Special Guest Presenters

Richard Thomas and George Wendt will be in Dallas on the 26th for the opening of

TWO TELEVISION GREATS TO ATTEND COLUMN AWARDS GALA

It seems that the 8th Annual Column Awards Gala is beginning to look more and more like the Tony Awards as they continue to add more stars to their already dazzling star filled evening.

Executive Director/Producer John Garcia and The Column Awards Board of Directors are extremely honored in announcing that Richard Thomas and George Wendt, the stars of the national tour TWELVE ANGRY MEN, will be special guest star presenters at the Column Awards Gala, which will be held Monday, February 26, 2007 at the Courtyard Theater in Plano.

The national tour will make its Dallas Texas debut at The Majestic Theater the following night, Tuesday February 27th, running through March 4th.

"The idea just sprang into my head when I received the Dallas Summer Musicals Broadway Series brochure in the mail. I looked at the calendar, saw how our events crisscrossed, and the idea just popped right then and there," Garcia said.

"I am really a big fan and admirer of Mr. Thomas' and Mr. Wendt's television and film work, and soon will get to see them on stage in a great hit play. But I seriously did not think that this idea would become a reality, only because crazy ideas never succeed, but boy was I wrong!"

"We have so much blinding star wattage on our stage this year; I seriously think that our audience will have to wear sunglasses because of all the dazzling stars we have attending this year." Garcia enthusiastically said.

It has already been previously announced that the gala will be Co- hosted by Michael Urie (one of the stars of ABC's comedy hit, UGLY BETTY). Also scheduled to appear are Tony Award nominee (AVENUE Q, recently guest starred on SCRUBS) Stephanie D'Abruzzo and Film/ TV/ Stage star Christian Campbell (Showtime's REEFER MADNESS, TRICK, NBC's BOOK OF DANIEL). Both Ms. D'Abruzzo and Mr. Campbell will also be performing.

RICHARD THOMAS recently appeared on Broadway in Richard Greenberg's A Naked Girl on the Appian Way (Roundabout Theatre Company) and in Michael Frayn's Democracy. Prior New York appearances include As You Like It at the Delacorte Theatre in Central Park, Terrence McNally's The Stendhal Syndrome (Primary Stages), Edward Albee's Everything in the Garden and Tiny Alice, Steve Tesich's Square One (Second Stage), Lincoln Center Theater's The Front Page, Circle Repertory's The Seagull, Lanford Wilson's Fifth of July, Mary Drayton's The Playroom and his Broadway debut, Sunrise at Campobello in 1958. He has performed a variety of classical roles around the country, including Hamlet, Richard III and Peer Gynt for Mark Lamos (Hartford Stage); Richard II for Michael Kahn (the Shakespeare Theatre), Puck in A Midsummer Night's Dream and Angelo in Measure for Measure for Sir Peter Hall (the Ahmanson); The Count of Monte Cristo for Peter Sellars (Kennedy Center); and Danton's Death for Robert Wilson (the Alley).

He also appeared twice in Art in London's West End. He has starred in more than 40 films for television, including Terrence McNally's "Andre's Mother" and the recently aired "Wild Hearts" for Hallmark and Stephen King's mini-series "Nightmares and Dreamscapes" for TNT. He has appeared in a range of theatrical films including Winning, Last Summer, Red Sky at Morning, 9/30/55 and Wonder Boys.

His television series have included "It's a Miracle," "Just Cause" and "The Waltons," for which he won an Emmy Award in 1972. Mr. Thomas lives in New York with his wife Georgiana and two of their seven children, Montana and Kendra.

GEORGE WENDT is best known to television audiences as Norm Peterson from "Cheers." The role earned him six Emmy® nominations. Mr. Wendt began his career with The Second City, Chicago's famed improvisational company. He starred in Art, both on Broadway and in London in 1998.

Mr. Wendt appeared in the critically acclaimed stage production of David Mamet's Lakeboat, which was directed by Joe Mantegna, and frequently performs onstage in New York, Los Angeles and his native Chicago.

In the summer of 1989, Wendt traveled to the USSR to portray the title role of Oblomov in a BBC adaptation of Ivan Goncharov's novel.

His feature film credits include Forever Young, Guilty By Suspicion, Fletch, Gung Ho, Rupert's Land, and Outside Providence. Also on the feature front, he recently starred in the indie films Kids in America and King of the Ants. Wendt is married to Bernadette Birkett, who co- starred on the comedy series "It's Garry Shandling's Show." They currently live in Los Angeles with their four sons and one daughter.

RICHARD THOMAS (Juror Eight) recently appeared on Broadway in Richard Greenberg’s A Naked Girl on the Appian Way (Roundabout Theatre Company) and in Michael Frayn’s Democracy. Prior New York appearances include As You Like It at the Delacorte Theatre in Central Park, Terrence McNally’s The Stendhal Syndrome (Primary Stages), Edward Albee’s Everything in the Garden and Tiny Alice, Steve Tesich’s Square One (Second Stage), Lincoln Center Theater’s The Front Page, Circle Repertory’s The Seagull, Lanford Wilson’s Fifth of July, Mary Drayton’s The Playroom and his Broadway debut, Sunrise at Campobello in 1958. He has performed a variety of classical roles around the country, including Hamlet, Richard III and Peer Gynt for Mark Lamos (Hartford Stage); Richard II for Michael Kahn (the Shakespeare Theatre), Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Angelo in Measure for Measure for Sir Peter Hall (the Ahmanson); The Count of Monte Cristo for Peter Sellars (Kennedy Center); and Danton’s Death for Robert Wilson (the Alley). He also appeared twice in Art in London’s West End. He has starred in more than 40 films for television, including Terrence McNally’s “Andre’s Mother” and the recently aired “Wild Hearts” for Hallmark and Stephen King’s mini-series “Nightmares and Dreamscapes” for TNT. He has appeared in a range of theatrical films including Winning, Last Summer, Red Sky at Morning, 9/30/55 and Wonder Boys. His television series have included “It’s a Miracle,” “Just Cause” and “The Waltons,” for which he won an Emmy Award in 1972. Mr. Thomas lives in New York with his wife Georgiana and two of their seven children, Montana and Kendra.

GEORGE WENDT (Foreman, Juror One) is best known to television audiences as Norm Peterson from “Cheers.” The role earned him six Emmy® nominations. Mr. Wendt began his career with The Second City, Chicago’s famed improvisational company. He starred in Art, both on Broadway and in London in 1998. Mr. Wendt appeared in the critically acclaimed stage production of David Mamet’s Lakeboat, which was directed by Joe Mantegna, and frequently performs onstage in New York, Los Angeles and his native Chicago. In the summer of 1989, Wendt traveled to the USSR to portray the title role of Oblomov in a BBC adaptation of Ivan Goncharov’s novel. His feature film credits include Forever Young, Guilty By Suspicion, Fletch, Gung Ho, Rupert’s Land, and Outside Providence. Also on the feature front, he recently starred in the indie films Kids in America and King of the Ants. Wendt is married to Bernadette Birkett, who co-starred on the comedy series “It’s Garry Shandling’s Show.” They currently live in Los Angeles with their four sons and one daughter.