Photo Flash: American Theatre Wing Party

The American Theatre Wing made its first official foray to the west coast in decades with a holiday season party for theatre cognoscenti in Los Angeles on Monday evening, December 28.

Hosted by Fox Business Channel anchor and ATW advisory committee member Liz Claman at the Beverly Hills home of her mother June, a resident artist at Glendale's A Noise Within, the party featured a concert-length performance by Mary Poppins composer Richard Sherman, who surveyed his songwriting career starting with what he and his brother Robert learned from their father, also a best-selling songwriter, through to upcoming projects and some unreleased novelty tunes.

ATW Board of Directors Chairman Ted Chapin and Executive Director Howard Sherman also spoke to the crowd of 90 that packed into the Beverly Hills home, talking about the national and even international reach of the Wing; the organization's efforts to insure it represents all of theatre in America, not just New York; and reading from The New York Times review of ATW's new book "The Play That Changed My Life," which would appear in the next day's paper.

The wide-range of attendees included current and former artistic directors of LA's Center Theater Group, Michael Ritchie and Gordon Davidson; Tony nominated actress and ATW board member Kate Burton; master interviewer Larry King; Tony-winner Joel Grey; playwright ReGina Taylor, a contributor to ATW's new book; and Martin Massman, board chairman of Center Theatre Group.

Photo Credit: Ryan Miller/Capture Imaging

Ted Chapin, Richard Sherman

Richard Sherman

Michael Ritchie, Richard Sherman

Emily Harvey, Gavin Lee, Ashley Brown, Howard Sherman

Larry King, June Claman

Richard Sherman, Joel Grey, Kate Burton

Howard Sherman, Liz Claman, Ted Chapin