Detroit, MI — Noted Broadway producer David Stone, known for his work on the musicals Wicked and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, is the recipient of the sixth annual Sarah Applebaum Nederlander Award for Excellence in Theatre.

David Stone will be honored at a gala celebration on Wednesday, October 3, at the Fisher Theatre, Detroit. The evening includes a cocktail reception and strolling supper and presentation of the Apple Award, followed by a performance of the 2005 Tony Award-winning musical The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Tickets to the Apple Award event are $250 and can be purchased by calling Wayne State University’s College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts at (313) 577-5342. All proceeds benefit Wayne State’s Department of Theatre.

On Wednesday, October 3, David Stone will spend much of the day on campus at Wayne State. A question and answer session, “A Conversation with David Stone,” takes place at 10:30am in Wayne State’s Schaver Music Recital Hall, located in the Old Main annex at 480 W. Hancock Street between Cass Ave. and Second Ave. This event is free and open to the public, the campus community and students. Parking is available along both Cass and Second avenues south of Warren. In the afternoon, Stone conducts a private master class for WSU theatre students.

The Apple Award is given in partnership with Wayne State’s College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts and the Nederlander Company. It is named for Sarah Applebaum Nederlander, “Apple” as she was affectionately known, to honor her dedication to her family and her contributions to building an American theatre dynasty. The award is given as part of a visiting artist fund which brings acclaimed theatre professionals to WSU’s campus. Recipients host master classes for arts majors and a question and answer forum open to all WSU students, the campus community and the public. The evening gala is sponsored by LaSalle Bank Wealth Management Group with additional support provided by SMZ Advertising and Jules R. Schubot Jewellers.

David Stone is currently represented by Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman’s Wicked directed by Joe Mantello and by William Finn and Rachel Sheinkin’s The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee directed by James Lapine. He has produced Richard Greenberg’s Three Days of Rain starring Julia Roberts and directed by Joe Mantello; Man of La Mancha starring Brian Stokes Mitchell and directed by Jonathan Kent; Eve Ensler’s The Vagina Monologues directed by Joe Mantello; Becky Mode’s Fully Committed directed by Nicholas Martin; Lifegame by the Improbable Theatre; James Naughton: Street of Dreams presented by Mike Nichols; Wendy Kesselman’s new adaptation of The Diary of Anne Frank starring Natalie Portman and directed by James Lapine; Mary Louise Wilson’s Full Gallop directed by Nicholas Martin; David Sedaris’ The Santaland Diaries directed by Joe Mantello; Donald Margulies’ What’s Wrong With This Picture? directed by Joe Mantello; and Sherry Glaser’s Family Secrets. His productions have won Tony, Grammy, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, Lucille Lortel and Obie Awards. David serves on the Board of Governors of the League of American Theatres and Producers and the Board of Trustees of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. He has lectured on theatre at Yale, The Julliard School, New York University, Columbia University and his alma mater, the University of Pennsylvania.