The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey Announces 2013 Annual Gala

The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey is taking the opportunity of its annual gala to unveil its brand new support facility, which houses the Theatre's entire behind-the-scenes operations. This year's special gala, The Great Nocturnal Happening, will take place in the 50,000 square foot renovated factory. The annual gala, to be held on Saturday, April 20th, 2013, is the Theatre's major fundraising event of the year with hundreds of patrons, artists and community leaders participating. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 973-845-6732 or visit www.ShakespeareNJ.org.

Located in Florham Park, the 50,000 square foot building is home to the many facets of the Theatre's administrative, educational, artistic and technical operations. In addition to offices and education spaces, the facility includes areas for the construction of sets, costumes and other scenic elements, an unusual Board room, a spacious rehearsal hall, a unique Green Room, and ample space for the Theatre's extensive collections of props, stock scenery, costumes, stage weapons, archives, and more.

"This year's gala is a very special unveiling of our incredible new support facility - the magical laboratory where all of our behind-the-scenes alchemy takes place," said Artistic Director Bonnie J. Monte. "It will be a fundraiser like no other, as we invite attendees into our 'dream factory'- our labyrinth of amazing spaces where past, present and future come together."

Guests have the opportunity to reserve one of the incredible rooms in the facility for a private gathering of friends and family prior to the main portion of the event. Champagne cocktails or specially chosen libations and tantalizing tidbits will be provided as guests explore the artistry and artifacts surrounding them. In addition, a representative of The Shakespeare Theatre will be available to guide the "salon experience" and reveal the special surprises each space holds. The rooms available include the boardroom, dubbed The Think Tank, The Prop Warren, The Costume Shop, and The Imaginarium - a learning space.

The main event begins at 7:00 p.m. with a glittering reception including a special champagne bar, sumptuous passed hors d'oeuvres, and food stations. Guests will dine, mingle and explore the amazing spaces of the behind-the-scenes facility as well as take part in the spectacular silent auction that offers scores of unique items including clothing, jewelry, getaways, artwork, unusual experiences, and theatrical memorabilia.

At 9:00 p.m. guests will enter the "Grand Ballroom" for more libations, dessert, coffee and the Great Nocturnal Happening - inspiring theatrical presentations that illuminate the many facets of The Shakespeare Theatre's work. To conclude the evening, guests may choose to remain in the ballroom for dancing, join artists and guests for informal singing around the grand piano, or socialize in the Mediterranean-blue Green Room.
Included in the silent auction are a wide array of exciting and exclusive items including tickets to Giulio Cesare at The Metropolitan Opera, a guided tour of The New York Times newsroom, a Baltusrol golf outing, tickets to the Broadway hit Newsies, VIP tickets to a taping of The Colbert Report, as well as one-of-a-kind artwork, jewelry and handcrafted items and much more.

Gala tickets range from $295 to $1,000 per person. Room reservations begin at $10,000 for 10 guests. A portion of each ticket is tax-deductible to the fullest extent provided by law. For more information or reservations, call 973-408-3164 or visit www.ShakespeareNJ.org.

The acclaimed Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey is an independent, professional theatre company located on the Drew University campus. One of the leading Shakespeare theatres in the nation, serving 100,000 adults and children annually, it is New Jersey's largest professional theatre company dedicated solely to Shakespeare's canon and other world classics. Through its distinguished productions and education programs, the company strives to illuminate the universal and lasting relevance of the classics for contemporary audiences.

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