Readers on stage at the 2008 Young Lions Fiction Award: Brian F. O’Byrne, Amanda Peet, Michael Shannon, and Ethan Hawke.

At a ceremony Monday evening, Ron Currie, Jr. was presented with The New York Public Library’s 2008 Young Lions Fiction Award by Library President Paul LeClerc. The ceremony was held in the Celeste Bartos Forum of the landmark Humanities and Social Sciences Library. Ethan Hawke, one of the founders of the award, was joined onstage by actors Brian F. O’Byrne, Amanda Peet, and Michael Shannon to read excerpts from each of the finalists’ works. The four other finalists for the award were Ellen Litman for The Last Chicken in America; Peter Nathaniel Malae for Teach the Free Man; Dinaw Megestu for the The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears; and Emily Mitchell for The Last Summer of the World. Mr. Currie is a native of Waterville, Maine. His stories have won prizes in The World’s Best Short Story competition and have been shortlisted for the Fish International Short Story award and Swink magazine’s Emerging Writer Award. God is Dead is his first novel.

David Ferriero, Ron Currie, Jr, Emily Mitchell, Peter Nathaniel Malae, Ellen Litman, Dinaw Mengestu, and Dr. Paul LeClerc

The Young Lions Fiction Award was established in 2001 by the Young Lions, a membership group for supporters of the Library in their 20s and 30s. It is the only major book prize that recognizes fiction by younger writers and includes a $10,000 prize for the award recipient and $1,000 for the other finalists. The five finalists were selected by a reading committee of Young Lions members, writers, editors, and librarians. A panel of three award judges, including last year’s winner Olga Grushin; novelist Helen Schulman; and author Han Ong, currently in residence as a fellow at the Library's Cullman Center for Scholars and Writers, subsequently choose the winner for the $10,000 prize. The Young Lions Fiction Award was spearheaded by Young Lions Committee members Ethan Hawke, Jennifer Rudolph Walsh, Rick Moody, and Hannah McFarland. The Award is made possible by an endowment created with generous gifts from Russell Abrams, Nina Collins, Hannah and Gavin McFarland, Ethan Hawke, Stephan Loewentheil, Rick Moody, Andrea Olshan and Jennifer Rudolph Walsh.

Barbara Currie with her son Ron Currie, Jr., winner of the 2008 Young Lions Fiction Award

Carrie Cloud, Ashley Wick, and Aaron Eckhart

Han Ong and Helen Schulman

David Benioff and Jennifer Rudolph Walsh

Brian F. O’Byrne, Michael Shannon, Amanda Peet, and Ethan Hawke

Uzodinma Iweala

Courtney Plummer and Jackie Greenberg

Hannah and Gavin McFarland

A week ago Thursday, Roger Vivier and the Central Park Conservancy hosted an exclusive shopping experience on Madison Avenue. Hosted by the Conservancy’s Women’s Committee President Betsy Messerschmitt, Executive Vice-President Gillian Miniter, and Playground chairs Carol Herring and Jennifer Saul Yaffa. Guests will include, Eleanora Kennedy, Christine Cachot, Betty Sherrill, Nancy Paduano, Alexia Hamm Ryan, and Annette Lauer. Part art gallery, part boutique, the trilevel Salon which was inspired by Mr. Vivier’s Parisian house, opened its doors to the Park’s Playground Partners & Patrons. A donation from Roger Vivier was made to support the ongoing maintenance and care of Central Park’s 21 playgrounds.

Shoe Shopping

The Central Park Conservancy’s mission is to restore, manage, and preserve Central Park, in partnership with the public, for the enjoyment of present and future generations. Playground Partners & Patrons is a group dedicated to keeping Central Park's playgrounds clean, safe, and well maintained. The program funds a maintenance crew with its own truck and equipment dedicated solely to the upkeep and repair of Central Park’s 21 Playgrounds. Click here to buy tickets to the May 28th fundraiser at Heckscher Playground for children, family, and friends. The annual Playground Party features live music, magic performances, food & fun.

