Queens Theatre in the Park Presents its Annual Gala 5/24

Queens Theatre in the Park (QTP) presents its Annual Gala on Monday, May 24, 2010 at 6pm at Queens Theatre in the Park, Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Flushing, NY. Tickets are available at www.queenstheatre.org or by phone at 718-760-0686 x125.

The Annual Gala of 2010 honors John R. Buran, Hal G. Rosenbluth and Caryn A. Schwab. Following a Cocktail Party and Light Supper at 6pm, the Honoree Recognitions ceremony will occur at 7:15pm. A performance by four-time Grammy nominee rhythm and blues vocalist Oleta Adams will follow. At 8:30pm, the evening closes with a Dessert Extravaganza.
Each year, this event presents an opportunity for the Queens Theatre in the Park to recognize outstanding individuals and organizations whose contributions improve the greater community of Queens. Eager to salute the efforts of those who lend support to Queens Theatre in the Park as well as to the entire borough, the Gala is the theatre's most prestigious event. The goal of the event is to raise funds through sponsorships, ticket sales, journal ads and a silent auction.

John R. Buran is a Director, President and Chief Executive Officer of Flushing Financial Corporation, holding company for Flushing Savings Bank and Flushing Commercial Bank. He joined Flushing in 2001 as Chief Operating Officer and became a Director of the bank and holding company in 2003. In 2005 he was named President and Chief Executive Officer. A seasoned executive, John's career spans over 30 years in the banking industry, beginning with Citibank in 1977. There he held a variety of management positions including Business Manager of their retail distribution in Westchester, Long Island and Manhattan and Vice President in charge of their Investment Sales Division. John left Citibank to become Senior Vice President, Division Head for Retail Services of NatWest Bank and later Executive Vice President of Fleet Bank's (now Bank of America) retail branch system in New York City, Long Island, Westchester and Southern Connecticut. John also spent time as a consultant and Assistant to the President of Carver Bank, the nation's largest minority controlled bank. Throughout his career, John has devoted his time to a variety of charitable and not-for profit organizations. He has been a board member of the Long Island Association, both the Nassau and Suffolk County Boy Scouts, Family and Children's Association, EAS, Long Island University, the Long Island Philharmonic and Channel 21. He was the fundraising chairman for the Suffolk County Vietnam Veteran's War Memorial in Farmingville, New York and has been recipient of the Boy Scouts' Chief Scout Citizen Award. His work in the community has been recognized by Family and Children's Association, and the Gurwin Jewish Geriatric Center. He was also a recipient of the Long Island Association's SBA Small Business Advocate Award. John was honored with St. Joseph's College's Distinguished Service Award in 1998 and 2004. Today, he serves on the Board of Trustees of the College where he is a member of the Finance, and Nominating Committees. He also serves as Audit Committee Chairman and is former Board President of Neighborhood Housing Services of New York City. He is a Board member of The Korean American Youth Foundation. He is also currently Vice Chairman of the New York Bankers Association as well as the Chairman of New York Bankers Service Corporation. John received his B.S. degree in Management and an MBA both from New York University.

