Exclusive! Neil Patrick Harris to Host Lincoln Center's 60th Anniversary Gala

Tony winner Neil Patrick Harris has been selected as host of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts' 60th Anniversary Diamond Jubilee Gala. The event will be held on May 5 beginning at 5:30pm on Hearst Plaza, followed by dinner at The Metropolitan Opera House, with further festivities at 8:00pm at Alice Tully Hall.

Harris' Lincoln Center credits include celebrated concert stagings of Company and Sweeney Todd. He earned a Tony Award for his turn in the title role of Hedwig and the Angry Inch, which was followed by cheered Broadway turns in Cabaret, Proof and Assassins.

The Diamond Jubilee Gala will look to the future with performances by world-class artists from many of the disciplines represented on campus. The program will also celebrate Lincoln Center's legacy with a video highlighting the artistic excellence of the past six decades.

Lincoln Center has also newly announced the formation of the Lincoln Center Artist Committee. Serving a two-year term, acclaimed artists from a range of disciplines will provide expertise and support for future endeavors. The inaugural committee includes Tony winners Christine Baranski (Boeing Boeing), Kristin Chenoweth (On the Twentieth Century), John Leguizamo (Latin History for Morons), John Lithgow (Hillary and Clinton), Terrence McNally (Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune) and Kelli O'Hara (Kiss Me, Kate), as well as Tony nominee Laura Osnes (Bandstand), with Joshua Bell, Stephen Colbert, Denyce Graves, Eric Owens, Tiler Peck and Desmond Richardson.

A block party will kick off the celebratory events toasting Lincoln Center's 60th anniversary on May 4 from 10:00am to 2:30pm, with free activities, performances and community art-making from the constituent organizations that comprise Lincoln Center. Musical Director Sunny Jain will coordinate the day's performances, leading a series of concerts on Josie Robertson Plaza. Additional performances and details about the block party will be announced in the coming weeks.

An international leader in arts education, serving more than six million people on campus annually and millions more through broadcast and digital channels, Lincoln Center has grown to become home to eleven distinguished cultural organizations including the Tony-winning Lincoln Center Theater.