Nancy Paduano and Liz Peek

Lisa DiLoreto and Eleanora Kennedy

Adelina Wong Ettelson and Kami Lightburn

Alexandra Lebenthal and Charlotte Diamond

Annette and Matt Lauer

Terri Coopersmith and Laura Hall

Carol Herring, Gillian Miniter, Marco Giacometti, and Betsy Messerschmidt

Vivian Chambers, Tiffany Moller, and Victoria Foley

Anita Meltzer and Sandy Harris

Roger Webster and Christine Cachot

Michelle Smith and Gillian Miniter

The Committee for the 2008 Fred and Adele Astaire Awards gathered at Elaine’s to hear the plans for the upcoming June 2 Awards Gala which returns to New York after a three year hiatus. It was also a chance for the dance aficionados to meet 9-time Tony Award winner Tommy Tune who will receive the group’s lifetime achievement award this year. For 30 years it was simply The Astaire Award but this year it was renamed the Douglas Watt Lifetime Achievement Award in honor of the esteemed critic and cultural observer who wrote for more than a half a century – concurrently – for The New Yorker and The New York Daily News and has chaired the nominating committee since the awards inception in 1981. Often termed the Oscars of Dance, the awards honor excellence in dance performance and choreography on Broadway and now for the first time on film, as well. Previous winners of awards for choreography include George Balanchine, Michael Bennett, Patricia Birch, Wayne Cilento, Graciela Daniele, Bob Fosse, Peter Martins, Ann Reinking, Jerome Robbins, Susan Stroman and Tune himself twice before. But the lifetime achievement is truly a singular nod.   Jacquelin Murphy-Stahl, Tommy Tune, and Jill Zarin Honorary event co-chair and a major supporter of the Auditory Oral School of New York the gala’s beneficiary, Luann de Lesseps (currently starring on Bravo TV’s The Real Housewives of New York),pulled together her pals - both social and theatrical – including several of the other “Real Housewives” for a few toasts to Tommy. Among the guests in Elaine’s side room were Marisa Berenson, Joe and Elisa Stein, Caroline Lieberman, Anna Bergman, Mark Mitchell, Robert Osborne, Donald Saddler, Eli Wallach and Anne Jackson, Peter Glebo, Ethel Watt, Jillian Auferheide, Judy Gordon Cox, Regina Kravitz, Jill Mainelli, Joanne Borts, David Noh, Edward Hoban, Robin Cofer, Dora Frost, Dame Josephine Hall, Sara Ann Johnson,, Dyann Klein, Regina Kravitz, Joe Lanteri, Caroline Lieberman, Denise McClellan, Maryann Meyer, Alix Michel, Bruce Michael, Clif de Raita, Miranda Pildes, Risa Pulver, Ronni Anderson-Ramirez, Judy Rice, Cassandra Seidenfeld, Dr. Janet Shefts and Zilia Sicre. There were also a few reunions – Countess de Lesseps’ “Housewives” co-stars Jill Zarin with husband Bobby and Ramona and Mario Singer also popped by to support her efforts. While at a side table June Springer widow of the courtly PR man John Springer reminisced with Ethel Watt about their days in the chorus of the original production of Kiss Me Kateto a fascinated Tommy Tune. Quintessential Broadway hoofer actor, director and choreographer Lee Roy Reams of 42nd Street fame greeted fellow dancer Marge Champion. Marge’s dance partner (and one time husband) the late Gower Champion was the director of 42nd Street which helped launch Lee Roy’s career. Never missing a beat, Lee Roy proudly told Marge that Brooke Shields would be presenting Tommy Tune with his award at the gala which will highlight the most stunning moments in Astaire’s and Tune’s careers. Executive producer Jennifer Dumas and producer Patricia Watt were thrilled that so many guests at the party signed up for the June 2 Gala at Manhattan Center Studios. She and Honorary Chair Ava Astaire McKenzie who is flying in from Ireland with husband artist Richard McKenzie, will be able to both honor their dad’s just before Father’s Day. The Fred and Adele Astaire Awards (formerly known as The Astaire Awards established in 1982 by the Anglo-American Contemporary Dance Foundation and administered by Theatre Development Fund since 1991)recognize outstanding achievement in dance on Broadway each season. The award was established with the cooperation of Fred Astaire to honor him and his sister, Adele, who starred with her brother in 10 Broadway musicals between 1917 and 1931. This year the Awards will be expanded to include dance in and choreography for film as this was the métier that brought Fred Astaire to international fame and a permanent slot on every list of the top movie stars of the century.