As president of Kaufman Astoria Studios (KAS), Hal G. Rosenbluth has helped to solidify the historic studio's reputation as one of the largest and most comprehensive studio complexes in New York City. Mr. Rosenbluth has lead the executive team that has brought the Glory Days of Astoria Studios back while invigorating the neighborhood and diversifying the businesses of KAS. A 30-year veteran of KAS, Mr. Rosenbluth commenced his career with the studio in 1980. Under his direction K/A/S Lighting was born and has grown to one of the largest inventories in New York, servicing clients on stage and on location. The diversification continued with the opening of KAS Music & Sound bringing to the studio one of the industries finest audio facilities for recording and post production. Most recently he oversaw the expansion of KAS with the construction of Stage K, the new $22 million, 40,000-square-foot, film and television production studio open in March of 2010. Stage K features an 18,000-square-foot sound stage along with 22,000 square feet of support space and offices. Mr. Rosenbluth plays an integral role in New York's production industry and works with government and industry to build a sustainable marketplace and attract feature films and teleVision Productions to New York. Most recently the 12-acre Studio complex has been home to high-profile movies such as The Taking of Pelham 123, The Smurfs Movie, Woody Allen's Whatever Works and popular TV programs "Sesame Street", "Nurse Jackie", "Life on Mars", and the New York portion of the "Hope For Haiti Now" telethon. KAS was also the home for the classic television show "The Cosby Show." Through Mr. Rosenbluth's leadership, the studio has made the neighborhood its focal point. The studio complex brought national retail and restaurant chains to the neighborhood reinvigorating this area of Astoria. The complex now boasts Starbucks and Pizzeria Uno and features the Kaufman Astoria Stadium 14, a United Artists 14-screen multiplex. In addition, Mr. Rosenbluth helped bring the state-of-the-art Frank Sinatra School of the Arts to the complex. The audition only arts high school, a perfect fit for the Studio and the neighborhood, opened in the Fall of 2009. A graduate of the University of Florida, Mr. Rosenbluth was an advertising and marketing executive prior to joining KAS. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Long Island City Business Development Corporation and the Queens Council on the Arts. Mr. Rosenbluth and his wife, Madalyn, reside in Bronxville Heights, New York.

Caryn A. Schwab has served as Mount Sinai Hospital of Queens' chief executive officer since 1999 when Mount Sinai bought the hospital. It was and continues to be the only community hospital to bear the prestigious Mount Sinai name. Through her leadership, Mount Sinai Queens has flourished in a time when multiple hospitals in Queens ceased operations. She led the hospital through more than $40 million in upgrades and program expansions. She is now leading the charge to build a new hospital building to serve the growing western Queens community. Ms. Schwab's health care tenure began at the City's Health & Hospital's Corporation. She served as Chief of Staff to the First Deputy Mayor helping to guide and oversee health & human services agencies, among others, and then advised legendary Mayor Ed Koch on health care issues. Ms. Schwab also worked at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center leading both the Women's Hospital and the nationally prominent Babies & Children's Hospital of New York.

Oleta Adams is a rhythm and blues singer hailing from Kansas City, Kansas. Since the runaway success of her 1990 debut album Circle of One (which went Platinum), and the impassioned hit single "Get Here" (the Brenda Russell composition that became an unofficial anthem of the 1991 Gulf War), Oleta Adams has inspired a growing legion of fans in the U.S. and Europe with journeys of the heart via songs that draw deeply from her roots in gospel, while crossing effortlessly into the realms of soul, R&B, urban, and popular music. Her success, nurtured by worldwide tours with Tears for Fears, Phil Collins, Michael Bolton, and Luther Vandross, has been solidified by several Grammy nominations. She continues to create, and in April her new album Let's Stay Here is being released.

To help the Theatre reach its Gala fundraising goal of $225,000, the following organizations and individuals have already pledged sponsorship support ranging from $25,000 to $2,500:
Lead sponsor: Flushing Financial Corporation
Underwriter: Kaufman Astoria Studios
Producer: Con Edison
Line Producer: Silvercup Studios
Associate Producers: C&L Contracting Corp, Mount Sinai Queens, New York Mets, National Grid, Queens Long Island Medical Group, World Wide Holdings Corp
Donors: Citi Bank; Cooling Guard Mechanical Corp; Crystal Window & Door Systems, LTD; Cullen & Dykman LLP; Fakler, Elison & Porcelli; Farrell Fritz, P.C.; International Academic Alliance; Bernard & Marilyn Klainberg; Don & Rose Ciampa; Margaret Tietz Nursing; Mark & Dina Misk; Melrose Credit Union; Queens Center; Rotary Club Flushing;Vallo Transportation

