio: SILENCE! (Ardelia); OTC: Co-Writer of The Joy That Carries You, Children of Eden Concert (Eve). Multi HH Award Winner/Nominee. EDUCATION: Montgomery College. REP: Nicolosi & Co. IG: @_kujichagulia_  

2026 Sondheim Award Gala Sponsors

DIAMOND
Dottie Bennett

PLATINUM
Mike Blank
Celie and Tabitha Niehaus
Payne/Firestone Fund for the Arts & Education
Russ Schriefer and Nina Easton
Susan Schwab

GOLD
Max Barger
David W. Briggs
Frank Guzzetta
Dana Hearn and Kevin McCloskey
Peter and Mary Jay Michel
Russ Schriefer
Carl Spatz and Thomas Hesselbrock
Peter and Ann Tanous

SILVER
Elizabeth Bartz
Brunswick Group
Jean Cantrell
Veronika Folz
Marybeth and Zachary Fraser
Bob McDonald and David Insinga
Erica Sugarman
Maya Weil

*as of February 11, 2026

About the Sondheim Award Gala

Signature’s annual Sondheim Award Gala honors those who have contributed to the works of Stephen Sondheim and the canon of American Musical Theater. The Sondheim Award Gala benefits Signature’s artistic, education, and community outreach programs.

The Gala is a festive evening that includes cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, a gourmet seated dinner, and a delicious dessert buffet. Each year, the honoree receives a special award presentation that includes tribute performances by notable Broadway and Signature artists.

For more information, please contact: 571.527.1828 or events@sigtheatre.org.

Sondheim Award Past Recipients

J. Watkins Distinguished Service Award

The Anthem

901 Wharf St SW Washington, DC 20024