Save the Date for A Starry Night

Members of the Development staff are busy stuffing, sealing, addressing and stamping envelopes.  Colorful cards are in stacks, committees are forming and meeting -- it’s Gala time once again at George Street Playhouse! Each season, the Playhouse offers what many in the area believe is the social event of the season – our Annual Gala Benefit.  This year’s fête will be held on Sunday, May 3, in the main ballroom of The Heldrich, the beautiful hotel directly across the street from the Playhouse.  The event begins at 5 pm with a cocktail hour and silent auction, followed by a sit-down dinner for 300 of our closest friends and supporters, and ending with a special cabaret performance featuring many of the stars you have seen on the GSP stage.

Each year at the Gala, a community leader who has demonstrated a commitment to the arts in New Jersey is awarded the Thomas H. Kean Arts Advocacy Award, named after its first recipient.  This year, the Award goes to Stephen K. Jones, the CEO of Robert Wood University Hospital and Robert Wood Johnson Health System.   In addition, this year the Board of Trustees of the Playhouse has established The Arthur Laurents Award for Distinguished Artistic Achievement, to be given to the theatre artist who embodies the level of talent and excellence that our good friend and mentor demonstrated in his lifetime.  The inaugural award will go to actress, producer and philanthropist Marlo Thomas.

Many of our trustees and friends give of their time and energy to make this event a success, starting with this year’s Chairman, Ken Fisher.  Soliciting ads for the commemorative journal will be long-time trustees Lora Tremayne and Jocelyn Schwartzman, sponsorships are headed up by trustee Dr. Penelope Lattimer, tickets and tables chair is trustee Janice Stolar and this year’s auction chairs are Janice Haggerty and Gabriella Vajtay.  Our silent auction is one of the evening’s highlights, featuring exclusive vacations, hard-to-get Broadway tickets, fine jewelry and many other wonderful and beautiful items.  

As the saying goes, it takes a village to put on a Gala, and we are thrilled and grateful for the extraordinary efforts of the dedicated people listed above.

So – save the date!!!  Sunday, May 3, at 5 pm!  Be there for this very special event – and bid early and often!!