Huntington Theatre's 2026 Spotlight Gala Raises Record-Breaking $1.7M
The Boston gala at SoWa Power Station honored Karen Holmes Ward, Mfoniso Udofia, and the Roberts Family.
The Huntington held its annual Spotlight Gala on Monday, May 11, 2026 at the SoWa Power Station (550 Harrison Ave, Boston, MA 02118). Over 400 artists, civic leaders, supporters, and community members gathered to celebrate honorees who have made transformative contributions to The Huntington and Greater Boston’s cultural life, while raising a record-breaking $1.7M in support The Huntington’s artistic, education, and community initiatives.
“The Huntington’s Spotlight Gala was both a tremendous success and a fantastic evening,” says Huntington Chairman of the Board Randy Peeler. “We are so grateful for the incredibly generous donors and sponsors whose contributions at the gala will have a vital impact on The Huntington as a public good for the City of Boston and beyond.”
The Spotlight Gala honored two individuals and one family who have made an extraordinary impact on The Huntington and the larger theatre community: Huntington Trustee and WCVB’s former Director of Public Affairs and Community Services Karen Holmes Ward, award-winning playwright Mfoniso Udofia, and The Nancy and Edward‡ Roberts Family who have been devoted champions of The Huntington since its very first season in 1982.
In addition to presenting Holmes Ward’s award, WCVB’s NewsCenter 5 reporter Danae Bucci hosted the evening. Huntington Trustee Linda Bukata Aiello, Donald Nelson, Huntington Advisor Bobby Perino-Thompson, and Huntington Trustee Veronica Wiseman chaired the event, and dinner was catered by Max Ultimate Food.
Karen Holmes Ward is a Huntington Trustee and WCVB’s former Director of Public Affairs and Community Services and executive producer of CityLine. She has been a member of The Huntington’s Board of Trustees since 2021, served as a spokesperson for the Name a Seat Campaign, and has hosted several Spotlight Galas. This year, the Gala honored her, with event host and WCVB NewsCenter 5 reporter Danae Buccae celebrating Karen’s trailblazing impact on broadcasting and the wider community while presenting her with the Wimberly Award.
Mfoniso Udofia is a first-generation Nigerian-American storyteller and educator who has been working with The Huntington for the last two years bringing the 9-play Ufot Family Cycle to life. The Huntington looks forward to staging the epic finale of this Cycle with the world premiere of Adia and Clora Snatch Joy next fall 2026. Elliot Norton Award-winning actor Abigail Onwunali, who recently played Abasiama, Adiaha, and Sister in three of the nine Ufot Family Cycle plays and is currently appearing in Joe Turner’s Come and Gone on Broadway, presented her with the Wimberly Award and spoke beautifully about the power and cultural importance of Udofia’s creative work – and the gift it brings to both the people in the audience and the artists on stage.
The Nancy and Edward‡ Roberts Family have been devoted champions of The Huntington since its very first season in 1982. Passionate attendees and generous supporters across generations, the Roberts Family has made a significant, life-long impact on The Huntington. The Huntington’s former founding Managing Director Michael Maso gave heartfelt remarks as he presented them with the Encore Award, honoring the decades-long relationships and thoughtful support that blossomed and helped bolster the theatre through its early years to today.
Huntington staff members Justin Seward and Esther Daube-Valois received the Gerard and Sherryl Cohen Awards for Excellence, which recognize the exceptional work and dedication of peer-nominated Huntington staff who consistently go above and beyond. Seward has served as Associate Props Director at the Huntington Theatre Company since 2007, helping designers and directors bring more than 95 productions to life. And Daube-Valois joined the company in 2023 and has made exceptional impact managing operations for both external and internal clients and events as the Huntington Theater Event Outreach and Operations Coordinator. The awards were presented by Melanie Cohen and Dave Ableman.
Several live performances took the stage throughout the night, including a lively performance of “Come to the Fun Home” by Fun Home cast members Lyla Randall, Caleb Levin, and Odin Vega.
Fun Home closed calendar year 2025 in The Huntington’s 2025/2026 season, was lauded as “an outstanding production!” by The Boston Globe, and garnered seven – out of The Huntington’s 38 total – Elliot Norton Award nominations in 2026 (including an Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical nomination for Randall).
Tony-nominated actress Emily Skinner (Side Show, Suffs) also performed “All That Jazz” from Chicago and “Send in the Clowns” from A Little Night Music. Skinner was last seen in The Huntington’s The Light in the Piazza, which wrapped last year’s 2024/2025 season and garnered an astounding eleven Elliot Norton nominations in 2026 (including an Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical nomination for Skinner).
And talented local performers Janelle Grace, Shannon Lamb, Avuya Ngcaweni, Kay Patterson, and Arielle Rogers-Wilkey performed a sneak peek, acapella medley of Michael Ellis Ingram’s music from Mfoniso Udofia’s joyous Ufot Family Cycle finale, Adia & Clora Snatch Joy, which will have its world premiere at The Huntington in November 2026.
A particularly exciting and unique feature of the evening was the East Wing Pop-Up experience, which allowed Gala attendees to experience a similar space flow and feel to the expanded, flexible spaces that will open adjacent to The Huntington Theatre in 2027.
Musicians Josh Goldman (percussion) and Kate Foss (bass) performed with Matthew Stern (on keys, and also Music Director for the entire evening) in the Pop-Up’s intimate corner of the SoWa Power Station, wrapped by comfortable lounge tables and chairs for patrons to enjoy their cocktails while experiencing live music up close.
Once open on Huntington Ave, the East Wing will feature expansive lobbies, a box office, patron amenities and services, and will add flexible performance spaces, a bar/lounge/cafe, and an outdoor balcony overlooking Huntington Avenue.
The heart of the evening was a video by Kathy Wittman / Ball Square Films featuring The Huntington’s Education Department programs led by Director of Education Meg O’Brien, including the student matinee series and spoken word competitions like Poetry Out Loud and the Next Narrative Monologue Competition. Inspiring reminders about how important these efforts are to nurturing the next generation of great thinkers and makers were shared by community voices including Huntington Trustee Carol Deane, teaching artist Trinidad Ramkissoon, Mel King South End Academy Partner Teacher Rachel Joseph, and current and former students like Wedjetanaïka Fils-Aime, Crisobal Sanchez, and Xiadi Zhai.
Videos
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The Hunchback of Notre Dame Wheaton College - Watson Fine Arts (6/05-6/14) |
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Eureka Day Theatre Workshop of Nantucket (6/04-6/20) |
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The Spongebob Musical Stageworks Arts (5/30-6/07) |
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Jazz at the Cape Cod Chamber Music Festival: Steve Wilson, Renee Rosnes and David Wong Cape Cod Chamber Music Festival (8/11-8/11) |
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Cecile McLorin Salvant Payomet Performing Arts Center (6/14-6/14) |
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Yidstock: The Festival of New Yiddish Music Yiddish Book Center (7/09-7/12) |
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Honey Honey Moon Moon Huntington Theatre, Maso Studio (6/27-6/28) |
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One Long Earring Crystal Ballroom at Somerville Theatre (6/28-6/28) |
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Moulin Rouge! Boston Opera House (7/29-8/09) |
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Downtown with Imani Winds: Amplify Cape Cod Chamber Music Festival (8/03-8/03) |
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