Craig Lucas and Robin Shelby Arditi to be Honored at Hudson Valley Shakespeare's 2025 Gala
The performance will take place on Sunday October 12, 2025 at 5:00pm at The Garrison.
By: Chloe Rabinowitz Sep. 16, 2025
Hudson Valley Shakespeare will present their 2025 Gala, which will take place on Sunday October 12, 2025 at 5:00pm at The Garrison (2015 US 9), to celebrate and support the vibrant artistry and special community HVS brings to their new permanent home.
This year’s gala will honor celebrated American playwright, screen writer, and director Craig Lucas with HVS’s Artistic Award for extraordinary contributions to the arts, and Robin Shelby Arditi with the Marit and Lars Kulleseid Award for extraordinary service to HVS.
“We are delighted to honor these two remarkable individuals for their vast contributions to the arts, both locally here in the Hudson Valley and at large,” said Artistic Director Davis McCallum. “During her fifteen year tenure as Board President, Robin has guided HVS to this transformational moment, as we evolve from a seasonal festival to a true cultural anchor for the larger Hudson Valley region. Craig’s breadth of work across stage and screen has cemented his legacy as one of the foremost writers and directors of our time, influencing generations of artists to come.”
The gala will feature special guests and performances from HVS and Broadway artists, plus a sneak peek at the 2026 season programming, which will be the first season in the company’s new Samuel H. Scripps Theater Center.
This special evening will also feature a live auction, with items including a one-week stay in a penthouse with a view in Florence, Italy; a cabaret performance in your home featuring HVS actors; a walk-on role in a 2026 summer production; an Opening Night VIP experience; a week-long stay in a stunning six-bedroom, three-bath luxury villa in County Mayo, Ireland; and much more.
The 2025 Gala committee includes Co-Chairs Suzanne and D.J. (Jan) Baker, Pepper Evans and Bob Lieber, Patricia King, Dan Kramer and Judy Mogul, and Laura Jean Wilson and Mark Menting; Vice-Chairs Natalie Fishman, Heather and Derrick Hopkins, Chip Loewenson and Susan Brune, and Ned Whitney and Martha Howell; and Committee Members Mary Elizabeth and Jeffrey Bunzel, Marie Fabian and Genie Cesar-Fabian, Frederic C. Rich, James Stanford and Kate Farrell Stanford, and Christine Wong Lent and Paul D. Lent.
Table reservations and single ticket purchases can be made online here or by reaching out to Martha Pearson, Director of Development, at mpearson@hvshakespeare.org or 845-779-8331.
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