Palm Beach Dramaworks Celebrates 17th Anniversary Gala

"Oh, it's very pretty, isn't it! We're going to have fun," Truman Capote said as he walked into his Black & White Ball on November 28, 1966, according to The New York Times. He might have said the same thing on March 11, had he walked into the Kravis Center's Cohen Pavilion for Palm Beach Dramaworks

17th Anniversary Gala. Chairs Karin and John Strasswimmer chose "Truman Capote's Black & White Ball 50 Years Later" as the evening's theme, and more than 230 people, dressed in black and white and masks, danced the night away to the music of George Lilly and the Half Fast All Stars in celebration and support of PBD.

Among The Revelers were Congresswoman Lois Frankel and Mayor Jeri Muoio & Mr. Charles Muoio.

The host for the evening was PBD's very own Truman Capote, actor Rob Donohoe, who received accolades earlier this season for his portrayal of the author in Jay Presson Allen's Tru. Dressed and made up once again as Capote, he brought down the house with his roast of PBD's Board of Directors.

Producing Artistic Director William Hayes and Managing Director Sue Ellen Beryl welcomed the guests to the company's biggest fund-raising event of the season. Among the evening's highlights was the presentation of the 10th annual Shelly Award to philanthropist and PBD Honorary Director Susan Bloom. The award is named after the late theatre impresario Shelly Gross, and honors an outstanding individual in recognition of his or her exceptional commitment, support, and advocacy on behalf of PBD.

Guests also celebrated The Honorable Ann Brown, who was marking a very special birthday. PBD's home, the Don & Ann Brown Theatre, is named for Ann and her husband.

Marlene & Martin Silver were the evening's honorary chairs. Generous supporters included Dinner sponsorsStephen Brown & Jamie Stern; Decoration sponsors Esther & Sid Dinerstein, Sherry & Stephen Jacobs, Marilyn Meyerhoff & Sam Feldman; Entertainment sponsors Don Brown & The Honorable Ann Brown, Marsha & Stephen Rabband Clara & Wen-Liu Miao, Louise & Barry Snyder; Table sponsors Akerman LLP - Tom & Chris Streit, