Wagon Wheel Center for the Arts to Host 2nd Annual Gala
A silent auction will take place before the performance and during intermission. Attendees can bid memorabilia from the Wagon Wheel archives, plus more.
By: Chloe Rabinowitz Dec. 10, 2025
On Thursday, December 11, at 7:00 PM, Wagon Wheel Center for the Arts will host its second annual year-end gala, Great Performances, Greater Purpose. The evening will begin at 6:00 PM with a complimentary open-bar cocktail hour provided by the Board of Directors.
Guests will have the opportunity to meet members of the professional cast of Elf the Musical and enjoy time in the lobby before the performance.
A silent auction will take place before the performance and during intermission. Attendees can bid on one-of-a-kind memorabilia from the Wagon Wheel archives, select costume pieces, VIP experiences including private dance classes, original chairs from the historic Wagon Wheel tent, and autographed photos of Marie Osmond, Billy Rae Cyrus, and The Temptations.
During the performance, audiences will experience the one night each year when every program of Wagon Wheel Center for the Arts shares the stage: Wagon Wheel Professional Theatre, Wagon Wheel Community Theatre, Wagon Wheel Junior, Wagon Wheel Conservatory, and Symphony of the Lakes. The evening will also showcase video testimonials from Wagon Wheel alumni who are now performing on Broadway in productions including Wicked, Hamilton, and The Lion King.
Kira Lace Hawkins and Sam Engle will serve as emcees for the event.
"This is the most important night of the year for Wagon Wheel," says Engle. "It shows, in one evening, just how essential our theater is to our community and how far our impact reaches. We celebrate our professional performers, our students, and the generations of artists who started on this stage and are now on Broadway. And this year, you can even bring home a sacred part of our legacy through our silent auction. These pieces tell the story of who we are and why this place matters."
Fort Wayne Awards - Live Stats
Best Musical - Top 3
1.
LEGALLY BLONDE (Jay County Civic Theatre)
21.3% of votes
2.
JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT (Creative Arts Theatre of Bluffton)
17.2% of votes
3.
CURTAINS (The Harold Company Performers)
11.4% of votes
Videos