Westport Country Playhouse 80th Anniversary Gala Goes Mod

Westport Country Playhouse's 80th anniversary gala on Monday evening, September 13, honoring Stephen Schwartz has been re-imagined with the influence of Lead Corporate Sponsor, Virgin Atlantic Airways, based in Norwalk. The fundraising event begins at 6 p.m., with Cocktails in the Garden; sumptuous "small plates" food feast prepared by Diane Browne in the Virgin Atlantic inspired Lounge on The Playhouse patio. The evening gets hot with the cool beat of Brazilian Jazz by the Joe Carter Quartet on The Playhouse porch. The stars come out in the Jason Robards Theater with a salute to Stephen Schwartz; the event concludes with a post-show champagne and dessert party. Honorary gala chairs are Kate and Bob Devlin of Southport.

Kim Harizman, gala chair along with her husband Niv, enthusiastically states, "We are very excited to announce that this year the Gala will have a fun new party format. The event will have a mod aesthetic and lounge-like feel. From the decor and the food, to the star-studded performance, this evening promises to be one to remember. The Westport Playhouse Gala is the place to be on September 13th!"

The evening will feature a fabulous live and silent auction comprised of once-in-a-lifetime experiences, plus exclusive trips and luxury items. Each guest will be using a personal "BidPal" devise to participate in the auction. The BidPal handheld will wirelessly automate the bidding process and auction end wrap-up. The auction proceeds are vital to support The Playhouse, its productions and many community engagement initiatives.

The emphasis is on unique when it comes to the live auction which features an exclusive Virgin Atlantic Airways London Theater Experience package. The winning bidder will revel in Virgin Atlantic's VIP treatment in Upper Class from JFK to Heathrow, stay four nights at the 4-star Lancaster London Hotel, provided by Virgin Vacations, and indulge in three fabulous London Theater experiences, including "Deathtrap" with "Glee" star Jonathan Groff.

Silent auction items include premier travel packages such as a two-night getaway at Vanderbilt Hall in Newport, a seven-night stay in a 10 bedroom ocean front villa in Rincon, Puerto Rico, a week long stay at a private home in Palm Springs, CA and a three night stay at the member's only private island of Ambergris Cay. Unique experiences and luxury items include a four-week internship in New York and at The Playhouse for an aspiring theater professional; an all-inclusive audition preparation experience with Broadway veteran and acclaimed theatrical teacher Jen Waldman; rounds of golf at three of the most exclusive golf courses in the Northeast - Connecticut Golf Club, Hudson National and Stanwich Golf Club; dinner and tickets to "American Idiot" and opportunity to meet the cast; six pairs of shoes from the world's top designers provided by Mitchells of Westport; a signed Eli Manning jersey and four premium tickets to see the Giants face the Dallas Cowboys; Verdura Blue Topaz Byzantine earclips, based on a design for Coco Chanel; a Harry Winston Avenue C timepiece; and more.

Key to the future of the historic Westport Country Playhouse is the support it receives for the annual gala from those who donate the high-end auction items and from the corporate sector. This year, as the historic theater celebrates its 80th season, Virgin Atlantic Airways., Westport Resources and NewAlliance Bank are lead corporate sponsors. Additional corporate support includes Barclay's Capital, Sun Products, Bank of New York Mellon and Catamount Wealth Management.

"We are honored and grateful to the many corporations who are supporting the gala this year. The generosity our corporate partners have demonstrated will have a tremendous impact on the success of the event," said Elisabeth Saxe, Playhouse director of institutional advancement.

"We extend a special heartfelt welcome to a new corporate friend of The Playhouse, lead sponsor Virgin Atlantic Airways," Saxe stated. "Their significant philanthropic support will be instrumental in helping us to reach our financial goal while the influence of their signature brand will infuse our 80th anniversary gala with Virgin Atlantic style and ambience!"

