The Gateway's Annual Fundraiser SHAKE THE SHORE To Honor Diane Giattino

The Gateway's Annual Fundraiser, SHAKE THE SHORE, will take place at The Gateway in Bellport on July 29 at 6 PM. The evening will honor Bellport's Diane Giattino and will feature a performance by The Gateway Alum, Nick Sanchez of Broadway's Hamilton, as well as, a special appearance by two-time Olympic Medalist, NANCY KERRIGAN – star of The Gateway's Holiday Spectacular on Ice.

 

Diane Giattino began her career in the arts at the age of 8, performing on national television as a featured dancer on The Merry Mailman Show. She then went on to play such wonderful characters as Anita in West Side Story and Adelaide in Guys and Dolls. Giattino discovered her passion for teaching dance nearly five decades ago while creating and heading a theater program for special needs children in New York City. Upon moving to Long Island, her love for dance and the theater motivated her to open her own dance studio - Stage Door School of Dance - which she expanded and developed into one of the foremost studios in Suffolk County. She is well known as a choreographer as well, having worked on over 100 productions in the New York metro area, and her students continue her legacy by dancing on Broadway and as members of the Radio City Rockettes. As a founding member of the Brookhaven Theater Dance Guild, Giattino helped to bring renowned artists like Gwen Verdon, Mercedes Ellington, and Maurice Hines to the next generation of dancers in Suffolk County. After being a proud patron and supporter of The Gateway for over 40 years, Diane is thrilled to be part of the Executive Board helping to create the best theater on Long Island.

 

Nick Sanchez, a Patchogue native, trained at The Gateway School for the Performing Arts, as well as at the Stage Door School of Dance. He appeared on Broadway in RENT, Tarzan, Mary Poppins, Escape to Margaritaville, and currently appears as a member of the Philip National Tour of Hamilton, understudying four of the principal male tracks including the title role! Sanchez also appeared Off-Broadway in Altar Boyz. He appeared on The Gateway's Main Stage in A Chorus Line, West Side Story, Smokey Joe's Café, Jesus Chris Superstar, Big, and Showboat. The Gateway Children's Theater credits include Snow White, Pocahontas, Great American Adventures, Toy Factory, The Wizard of Oz, and Alice in Wonderland.

 

NANCY KERRIGAN has been one of America's most recognizable sports icons for over 25 years. She is set to reprise her starring role in this December's Holiday Spectacular on Ice at The Gateway.

 

Kerrigan's rise to competing at a national level began when she placed 3rd at the 1991 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, allowing her to qualify for the 1991 World Championships where she won the bronze medal as part of an American sweep. In 1992, she earned a bronze medal in the Albertville Winter Olympics and a silver medal at the 1992 World Championships. In 1993, Kerrigan became the United States Ladies Champion. Then, in 1994, Kerrigan skated her historic silver medal performance at the Lillehammer Winter Olympics. Along the way, Kerrigan became known for her groundbreaking fashion on the ice, teaming up with Vera Wang and others, to create some of the most memorable skating outfits in the history of the sport.

 

In addition to her work on the ice, the two-time Olympic medalist has regularly appeared on television and film as an actor (Boy Meets World, Blades of Glory, Saturday Night Live, Skating with Celebrities, Fresh Off the Boat), as well as made appearances as a commentator (Entertainment Tonight, The Insider, Lifetime Network, Fox Sports, NBC Sports, Inside Edition). Kerrigan is also well known for being instrumental in the creation of Halloween on Ice and other figure skating shows and has been a product endorser (Disney, Revlon, Reebok, Seiko, Campbell's Soup, Old Navy, Comcast Spotlight; ProMedica), author (Artistry on Ice), motivational speaker, and an advocate for issues related to infertility. The NANCY KERRIGAN Foundation has raised significant funds for the vision impaired in honor of her legally blind mother and she has been recognized for her excellence on and off the ice (US Figure Skating Hall of Fame, Mother's Day Foundation Mother of the Year, New England Sports Hall of Fame, Fight for Sight Lifetime Achievement).

 

More recently, Kerrigan has focused on her family (three children aged 15, 18, and 26) and on her choreography (Halloween on Ice, SkateNiagara, Bryant Park Holiday Show) while also appearing on Dancing with the Stars in Season 24. Kerrigan is currently executive producing the upcoming documentary “Why Don't You Lose 5 lbs” which will examine the silent epidemic of eating disorders in sports and was on the Advisory Board for the Aurora Games which is an international platform for women in sports and entertainment. She is also still active in working with various companies including Massachusetts-based Revise Energy.

 

SHAKE THE SHORE will also feature onstage performances by company members of Stage Door School of Dance, as well as from, The Gateway School for the Performing Arts' production of Matilda Jr. The evening will include a cocktail hour, an onstage award presentation in the theater to Diane Giattino, and conclude with dinner and dancing outside under the stars. A silent auction and a Grand Prize raffle for a VIP Getaway to Las Vegas will also be a part of the evening. 

 

Tickets for SHAKE THE SHORE are $175 in advance and $200 at the door. Proceeds will go to The Gateway, Performing Arts Center of Suffolk County, as well as to, The Gateway School for the Performing Arts.

 

The Gateway strives to enrich a wide range of communities with quality theatrical experiences through diverse arts, entertainment, and educational programs. We endeavor to serve these communities in a fiscally responsible manner, to provide affordable resources to schools and non-profit organizations, and to ensure the future of the theatrical arts in our region.

 

As the oldest professional theater on Long Island, The Gateway offers Broadway-quality shows to the greater Suffolk County area, as well as, appealing to Nassau County. As a beacon of arts in our area, it is a crucial part of the area's artistic community. The Gateway School for the Performing Arts offers classes to all ages in various theatrical art forms, acting, musical theater, improv technique, playwriting, and more. Scholarship programs are available on an application basis.

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