On Saturday, April 1, Gala Co-Chairs Jolie Humphrey and Gail Plummer, along with Honorary Co-Chairs Ambassador Kathryn Walt Hall and Craig Hall, welcomed than 350 Dallas leaders, philanthropists and lovers of the arts to celebrate the magic of musical theater at Broadway Dallas’ 2023 Gala featuring a full performance of MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL, raising $870,000 in support of Broadway Dallas’ nonprofit’s mission to spread the gift of Broadway to more than 40,000 students and their families each year including 3,400 Dallas ISD students and more than 5,000 students from 72 schools who participate in the High School Musical Theatre Awards.
Creatively imagined by Hamilton A Sneed of HAS Events, the Parisian affair at the Music Hall at Fair Park began with a pre-show cocktail reception and silent auction inside a French boudoir, followed by a four-course custom dinner menu created by FGF Catering paired with HALL wines. Taking inspiration from the iconic Moulin Rouge cabaret of the late 1800s and 1900s, the Crystal Terrace Dining Room was transformed into a modern Parisian-cabaret with the help of Fauxcades, Shag Carpet Props, Murray Media, Jan Strimple Productions and 25 plus other event partners.
The highlight of the dinner program featured 30+ students from Guyer High School who participate annually in Broadway Dallas’ High School Musical Theatre Awards performing “Paris Holds the Key (to Your Heart)” from ANASTASIA. Excitement then filled the room as paddles were raised high for exclusive live auction packages and a paddle raise. Broadway Dallas’ 2024 Gala featuring a full performance of TINA – THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL! was then announced and had guests marking their calendars for Friday, February 2, 2024.
Notable guests in attendance included Lydia and Bill Addy, Broadway Dallas Board Chair Tom Watson and Leigh Ann Watson, Calvert Collins and Vince Bratton, Sara Lee and Stan Gardner, Sally and Forrest Hoglund, Tina and Brian LuAllen, Helen and Brendan McGuire, Mary Lucille Quick and Robert Quick, Kymberley and Tony Scalia.
“I want to express our immense gratitude to our wonderful supporters for coming together on this spectacular night to celebrate magic of Broadway, MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL, and the impact we continue to make through our education and community partnerships programs,” said Ken Novice, President and CEO of Broadway Dallas. “Spreading the spirit of Broadway is our driving force, and because of the generosity exhibited at this year’s gala, we are able to continue and build upon our education and community initiatives as we work to make a difference in the lives of others through the power of live theater.”
The evening continued with a show-stopping performance of MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL, winner of ten 2021 Tony Awards® including Best Musical, after which, happy, confetti sprinkled guests headed to the After-Hours Fête post-performance party hosted by Co-Chairs Emma Coppola and Hannah Hunt. The party featured French-inspired fare including crepes from Whisk Crepes Café, parmesan and truffle pommes frites and croque monsieur, a full flowing bar with specialty themed cocktails, tunes spun by DJ Sheka, plus a special performance by Trap Opera Star Madelyn Brené. As patrons headed home, Fletcher’s Original Corny Dogs provided their famous corny dogs as a late-night snack for the road.
The 2023 Broadway Dallas Star of the Show sponsors included Forvis, HALL Group/HALL Wines, PNC Bank, and Broadway Dallas 2024 gala chairs John Quattrocchi and Joseph DeMartino. Producer underwriters included Lydia and Bill Addy in honor of The Addy Foundation, Stacey Jones Angel and Venise and Larry Stuart, Mark & Elizabeth Cannon, TEAMIZZY Foundation, Fox Rothschild LLP, Frost Bank, Haynes and Boone, LLP, Jolie & Bart Humphrey and Sheryl and Gary Wood, The Massiatte Family, Roberto Quiroz Mata, Michelle and Chris Mazzini, Jim Pitts, Gail Plummer, Western Addition Restaurant Group, Sheri and Andrew Rosen, Phil and Toni Sanders, and Laura and Randy Wright. The paddle raise was sponsored by The Rosewood Corporation and the silent auction was sponsored by Luminate, a private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC.