On-site VIP after party will include food, more
For the first time in its decade-plus history, the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel will stream its annual gala live online for free viewing across the nation and beyond.
All Together Now! is the theme for the Saturday, Sept. 18 fundraiser, presented by Krieg DeVault, celebrating the return of on-site audiences for the Center’s 2021-22 season. Highlights will include inspirational stories and live entertainment streamed from the Palladium stage, including Center Artistic Director Michael Feinstein and his piano trio, led by New York-based musical director Tedd Firth; New York based singer-dancer Melissa Schott; a chorus choreographed by Kenny Shepard; a gospel choir; and other special guests. Donations and auction proceeds will benefit the Looking Forward Fund, which supports the Center in securing a sustainable future.
The free livestream event will air from 8 to 9 p.m. through the Center’s website, YouTube and Facebook. Viewers will have opportunities to donate to the Center and participate in the online auction, with luxury vacations, collectible sports memorabilia and other items available for bidding. More information and registration for news updates is available at TheCenterPresents.org/2021GalaLivestream.
In addition, the Center will host an in-person event, the All Together WOW! VIP Experience in the Palladium’s newly renovated Founders Club for guests who are ready to celebrate together. A limited number of on-site attendees will watch the main event via closed-circuit video and also enjoy a 7 p.m. cocktail reception with small plates and an open bar, as well as a 9 p.m. after-party with desserts and more music from Feinstein. Reservations for the upgraded experience can be made at TheCenterPresents.org/Gala or by calling (317) 819-3534. The cost is tax-deductible.
“We are so pleased to be welcoming our patrons and supporters back to campus after being pre-empted by the pandemic, and we also realize some of them are not yet ready to return,” said Jeffrey C. McDermott, President/CEO of the Center and the Great American Songbook Foundation. “This hybrid format allows us to gather with our longtime friends while reaching new and broader audiences online with the Center’s mission to engage and inspire.”
This year’s Gala Committee is co-chaired by Carmel residents and Center supporters Eric and Leah Payne and Ron and Suzanne Mencias.
More information is available at TheCenterPresents.org/Gala.
About the Center for the Performing Arts
The mission of the nonprofit Center for the Performing Arts is to engage and inspire the Central Indiana community through enriching arts experiences. Its campus in Carmel includes the 1,600-seat Palladium concert hall, the 500-seat Tarkington proscenium theater and the black-box Studio Theater. The Center presents and hosts hundreds of events each year, including the Center Presents performance series, featuring the best in classical, jazz, pop, rock, country, comedy and other genres. Educational and experiential programming for all ages includes children’s concerts and camps, book clubs, lectures, and classes in music and dance. The Center is home to the affiliated Great American Songbook Foundation and provides space and support services for six resident arts companies. More information is available at TheCenterPresents.org.