The Gala is Co-Chaired by Gary Kesner and Mark Misk, both members of the Board of Queens Theatre in the Park. The Gala Committee includes: Denise Arbesu, Citibank; Ruben Beltran, Consulado General de Mexico; Tracy Capune, Kaufman Astoria Studios; Mike Carrone, Cooling Guard Mechanical Corp.; Carol Conslato, Con Edison; Joseph DeGaetano, Corona Lions Club; Linda DeSabato, Vallo Transportation, Ltd.; Fred Fu, Flushing Development Center; George Galanis, Astoria Federal Savings Bank; Lily Gavin, Dazies Restaurant; Gerald Hart, Margaret Tietz Nursing & Rehabilitation Center; Paul Ho, Asian Market Banking; Bertine Lafayette; Richard T. Lombard Jr, Cullen & Dykman LLP; Frank Macchio, Construction Services Inc.; Lillie Manjarrez, National Grid; Debra Markell Kleinert, Community Board 2; Frances Passantino; Frank Pelliccione, Flushing Savings Bank; Giovanna Reid, Queens Community Board 3; Dee Richard; Ana Rodriguez, Mount Sinai Queens; Thomas Santucci, Gateway Investments, LLC; Dawn Simon, Queens Center; Mario Torres, Mario A. Torres Productions; Margaret Vitale, TD Bank; Spiros Voutsinas, Atlantic Bank of NY; Raul Zorrilla, Mexican Cultural Institute of NY

Queens Theatre in the Park is located in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Flushing, NY.
By Subway:Take the 7 train to Mets-Willets Point stop. Exit and turn left after passing through turnstile, walk downstairs on the parking lot side and follow the theatre shuttle signs. Take free trolley to the Theatre. Trolley runs for one hour before and after all performances.
By Car:Take the Grand Central Parkway to exit 9E (from Manhattan) or 9P (from Long Island) and follow the signs for the Theatre. Free parking in adjacent lot.

About Queens Theatre in the Park
Queens Theatre in the Park is committed to presenting performing arts that provide audiences with the highest quality work. QTP also produces new plays, with a concentration on up-and-coming directors and playwrights. QTP has broadened the experience of its core audience to include works by under-recognized artists from around the world and works that tap into the diverse communities of Queens.

Queens Theatre in the Park is located in Flushing Meadows Corona Park in the New York State Pavilion designed for the 1964 World's Fair by Philip Johnson. The Pavilion was converted to a theatre in 1972 and was operated by various organizations until 1985. QTP was officially established in 1989 with the full support of the community and the Queens Borough President. After a $4 million renovation that brought full ADA compliance, the Theatre officially opened to the public in 1993 in a facility that allows it to stage productions equal to those of any Off-Broadway house in Manhattan in its 464-seat main stage theatre and its 99-seat Studio Theatre. What was then a small cabaret-style theater with an operating budget of under $500,000 has transformed itself into a major performing arts center with exhibition galleries with a projected operating budget of $3.5 million for FY10.

QTP became an independent nonprofit in 1997. It is a member of the Cultural Institutions Group receiving support from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. The Theatre presents and produces 300 performances annually. QTP serves 100,000 people annually who reflect the rich demographics of its community population. Currently 75% of the Theatre's constituency is from Queens. In addition to its own season, QTP frequently provides its space for use by community arts organizations and local promoters.

QTP is soon to complete a $23 million physical transformation of the Theatre with funding provided by Queens Borough President Helen Marshall, The Council of the City of New York and the Mayor. This major capitalinvestment has added a 75-seat cabaret performance space with a full service cafe and kitchen facility; created a dramatic new 3,000 square foot lobby/reception area; provided new visitor amenities and improved the facility's accessibility. These improvements have transformed Queens Theatre in the Park into a destination for the residents of the borough and beyond.

Queens Theatre in the Park events are made possible with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, the New York State Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.

For more information, visit www.queenstheatre.org.

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