Lyric’s 24th annual Broadway Ball gala will take place on Friday, November 8th at 6:30pm in the grand ballroom of the beautiful Embassy Suites Hotel near Downtown Oklahoma City.

It is with great excitement that Lyric’s Board of Directors announces Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma’s 24^thAnnual Broadway Ball Gala on Friday, November 8th. Inspired by our past and looking toward the future, the 2019 Broadway Ball will be an elegant evening of fun, food, and fabulous entertainment!

It is our pleasure to announce our honorees for the evening. The theatre’s top honor, the John E. Kirkpatrick Award, is given by Lyric’s Board of Directors to individuals who have a deep sense of commitment and dedication to musical theatre and theatre education. In celebration of their  devoted service to Lyric Theatre and the arts in Oklahoma, 2019 John E. Kirkpatrick Award will be given to the Tom and Brenda McDaniel Family.

Lyric will also present the 2^nd annual Creative Artist Award to Jane Hall and Charlotte Franklin. The Creative Artist Award will recognize artists across an array of theatre genres who have made significant contributions to the artistic excellence of Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma. Jane and Charlotte have played many roles on the Lyric stage, and we are thrilled to honor them both.

This black tie event will includes drinks, dinner and and a performance you won’t want to miss! If you are interested in donating an auction item or would like more information, please contact Chantry Banks at (405) 524-9310 x225 or by email.

Announcing our 2019 Broadway Ball Headliner

– Emily Skinner –

EMILY SKINNER has unequivocally established herself as one of Broadway‘s most engaging and versatile performers.

Emily was last seen on Broadway in the 2019 season in The Cher Show. In the fall 2017 Broadway season, she had the honor of being directed by Hal Prince in his new show PRINCE OF BROADWAY at Manhattan Theatre Club and she was nominated for an Outer Critics Circle Award for her performance. She was also seen that same year Off-Broadway in Transport Group’s much lauded production of PICNIC, where she was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for her performance as Rosemary. Previous to that, she appeared as The Witch in INTO THE WOODS at Houston’s Theatre Under The Stars and as Phyllis in FOLLIES at The Repertory Theatre of St Louis, garnering rave reviews for both performances.

She also had the pleasure recently of workshopping the new musical SCKBSTD by the Grammy winning singer/songwriter Bruce Hornsby and creating the role of Monique McCandless in Stephen King/John Mellencamp’s musical THE GHOST BROTHERS OF DARKLAND COUNTY at the Alliance Theatre and on a multi-city national rock n’ roll concert tour.

Another recent highlight came when Dame Julie Andrews selected Emily to star in the musical based on her children’s book THE GREAT AMERICAN MOUSICAL, which premiered at Godspeed’s Norma Terris Theatre.

She appeared previously on Broadway starring in the acclaimed musical BILLY ELLIOT. Handpicked by Oscar-winning director Stephen Daldry, she had the honor of being the very first American selected to play the role of Billy’s dance teacher, Mrs. Wilkinson. She received a Broadway World Award for her performance.

Emily was nominated for a Tony Award (along with Alice Ripley) and received a Drama League Award for her performance as Daisy Hilton in the brilliant but short-lived SIDE SHOW.

Her other original Broadway credits include JEKYLL & HYDE, JAMES JOYCE’S THE DEAD (opposite Christopher Walken), THE FULL MONTY, DINNER AT EIGHT (Outer Critics Circle Nomination), as well as The Actors Fund productions of THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS and DREAMGIRLS.

She has had the pleasure of singing many times at Carnegie Hall with The New York Pops, and appeared there as well in the New York debut of Richard Thomas’ infamous JERRY SPRINGER THE OPERA (with Harvey Keitel).

As a soloist, she guested with the Pittsburgh Symphony, Virginia Symphony, Dallas Symphony, and the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra. Emily has also headlined New York engagements at Merkin Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, Town Hall, Joe’s Pub at the Public Theatre, Birdland, 54 Below, Lincoln Center’s American Songbook Series, Feinstein’s at the Regency, as well as her solo concert act BROADWAY HER WAY at various performing arts centers and cabaret venues around the country.

Off-Broadway, Emily performed in the acclaimed City Center Encores! revivals of NO STRINGS, PARDON MY ENGLISH, A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN, and FIORELLO, as well as in various productions and workshops at Manhattan Theatre Club, WPA Theatre, The Transport Group, Paramount Theater at Madison Square Gardens, York Theatre, Playwrights Horizons and the Roundabout Theatre.

Regionally, she appeared in numerous leading roles at The Kennedy Center, Signature Theatre, Long Wharf Theatre, Old Globe Theatre, Ford’s Theatre, McCarter Theatre, Baltimore CenterStage, St. Louis MUNY, American Conservatory Theatre, Guthrie Theatre, Goodspeed, Bucks County Playhouse, Lyric Theater of Oklahoma, Virginia Rep and elsewhere..

Her CD recordings include not only multiple cast albums and audio books, but 20th Century Fox’s animated feature ANASTASIA; RAW AT TOWN HALL, DUETS, UNSUSPECTING HEARTS, UNATTACHED(all with Alice Ripley); ELEGIES FOR ANGELS, PUNKS, AND RAGING QUEENS; WHEN I GROW UP; THE STEPHEN SONDHEIM ALBUM; WALL TO WALL SONDHEIM; BELIEVE: THE SONGS OF THE SHERMAN BROTHERS; THE STEPHEN SCHWARTZ ALBUM; multiple BROADWAY BY THE YEAR Live at Town Hall recordings, and her self-titled solo CD which may be found at Amazon.com.