DRAMATISTS GUILD FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES 2026 GALA HONOREES FOR THEIR COMMITMENT TO FOSTERING THE NEXT GENERATION OF STORYTELLERS!

(New York, NY - July 29, 2026) – Dramatists Guild Foundation (DGF) has announced award-winning theatrical producer Sue Frost, Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-Winning Playwright and DGF Board Member Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, and former DGF Board Member instrumental in the organization’s financial planning R. Patrick Morrow will be honored at the organization’s annual Gala on October 19, 2026, at Ziegfeld Ballroom. This year’s Gala will celebrate dramatists whose words shape the American theatre. DGF's programs provide these theater writers with the resources they need to continue creating—from emergency financial assistance and free writing space to fellowship opportunities. That support creates a ripple effect, helping writers persevere through life's challenges so they can create the next generation of groundbreaking plays and musicals.

“DGF knows that when dramatists are given reliable access to resources, our society benefits from the stories they tell. Every show that has moved you to tears or laughter, or had you humming on the street, began with a theater writer. If we want theater to continue to be a part of our world, we need to support the creators behind it. Our Gala and this year’s incredible honorees are helping us provide year-round support so writers can keep writing,” says Rachel Routh, DGF Executive Director.

Sue Frost is a founding member of Tony Award and Olivier Award-winning Junkyard Dog Productions, which is dedicated to developing and producing new musicals. New musicals in development: The Heart, Freak the Mighty, and 3 Summers of Lincoln (Executive Producers). Previous Broadway productions include Come From Away; Memphis; First Date; Doctor Zhivago (Executive Producers). Prior to founding Junkyard, Sue was Associate Producer at Goodspeed Musicals for 20 years, where she produced more than 50 new musicals at both the Goodspeed Opera House and the Norma Terris Theatre, and before that she was a Broadway company manager. A graduate of Smith College, Sue is a member of adjunct faculty at Columbia University School of the Arts, and is the current Chair-Elect of The Broadway League, also serving on The Broadway League’s Board of Governors, the Executive, Tony Administration, Audience Engagement, Intra-Industry, and Business Development Committees. 

Branden Jacobs-Jenkins is a writer and theatre artist whose plays include Purpose, Appropriate, The Comeuppance, Girls, Everybody, War, Gloria, Appropriate, An Octoroon and Neighbors. He is a Professor in the Practice at Yale University and serves as Vice President of the Dramatists Guild council. He has been the recipient of two Tony awards, a Pulitzer Prize, the MacArthur fellowship, the Windham-Campbell Prize for Drama, and the inaugural Tennessee Williams Award.

R. Patrick Morrow is an experienced financial advisor with more than 20 years of experience serving ultra-high-net-worth individuals, corporations, and nonprofit organizations. He works closely with clients to develop SMART wealth management plans that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-based. Recognizing the value of the tax-deferral opportunities available through corporate retirement plans, Patrick completed advanced training through the UCLA Anderson School of Management in collaboration with The Retirement Advisor University, earning the Certified 401(k) Professional designation. He advises businesses on a range of retirement and benefits matters, including defined contribution and defined benefit plan design, investment selection, employee incentive programs, and participant education.

The honorees will be celebrated at DGF’s Annual Gala, supporting playwrights, composers, lyricists and librettists for the American theater through financial resources, education-driven programming, and free rehearsal spaces throughout their careers.  

DGF’s Gala is generously presented by Creative Partners Productions, with additional support from Concord Theatricals. 

This year’s Gala Committee will be Co-Chaired by Jocelyn Bioh, Natalie Gershtein, and Alix Purcell Morrow.

Tables, individual tickets and sponsorship opportunities are now available by visiting DGFgala.com or calling (212) 391-8384. For more information on how to support theater writers, visit DGF.org and follow us at @dgfound. 

About DGF

Dramatists Guild Foundation (DGF) is a national charity that fuels the future of American theater by supporting the writers who create it. DGF fosters playwrights, composers, lyricists, and librettists at all stages of their careers. DGF sponsors educational programs; provides awards, grants, and stipends; offers free space to create new works; and gives emergency aid to writers in need of immediate support. DGF distributed more than $3.5 million in immediate financial relief to writers during the nation-wide theatrical shutdown. The needs of theater writers during the shutdown also launched the Housing Assistance Grants to aid with rent payments, moving costs, and other housing challenges, as well as the Bridge Grants to support writers with essential daily life expenses. DGF is a 2024 recipient of a Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre. By supporting and nurturing the creators of today, we protect the stories of tomorrow. Andrew Lippa currently serves as DGF’s President, with Rachel Routh as Executive Director. For more information on how to support theater writers, visit DGF.org and follow us at @dgfound.

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