More than a Gala, NJPAC Women's Association to Support the Arts Tonight

Tonight, October 5th, the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) will host their 18th annual Spotlight Gala, The Enchanted Oz, at the center in Newark.

The evening festivities will begin with a star-studded show in Prudential Hall that includes an all-star line-up of musical guests including Ann Hampton Calloway, Ledesi, and Naturally 7 all led by Raw Chew, Musical Director of American Idol. Calloway said, "I am very honored to be chosen to perform two songs in this star studded gala to support one of America's finest music venues. The night promises to dazzle and inspire all in attendance!"

A black tie-dinner will follow the cocktails and hour long performance attended by the many friends of NJPAC who support their multi-faceted mission of bringing the best in culture, entertainment, and education to the Garden State.

The gala is organized by the Women's Association of NJPAC that includes 2000 members and is the largest annual fundraising source for the center. This year's Gala Committee has 15 members; the Board of Trustees of the Women's Association has 40 members.

Gail P. Stone, Managing Director of the Women's Association of NJPAC stated that the association is celebrating its 20th Anniversary in 2014 and in that time they have raised over 40 million dollars for NJPAC and are proud of its impressive educational outreach. NJPAC's education program is one of the largest in the nation with over 60,000 individuals and families being involved in the arts.

Stone also said, "The gala promises to be a spectacular evening. With the unique theme, we can showcase great voices from many different genres. The gala helps us to celebrate NJPAC and the arts in a big way."

The Gala Chairwoman is Mikki Taylor who is also on the Board of Trustees. She was the Beauty Cover Director for Essence Magazine for 30 years and is now Editor at Large. Born and raised in Newark, Mikki's dedication to the New Jersey Performing Arts Center has been invaluable.

For more information about the 18th Annual Spotlight Gala, The Enchanted Oz, at New Jersey Performing Arts Center, please visit the gala web site, www.njpac.org/gala.

NJPAC is located in the Arts District of Newark with convenient parking. The center is also very accessible by mass transit. For information on their upcoming season and ticketing, call 1-888-GO-NJPAC (1-888-466-5722), visit the box office in person at One Center Street in downtown Newark, or go online at www.njpac.org.

Photo Credit: Bill Westmoreland

To post a comment, you must register and login.