 Introduced by Angela Lansbury, there were performances by Carol Channing, Matthew Morrison, Christine Barasnki and Christine Ebersole, Laure Benalti, Sutton Foster, Matthew Bomer and Kelli O' Hara, 2002 Kennedy Center Honoree Chita Rivera, an unknown choir, and Lansbury.Also honored were talk show host/actress Oprah Winfrey, dancer/choreographer Bill T. Jones, country singer/songwriter Merle Haggard, and singer/songwriter/musician Paul McCartney.Having a flair for decorating in the 1970s, Herman took a break from composition after the failure of "Mack and Mabel".