Get an inside look at Abingdon Theatre Company’s (Chad Austin, Producing Artistic Director) 34th Anniversary Gala, Ever Forward, Ever Evolving: 34 Years of Breaking Boundaries, honoring Sandy Duncan, John Gasdaska, and Michael Urie. The event took place on Monday, November 2, 2026 at the Edison Ballroom (240 West 47th Street), kicking off their 34th season Off-Broadway.
Among the star-studded cast of Ever Forward, Ever Evolving: 34 Years of Breaking Boundaries was Maria Bilbao (Sweeney Todd), Hannah Cruz (Chess), Jacob Dickey (Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends), Kyle Ramar Freeman (Titanique), Aisha Jackson (The Great Gatsby), Blaine Krauss (Hamilton), Meecah (Hamilton), Samantha Pauly (The Great Gatsby), Shereen Pimentel (West Side Story), Carolina Rial (NBC’s The Voice), Analise Scarpaci (Mrs. Doubtfire), Nyla Sostre (MJ: The Musical), Alyssa Wray (ABC’s American Idol), and Curtis Wiley (Ain’t Too Proud), with special guest Vanessa Williams (West End’s The Devil Wears Prada). Chad Austin directed the evening, Robbie Cowan served as music director, and previous Artist-in-Residence Reynaldo Piniella was the evening’s auctioneer, with a surprise appearance from Dave Droxler (Robin & Me: My Little Spark of Madness).
Photos of the evening can be found HERE. Photography by Shawn Salley.
Established over 34 years ago, Abingdon Theatre Company (ATC) develops and produces critically acclaimed brave, new American work by emerging and established artists. Over the years, ATC has produced dozens of lauded Off-Broadway premiere productions such as Maybe Tomorrow by Max Mondi; Robin & Me: My Little Spark of Madness written and performed by Dave Droxler; Queens Girl in the World by Caleen Sinnette Jennings; V’s (formerly Eve Ensler) Fruit Trilogy directed by Marc Rosenblatt; Jacqueline Novak’s The New York Times Critics’ Pick and Drama Desk-nominated Get on Your Knees and more. The company’s acclaimed One Night Only Series has served as an incubator for high-profile new work, including Alex Edelman’s Just for Us which later received a Broadway premiere and subsequent Emmy Award; Back by Matt Webster starring Emmy Award nominee Madeline Brewer and Tony Award nominee James Cusati-Moyer; The Prompter starring Oscar-winning actor Estelle Parsons; Subverted written and performed by Emmy Award nominee Dominique Fishback; Stella & Marlon by Julia Adler Batavia starring “Blue Bloods” star Amy Carlson and Kevin Csolak. Through their Pamela Paul Around the Table Reading Series, ATC has advanced the development of new plays, including work written by Artists-in-Residence, such as Anonymous Skin by Cris Eli Blak and Son of an Unknown Father by Reynaldo Piniella. In 2020, ATC expanded into film production with the launch of Abingdon Virtual led by Executive Producer Chad Austin. The initiative has produced multiple award-winning films that have screened internationally including As Apple Pie, written and directed by Artist-in-Residence Pierre Marais, an official selection of the Cannes World Film Festival. Other films include It Cries Too Loudly, Apart, and Ghost Light.
