Bay Street Theater to Host 25th Annual Summer Gala; Honorees Announced!

Bay Street Theater & Sag Harbor Center for the Arts announces the 25th Annual Summer Gala, celebrating Bay Street's Silver Anniversary to take place in Sag Harbor on the Long Wharf on July 9, 2016 benefiting Bay Street's educational and theatrical programs. The evening will include a special performance of scenes from productions from the past 25 years, as well as a silent auction, cocktail party, Live "Fantasy Auction," dinner and dancing.

Arlene & Alan Alda serve as Honorary Chairs for the celebration. The Gala will honor founding Board member and patrons, Adrianne and Jerry Cohen, Bay Street's visionary founders Emma Walton Hamilton and Stephen Hamilton, and founding supporter Patrick Malloy III.

The Bay Street location has come a long way since its early days as a munitions factory, a roller rink, and night club, with Bay Street Theater providing first rate, professional productions on the East End for the past 25 years.

"So hard to believe it's been 25 years since we were scrubbing bathrooms, painting walls, hanging lights and installing theatre seats," says co-founder Stephen Hamilton, "... all while our first production, Men's Lives, was being loaded onto the newly built stage!"

Since the early days, that "can do" spirit has continued to prevail as Bay Street serves a diverse audience with year-round educational and theatrical programming including the Mainstage Productions, Literature Live!, the New Works Festival, Comedy Club, music programming, Children's theater camps, College Internship Program and much more throughout the year.

"We couldn't be happier that the baton has been so ably picked up by Bay Street's terrific new leadership team, Scott, Tracy and Steven, (sic Todrys, recently elected Board Chair)" says Emma Walton Hamilton. "Here's to the next 25 years!"

Past attendees include Broadway and film luminaries, business leaders and some of the most influential people in our community: Arlene & Alan Alda, Julie Andrews, Lauren Bacall, Alec Baldwin, Chris Bauer, Joy Behar, Mel Brooks, Kim Cattrall, Chevy Chase, Blythe Danner, Dan Gasby, Kelsey Grammer, Anne Jackson, Billy Joel, Star Jones, Richard Kind, Nathan Lane, Susan Lucci, Terrence McNally, Rosie O'Donnell, Mercedes Ruehl, Liev Schreiber, Stephen Schwartz, B. Smith, Eli Wallach, Naomi Watts and Robert Zimmerman, to name a few.

This year's sponsors (list in progress as of March 24, 2016) include: Bridgehampton Florist, Channing Daughters Winery, East End Limousine, Hamptons H2O Water, Ketel One Vodka, Peconic Landing, Searles Graphics, Southampton Publick House and Sterling Affair.

VIP Tables and tickets are available by calling Kim Fink at 631-725-0818,Kim@baystreet.org. General admissions tickets are also available online atwww.baystreet.org.