Photos: WaterTower Theatre Raises Thousands for Local Theatre Professionals and Education Partnerships at Annual Gala

WaterTower Theatre (WTT) celebrated their new season along with the success and growth of their community, with their "New Works. New Voices. New Light." Spring Gala. This was the organization's first gala event in over 3 years. The celebration was held Saturday, April 23, 2022, at the elegant Venue Forty 50, in Addison, Texas.

Check out photos below!

"New Works. New Voices. New Light" was a decadent occasion celebrating everything that makes WaterTower Theatre remarkable in this new era of theatre making. The Gala featured several performances from incredible professional artists who make their homes here in North Texas, including Christopher J. Deaton, Laura Lites, Jéssica Webba, Anthony J. Ortega, Alison Whitehurst, Kylie Stewart, André Williams, The Abbey Legends Quartet, and pianist Mark Mullino who also music directed the event.

WaterTower announced two new exciting educational partnerships with Texas Scottish Rite Hospital and The Warren Center. "With these new educational initiatives for our next season, we have expanded our community engagement and philanthropic efforts to help children living with challenges of all kinds, through classes which will incorporate storytelling, role playing, theatre games, confidence building exercises and other activities. As a young man with a physical challenge myself, I found music and theatre as an inspiration to grow and develop a fruitful life, and now my own son (age 4) who is Autistic is benefitting from those same tools through therapy. Not every family or child in our community is lucky enough to have adequate access to diagnosis or treatment. As theatre makers, we can enhance the efforts of places like Texas Scottish Rite Hospital and The Warren Center by providing free monthly Saturday theatre classes at no cost." Shane Peterman said.

The Town of Addison is WaterTower Theatre's biggest sponsor & supporter, and included professional theatre as a vital part of the Town's planning. Through their combined efforts, WTT

has maintained a 27 year history as one of the nation's leading professional theatre companies and a destination flagship arts institution in North Texas.

The honorable Mayor Joe Chow was in attendance and remarked, "Director of WaterTower Theatre, Shane Peterman, has demonstrated his leadership. We have seen the great performances and reviews...I always said that, 'A great city can't live without great performing art!'" Other dignitaries in attendance included Mayor Pro Tem Guillermo Quintanilla, Denise Quintanilla, Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Paul Walden, Marsha Walden, council member Tom Braun, Anita Braun, and council member Marlin Willesen.

Sponsors of this year's event included, The Town of Addison, Gala Chair Jeanette Johnson, and the WaterTower Theatre Board of Directors including President Rebecca Neef. Gala Presenting Sponsors in attendance included Oncor, First United Bank, evolv Consulting, Andrea & Keith Redmon, and Philip & Janeva Longacre. Valet was sponsored by AMLI Addison.

The evening was hosted by Producing Artistic Director, Shane Peterman and Frankie Wilson, co-principal of the Zoe Communications Agency. The hosts recognized the event's Honorary Chairs Andrea and Keith Redmon and their decades of support for North Texas Theatrical Arts and especially WaterTower Theatre.

WaterTower has a long history of being an artistic home to both established and up and coming DFW artists. It serves as an incubator for new works development. "WaterTower Theatre decided not to enter into a major fundraising effort at the onset of the pandemic as many other charitable organizations were flooded with immediate need from our community. This year's gala was truly exceptional and has helped us come close to our goal for this year. I'm truly thankful and humbled by all of our sponsors and dear friends of WaterTower who are helping keep professional theatre alive and thriving in Addison and beyond," said Peterman. The evening was a huge success following the "great intermission" of the COVID pandemic.

WaterTower's 2023 Spring Gala is scheduled for Saturday March 3rd, and will be held at the Addison Theatre Centre. It promises to be a night that is not to be missed. For more information - fbenton@zoecreates.com

Photo credit: Jessica Griffin _ Paris Marie Productions

Andreė Williams, Jeėssica Webba, Kylie Stewart, & Laura Lites, and the Josh Parker Quartet

Council Member Marlin Willesen, Council Member Tom Braun, Anita Braun, The Honorable Mayor Joe Chow, Chi Chi Chow, Denise Quintanilla, Mayor Pro Tem Guillermo Quintanilla, Marsha Walden & Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Paul

Kita Hobbs, Producing Artistic Director Shane Peterman, WTT Board President Rebecca Neef, & Associate Producer Elizabeth Kensek

Producing Artistic Director Shane Peterman with Carrie & Andy Teller

Tiffany & Larry Richmond, Dan & Kelli Heinzerling, Kita & Warren Hobbs, Kristy & Brad Davis, Grace Daniels, & Rogers Vinge

The WTT Spring Gala

WTT Producing Artistic Director Shane Peterman, Associate Producer Elizabeth Kensek, and Gala Host Frankie Wilson

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