Anne Jackson with Eli Wallach and Roberta Wallach

LuAnn de Lesseps and Gillian Auferheide with a friend

Clif De Raita, Cindy Kofoed, Bruce Michael, and Caroline Lieberman

Mitchell Flaum and Joyce Brooks

Mark Mitchell and Anna Bergman

Patricia O'Haire and June Springer

Marisa Berenson and Monsignor Jim Lisante

Miranda Pildes, Jill Zarin, Jacquelin Murphy-Stahl, and Mark Mitchell

Eli Wallach and Marisa Berenson

Gillian Auferheide and Lauren Day

Michael O'Mara, Clif De Raita, Cindy Kofoed, and Bruce Michael

Marge Champion with Fiddler on the Roof author Joe Stein

Patricia Watt and mother Ethel Watt

LuAnn de Lesseps, Mark Mitchell, and Anna Bergman

Dr. Janet Shefts and Dame Josephine Hull

Esther Hurley and Doar Frost

Jacquelin Murphy-Stahl, Lee Roy Reams, and Ramona Singer

Edward Hoban and David Noh

Patricia Watt and Jennifer Dumas

Jill and Bobby Zarin

Jill Mainelli, Anna Bergman, and Sarah Johnson

Mario and Ramona Singer

Terri Gold and Will Auferheide

Lee Roy Reams, Marge Champion, and Andrew Asnes

Dyann Klein and friend

Norma Jean Markus and Ronnie Glucksman

Tommy Tune and Marge Champion

Orpheus Chamber Orchestra presented an evening of Hungarian themed music for their Annual Gala at The Metropolitan Club. The festivities began with cocktails in the Grand Foyer. A private concert at 7:30 p.m. followed, with members of Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. The program includes works by Sandor Veress, Haydn, Brahms, and Bartok. The gala Honorees are Daisy and Paul Soros. Gala Co-Chairs are Noreen and Kenneth Buckfire and Liz and Frank Newman. The honorary chair is John C. Whitehead.

Members of Orpheus Chamber Orchestra

Ensemble of the Budapest Chamber Orchestra

Orpheus Chamber Orchestra’s Annual Gala brings to life and demonstrates, in an intimate setting, the authentic passion that has made Orpheus and John C. Whitehead — synonymous with innovation and excellence in New York and around the globe. The Annual Gala is a major fundraising event for Orpheus’ 2007-2008 season, and all proceeds support their extensive touring schedule, as well as artistic and education programs, helping integrate classical music into the lives of the next generation.

Arriving in style

Patricia Falkenberg, Noreen Buckfire, and Kate Lannamann

Marcia Levine

Paul and Daisy Soros with Noreen and Ken Buckfire

Alicia Lazaro and Carol Rattray

Lizabeth Newman, Dan Gersen, and Connie Steensma

Lizabeth Newman, Ronnie Bauch, and Connie Steensma

Kate Lannamann and Kate Hughes Del Tufo

Graham Parker, David Rich, and Shani Rich

Christina Lopes, Heather Gude, and Josh Peterson

Ambassador Brenda Johnson and Howard Johnson

Wayne Lawson and guest

Susan Block-Lieb, Meera Mayer, Peter Lieb, Marc Mayer, Seth Novatt, and Bob and Katie Keith

Photographs by Virginie Blachère (Orpheus).

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