STAGES St. Louis Raises $360K at 2017 APPLAUSE! Gala

On Friday, November 10, 2017, STAGES St. Louis held its 16th annual Applause! Gala at the Ritz-Carlton in Clayton. Through the generosity of STAGES' loyal patrons and supporters of the arts, Applause! 2017 raised nearly $360,000 in support of the organization's Education and Artistic programs.

This marks another tremendous success for STAGES St. Louis this year, following a record breaking 31st Season that surpassed the $2 million threshold in ticket sales. Judy and Jerry Kent served as Presenting Sponsors, with Merry and Jim Mosbacher as Honorary Chairs of the benefit.

Longtime STAGES stars Kari Ely and Steve Isom co-hosted the exquisite evening of glitz, glamour, and giving, while the occasion's musical entertainment featured Jason Michael Evans and Corinne Melançon, presenting "Hello, Broadway: A Salute to the Great White Way." The event also showcased an inspiring appearance by STAGES Performing Arts Academy's talented premier performance group, Triple Threats.

STAGES Performing Arts Academy inspires passion, creativity, and curiosity in students of all ages and abilities, reaching over 4,500 students annually through its education and outreach programs. Through STAGES' Access the Arts program, children and adults with physical, cognitive, and developmental delays are able to participate fully in the magic of musical theatre, while STAGES' Urban Arts Initiative brings performing arts education into the classrooms and community centers of St. Louis's underserved students.

"The funds raised at the Applause! Gala will help sustain these vital programs and further support the next generation of artists in St. Louis," stated Executive Producer Jack Lane. "As we look forward to our next season, a new theatre, and our launch of the JumpStart Theatre program in St. Louis, we thank the supportive patrons and champions of the arts in our community who make it all possible."

Over 360 supporters attended the 2017 Applause! Gala at the Ritz-Carlton. Notable attendees included:

Kelly Ainsworth

Marilyn Ainsworth

Jim & Cathy Berges

Chris & Patti Blumeyer

Lisa & Larry Carson

Kathleen & Michael Caton

Jim & Lisa Curran

Kathy & Tom Day

Jim & Martha Durbin

Kent Ehrhardt

Dean & Lisa Erhardt

Michael & Laura Ellenhorn

Paul Emery

Paul & Debbie Estes

Judy, Steven & Tom Gall

Sen. Mike & Liz Gibbons

Tim Griffin, Mayor of Kirkwood

Susan M. Hale

Leon & Nancy Hall

Bob & Carol Jones

Drs. Greg & Grace Jones

Judy & Jerry Kent

Tim & Michele Liebman

Elizabeth Mannen

Kara & Matt Meister

Merry & Jim Mosbacher

Gwen Packnett & John Moten

Kitty Ratcliffe

Michelle & Don Reedy

Trevor D. Reese, Jr.

Drs. Daniel & Julie Ring

Cathy & Tom Sakiyama

Felicia Shaw

Ken & Kathi Tacony

Cherol Thibaut

Lynne Turley

Betty Von Hoffmann

Zoe Vonder Haar

David White & Bert Forde

Pam Wissore & Vicky Krulic

Patti Withers

STAGES St. Louis is the region's foremost not-for-profit company committed to preserving and advancing the art form of Musical Theatre through excellence in performance and education. In 2017, STAGES celebrates its 31st year of producing Broadway-quality theatre, presenting 140 performances from June through October to over 50,000 patrons.

STAGES opened in 1987 with a budget of $50,000 and a part-time seasonal staff of eight. Today, the company employs a full-time staff of 25 overseeing a budget of $4.7 million. During the performance season, an additional 150 actors and crew members bring the productions to life. To date, STAGES professionals have produced 110 musicals, with over 3,600 performances, playing to more than one million patrons.

The 2018 Season launches with one of the first musicals STAGES ever performed, I Do! I Do!, then continues on with ABBA's hit Mamma Mia!, Rodgers and Hammerstein's famed Oklahoma!, and DreamWorks' Madagascar, A Musical Adventure. Subscriptions to the 2018 Season begin at just $114 and will go on sale December 4, 2017. Single tickets will go on sale April 2, 2018. Single ticket prices range from $25 - $63. STAGES' productions perform in the intimate, 377-seat Robert G. Reim Theatre at the Kirkwood Civic Center, 111 South Geyer Road in St. Louis, MO 63122. For more information or to purchase tickets call 314-821-2407 or visit www.StagesStLouis.org.

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