The Drama League's Annual Benefit Gala, "A Musical Celebration of Broadway," welcomed a vibrant group of Broadway elite and philanthropists to The Pierre New York, Monday evening, to pay tribute to one of the most successful and beloved actresses of the last half century, Angela Lansbury. The Drama League's one-night-only show boasted an impressive roster of Broadway's biggest stars, whom this year featured performances that highlighted Ms. Lansbury's unparalleled stage career.

Lansbury, who made her Broadway debut in 1957, has since gone on to lead one of the most impressive and successful acting careers over the last half century. She won her first of four Tony Awards for Best Actress in 1966 as Mame and won the others as Madwoman of Chaillot in Dear World (1968), as Mama Rose in the 1974 revival of Gypsy and as Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd (1979). Later Lansbury went on to star in Murder She Wrote from 1984 to 1996, which is currently the longest running detective drama series in television history for which she won four Golden Globes. In 1994, Queen Elizabeth II named her a Commander of the British Empire, and in 2000 she received the Kennedy Center Honors.

The beautiful gala, dinner and spirited performances gave so many the opportunity to take part in thanking Lansbury for all of her wonderful and heart-felt performances that have meant to much to so many of us over the years. Performers honoring Lansbury included Bernadette Peters, Victor Garber, Catherine-Zeta Jones, Donna Murphy, Cheyenne Jackson, Edie Falco, James Barbour and Malcolm Gets just to name a few.