"Virgin Atlantic is proud to be a part of such an Upper Class event, right in our own backyard, Fairfield County," said Chris Rossi, Senior Vice President, North America, Virgin Atlantic Airways. "We always look to tie up with partners that enhance and enrich lives, similar to what we do for the travel industry. We look forward to bringing the Westport County Playhouse guests an unforgettable evening of cocktails, British bites and music from Stephen Schwartz."

Peyton R. Patterson, Chairman and CEO, NewAlliance Bank, said, "NewAlliance Bank has long supported The Westport Country Playhouse and its annual Gala, and we are thrilled to help bring to audiences the exceptional theatrical experience for which The Playhouse is known and cherished."

Stephen Schwartz, musical theater composer extraordinaire, will be the gala honoree. "The Magical Music of Stephen Schwartz," recognizing Schwartz's innumerable songwriting contributions to American theater and film, will feature Kate Baldwin, Laura Benanti, Darius de Haas, Andrew Lippa, Julia Murney, Christiane Noll, Carole Shelley, Max Von Essen and Ben Vereen. In addition, Schwartz himself will perform. Artists are subject to change.

Patron level gala tickets are $1,000 per person. Corporate sponsorship packages are available. For more information or ticket purchases, call Kathryn Gloor at (203) 227-5137, ext. 122, or kgloor@westportplayhouse.org.

About The Playhouse

Westport Country Playhouse, a not-for-profit theater, serves as a treasured home for the performing arts and is a cultural landmark for Connecticut. Under the artistic direction of Mark Lamos and management direction of Michael Ross, The Playhouse creates quality productions of new and classic plays that enlighten, enrich and engage a diverse community of theater lovers, artists and students. The Playhouse's rich history dates back to 1931, when New York theater producer Lawrence Langner created a Broadway-quality stage within an 1830s tannery. The Playhouse quickly became an established stop on the New England "straw hat circuit" of summer stock theaters. Now celebrating its 80th season, Westport Country Playhouse has produced more than 700 plays, 36 of which later transferred to Broadway, most recently the world premiere of "Thurgood" and a revival of Thornton Wilder's "Our Town" with Paul Newman, and in earlier years "Come Back, Little Sheba" with Shirley Booth, "The Trip to Bountiful" with Lillian Gish, and "Butterflies Are Free" with Keir Dullea and Blythe Danner. For its artistic excellence, The Playhouse received a 2005 Governor's Arts Award and a 2000 "Connecticut Treasure" recognition. It was also designated as an Official Project of Save America's Treasures by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and is entered on the Connecticut State Register of Historic Places. Following a multi-million dollar renovation completed in 2005, The Playhouse transformed into a year-round, state-of-the-art producing theater, which has preserved its original charm and character. In addition to a full season of theatrical productions, The Playhouse serves as a community resource, presenting educational programming and workshops; a children's theater series; symposiums; music; films; and readings.

Westport Country Playhouse's five-play 2010 season: "She Loves Me," a romantic musical comedy, with book by Joe Masteroff, music by Jerry Bock and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, directed by Mark Lamos, April 20 - May 15; "Dinner with Friends," a comic drama by Donald Margulies, directed by David Kennedy, Playhouse associate artistic director, June 1 through 19; "Happy Days" by Samuel Beckett, a play of luminous beauty and rare power, directed by Mark Lamos, July 6 through July 24; "I Do! I Do," an endearing musical, with book and lyrics are by Tom Jones and music by Harvey Schmidt, directed by Susan H. Schulman, August 10 through September 4; and "The Diary of Anne Frank," a timeless and powerful classic, by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett, adapted by Wendy Kesselman, directed by Gerald Freedman, September 28 through October 30.

For more information at Westport Country Playhouse, call the box office at (203) 227-4177, or toll-free at 1-888-927-7529, or visit 25 Powers Court, off Route 1, Westport. www.westportplayhouse.org. Stay connected to The Playhouse on Facebook (Westport Country Playhouse) and/or follow on Twitter (@WCPlayhouse).

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