Photo Flash: Betty Buckley, Barbara Cook, Rex Smith and More Celebrate Shubert Theatre's 100th Anniversary in New Haven
In recognition of its 100th Anniversary, New Haven's historic Shubert Theatre celebrated with a Gala Benefit on Saturday, March 21. This exclusive evening included an elegant sit-down dinner on the legendary Shubert Stage, dancing, theatrical entertainment and a tribute to honored guest stars. BroadwayWorld has photos from the event below!
Show biz great's Betty Buckley, Barbara Cook and Rex Smith were the first recipients of the Maurice Bailey Award for Outstanding Contribution to Musical Theatre, a new award inaugurated for the Shubert's 100th Anniversary. WNPR's Colin McEnroe was on hand as the Master of Ceremonies.
All three performers have graced the renowned Shubert stage a number of times and have added to the theatre's rich legacy. Betty Buckley appeared on the Shubert stage in the 1969 World Premiere of 1776 and returned to the Shubert on December 31, 1999 for the Millennial New Year's Eve Concert. Barbara Cook first appeared at the Shubert in 1951 in Flahooley and followed in Plain and Fancy (1954) and She Loves Me (1963) - all Shubert World Premieres. Ms. Cook also appeared in the Shubert's 75th Anniversary Performance and returned in 2001 in her one-woman show, Mostly Sondheim. Rex Smith has been seen on the Shubert stage in the touring productions of Anything Goes (1988), Grease (1994), Annie Get Your Gun (2000) and Kiss Me, Kate (2001).
The Shubert's new Maurice Bailey Award for Outstanding Contribution to Musical Theatre was created in recognition of the theatre's 100th Anniversary in honor of Maurice Bailey, the Shubert's Managing Director during the Golden Era of the theatre's legendary history. The Shubert brothers ran the Shubert, New Haven from 1914 through the 1940-41 season. In the fall of 1941, the Shubert Theatre was leased to Mr. Bailey who ran the theatre for the next 35 years. During this time, Mr. Bailey continued to enhance the Shubert's enviable reputation as a preeminent "house," and under his management the Shubert earned the title "Birthplace of the Nation's Greatest Hits" for the number of long-run productions that first came to life on the Shubert stage including My Fair Lady with Julie Andrews, The King and I with Yul Brynner and A Streetcar Named Desire with Marlon Brando.Photo Credit: Erin Shaw & Alex Syphers
Rex Smith, with wife Tracy, daughter-in-law Lailina and son Brandon
Tracy Smith, Rex Smith, Brandon Smith and Lailina Smith
Andrew Wolf, Director, City of New Haven Department of Arts Culture & Tourism; Â Liz Fisher, Managing Director, Â International Festival of Arts & Ideas; Mayor Toni Harp, City of New Haven; and John Fisher, Executive Director, Shubert Theatre
Rex Smith and Brandon Smith
David Newton, guest and Sheri Kaplan, General Manager, Shubert Theatre
Kevin Burke, Chair, Shubert Board of Directors; John Fisher, Executive Director, Shubert Theatre; Betty Buckley; and Don Chaffee, Shubert Board Chair Emeritus
Gala Honoree Rex Smith; Edith Goodmaster, Private Secretary to Maurice Bailey, who operated the Shubert during the Golden Era of World Premieres including My Fair Lady, The Sound of Music and the King and I just to name a few; and Tony Award winner and Gala Honoree Betty Buckley
Governor Dannel P. Malloy, State of Connecticut; John Fisher, Executive Director, Shubert Theatre; Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, State of Connecticut; Senator Richard Blumenthal, State of Connecticut
The 100th Anniversary Gala on the legendary Shubert stage
Master of Ceremonies Colin McEnroe, of WNPR
The cast of A Broken Umbrella Theatre Company's SEEN CHANGE!
Michael Morand, Deputy Chief Communications Officer, Yale University; Rex Smith and Tracy Smith
Senator Richard Blumenthal, State of Connecticut; Betty Buckley and Cathy Brighenti
Betty Buckley accepts the Maurice Bailey Award for Outstanding Contribution to Musical Theatre
Betty Buckley accepts the Maurice Bailey Award for Outstanding Contribution to Musical Theatre
Rex Smith accepts the Maurice Bailey Award for Outstanding Contribution to Musical Theatre
Rex Smith performs 'This Is The Moment' from JEKYLL & HYDE
Maurice Bailey Award recipients Rex Smith and Betty Buckley
Glenn MacInnes, EVP & CFO at Webster Bank & Webster Financial Corporation and Rex Smith
David Candido; Tony Rossley, Vice President, Bankwell; Leslie Aceto; Joe Aceto; Gala Honoree Rex Smith; Alison Gruseke; Christopher Gruseke, CEO, Bankwell; Laurine Candido, Mark Candido, Senior Vice President, Bankwell
Glenn MacInnes, EVP & CFO at Webster Bank & Webster Financial Corporation, Senator Ted Kennedy, Jr., State of Connecticut; Peter Morgan, Architectural Designer, The S/L/A/M Collaborative; Â Â Alexandre Winter, Creative Director, GEM Advertising
The 100th Anniversary Gala on the legendary Shubert stage
The 100th Anniversary Gala on the legendary Shubert stage
The 100th Anniversary Gala on the legendary Shubert stage
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