John Patrick Shanley &
Nylon Fusion Theatre Company
hosted a gala celebration honoring Drama Desk and Obie Award-winning, Tony Award-nominated director, actor, playwright, and instructor Austin Pendleton along with Obie Award and Tony Award-winner
Anika Noni Rose. 

Jason Kravits emceed. This event was be held at 4 W. 43rd St, NY, NY, Monday, February 23rd, 2015 at 7:00pm.The evening will be held to benefit Nylon Fusion Theatre Company and to celebrate these theatrical figures and their work in the community.

Nylon Fusion Theatre awarded the "Nylon Light of the Community" Award to Austin Pendleton and Anika Noni Rose for their commitment to theatre. As parts of our community of collaborators they dare to stretch the fabric of social, political, and cultural expression.

The event was attended by a host of notable guests and will include performances by Wynton Marsalis, Ted Nash, Anika Noni Rose, and more.

"Nylon Fusion Theatre Company is exactly the right kind of theatre for New York City now," says John Patrick Shanley, an Advisory Board member. "It is young, multicultural, fearless. It provides an open door, inviting unrecognized talent on to the stage, providing entry, excitement, recklessness, candor, and comedy, in a joyous atmosphere. There are new actors, directors, and playwrights in abundance. You will discover artists here. You will experience the rush of seeing them first. That's what New York is all about. Discovery!

Anika Noni Rose and Austin Pendleton will be the first honorees to receive Nylon Fusion Theatre Company's Light of the Community awards. 

Previous benefits have been co-produced with Paul Haggis and John Patrick Shanley. Follow @NylonFusion on Twitter.