Westport Playhouse Gala A Grand Affair

Westport, CT - Actor Richard Thomas hosted Westport Country Playhouse’s 2016 Gala “The Night They Invented Champagne: Celebrating Lerner & Loewe” on Monday evening, September 19. Performing the music of the legendary Broadway composing team were artists Britney Coleman, Kristen Hahn, Robert Sean Leonard, Stephen Mark Lukas, Howard McGillin, Ciara Renée, Mary Testa, Richard Troxell, Max von Essen, Nicholas Ward, and members of the New York Theatre Ballet. The Gala Director was Chase Brock, with musical direction by Mary-Mitchell Campbell.
Host Richard Thomas appeared in Westport Country Playhouse’s “Critic’s Choice,” “Whose Life Is It Anyway?,” and a Script in Hand playreading of “The Golden Age.” Thomas won an Emmy Award for the television series, “The Waltons.” He has continued to star in series, films, plays, and over 50 movies for television. His Broadway career began at age seven with 1958’s “Sunrise at Campobello,” and has continued with recent roles in “Race” and “Timon of Athens.” He has appeared since 2013 in the FX series “The Americans.”
The Gala theme served as a springboard for the Playhouse’s October production of Lerner & Lowe’s “Camelot,” a freshly inventive take on the classic musical, directed by Mark Lamos, Playhouse artistic director. Performing a medley from the upcoming production were three members of the “Camelot” cast: Britney Coleman, who plays Guenevere (WCP’s “Sing for Your Shakespeare,” “Into the Woods,” Script in Hand playreading of “Flyin’ West”; First National Tour of “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical”; regional theater’s “Camelot”); Robert Sean Leonard, who portrays King Arthur (WCP’s “Brighton Beach Memoirs”; Tony Award for “The Invention of Love”; Tony nominations for “Long Day’s Journey Into Night” and “Candida”; film’s “Dead Poets Society”; TV’s “House”); and Stephen Mark Lukas, who plays Sir Lancelot (Broadway and National Tours of “The Book of Mormon”; Goodspeed’s “Damn Yankees” - CT Critics Circle nom.; regional theater’s “South Pacific”).
Also performing on the Gala stage were Kristen Hahn (WCP’s “Our Town,” Script in Hand playreadings of “Dracula” and “The Late Christopher Bean”; Broadway’s “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder”); Howard McGillin (WCP’s “The Fatal Weakness” and a reading of “The Greatest Gift; two-time Tony Award nominee for Broadway’s “The Mystery of Edwin Drood” and “Anything Goes”); Ciara Renée (Broadway’s “Big Fish,” “Pippin,” and “The Hunchback of Notre Dame); Mary Testa (WCP’s “Jam & Spice: The Music of Kurt Weill”; two-time Tony Award nominee for Broadway revivals of “On the Town” and “42nd Street”); Richard Troxell (“Do I Hear a Waltz?,” “Madame Butterfly,” “Carmen”); Max von Essen (WCP’s 2010 and 2011 Galas; 2015 Tony and Drama Desk nominations for “An American in Paris”); Nicholas Ward; and members of the New York Ballet Theatre. All subject to change.
Jill and Alex Dimitrief of Westport, CT, received the 2016 Playhouse Leadership Award during the Gala festivities. Involved with the Playhouse since 2007, the couple support the Woodward Internship Program and sponsor the LGBT Night Out series. Alex Dimitrief, Senior Vice President & General Counsel of GE, joined the Playhouse board of trustees in 2010. Jill Dimitrief has served as a longstanding Playhouse Gala committee member and assisted in the creation of the theater’s education outreach.
Gala proceeds benefit the non-profit, professional producing theater, now in its 86th season - its work on stage, with schools, and throughout the community.
A cocktail party began at 5:45 p.m., followed by a 7 p.m. presentation of the Playhouse Leadership Award and 7:15 p.m. performance by Broadway friends in celebration of Lerner & Loewe. Dinner with the evening’s artists and special guests was at 8:30 p.m. A silent auction with mobile bidding was on-going throughout the evening.
The Gala Committee co-chairs were Ania Czekaj-Farber and Jake Robards. Karen Parrella was auction chair, with Patricia Goodrich, auction vice chair. Gala Committee members were Allison Allott, Jill Fitzburgh, Katia Friend, Carole Hochman, Liz Kaner, Anne Keefe, Darlene Krenz, Wynter Kullman. Paul A. Levin, Ali Marcus, Mary Ellen Marpe, Kristin McKinney, Laura Pendergast, Randi Perry, Judy Phares, Maria Portera, Fran Scharf , Tricia Schwartz, Carol Seldin, Lyn-Ann Smith, Lyla Steenbergen, Melissa Stemmer, Diana Sussman, Sheri Howe Valente, Marietta B. White, Donovan Wildgoose, Mindy Wolkstein, Elizabeth Marks Juviler, Aline O'Connor, andSamantha Goober.
PHOTOS
Jill and Alex Dimitrief of Westport, receive the 2016 Playhouse Leadership Award from (at left) Barbara K. Streicker, chair of the Playhouse board of trustees.
Richard Thomas hosts Westport Country Playhouse’s 2016 Gala “The Night They Invented Champagne: Celebrating Lerner & Loewe” on Monday evening, September 19.
L-R: Mary Testa, Ciara Renée, and Max von Essen sing “The Night They Invented Champagne” from Lerner & Loewe’s musical “Gigi.”
Kristen Hahn, originally from Weston, CT, sings “I Could Have Danced All Night” from Lerner & Loewe’s musical “My Fair Lady.”
Cast members from Westport Country Playhouse’s upcoming production of Lerner & Loewe’s “Camelot” sing a medley from the show. From left, Stephen Mark Lukas (Sir Lancelot), Robert Sean Leonard (King Arthur), and Britney Coleman (Guenevere).
Photos by Steve Walter Photo