It was a room full of love last night, at New York City’s Edison Ballroom, where decades worth of Broadway royalty, Industry professionals and multiple award winners came to honor the legacy of Tom Viola, as he prepares to retire at the end of this year from his 36 year run as Executive Director of BROADWAY CARES / EQUITY FIGHTS AIDS.
The evening was hosted by Christopher Sieber (on his night off from DEATH BECOMES HER) and, I don’t know where he got the energy, but, of course, he killed! He even took the time to explain the weekend’s SANTA CON to us! It was hilarious.
Emotions ran high and humor ran deep as the beautifully curated evening unraveled and, cumulatively, we re-lived the story of a remarkable young man. I’ve known Tom my whole career and been a proud member of the Board of Trustees for 31 of those years, but, last night, some stories that were unknown to me (and to most of us) surfaced to paint an extraordinary profile of a man and the “monumental” achievements during his tenure and leadership of one of the finest not-for-profit organizations in the country, not only taking care of those in our industry, but helping across the U.S. and around the globe. The word “monumental” stuck with me throughout the night, perfectly used by one of the evening’s speakers, which included Bob Wankel, Philip Birsh, Debra Monk, Bebe Neuwirth, Jonathan Groff, Joe Benincasa and incoming to the position, Danny Whitman, who has already been with the organization for 15 years. As stories were shared, one of the constants of Tom’s leadership when anything new or hopeful was discussed or asked for, his response seemed always to be, “YES, HOW CAN WE HELP?” This came up over and over again, while also being described as focused, caring, driven, committed and all the while never taking credit for the myriad of achievements, accomplishments and growth during his time of leadership. And, oh, how fraught these times sometimes got over the years, the changes and the constantly and ever evolving challenges. Tom Viola was our head warrior and wore that responsibility with elan and panache and pride, but never just in an office … and always there in the trenches with all of us. I don’t think in my 50 years in this business, I have ever encountered someone who is so universally beloved. AND he was ALWAYS THERE. I don’t think there’s a better communicator, ambassador or letter writer in this town and, as Danny Whitman said, “I don’t know if you believe in reincarnation, but if I ever come back, I wanna come back as a rescue dog that belongs to Tom.” Yeah, there’s that, too. The guy loves animals. Just look at BROADWAY BARKS that he started with Bernadette Peters and Mary Tyler Moore. So many programs, so many (now legendary) events and entertainments … and a loving audience of people who love Broadway and what BC/EFA do, that even during the worst of times, they step up and support us.
It was one of those perfect evenings and not only was the room full of talent, some special people performed on the stage, with Mary-Mitchell Campbell leading a trio for the likes of Lillias White and Beth Leavel, TONY winners, both.
The evening came to a triple-whammy of an ending, as we saw footage from the ‘90s of Mr. Viola making an impassioned speech at St. John The Divine Church, Norm Lewis singing David Friedman’s HELP IS ON THE WAY, with David playing at the piano, an anthem associated with BC/EFA still, after all these years, and, the man of the hour, himself, the extraordinary human being who will surely be missed, Tom Viola. His addressing of the room was, as expected, perfectly pitched and a bullseye of messaging and thanks. He made sure to tell us the importance of all the people, workers and volunteers who are the heartbeat of the organization. He expressed special love for all the remarkable and miraculous stage managers and we were reminded of all the people who found their way to Broadway, via this exemplary organization. People who actually got their starts in the business, by volunteering, choreographing, stage managing, etc. Yes … and it’s all true.
Congratulations, Tom. An evening like last night was/is so well deserved and, for all to know, yes, he’s retiring, but he will still be around and remain involved through 2025, as a consultant, advising on National Grants Program strategies and procedures.
Last night was one for the Broadway history books.
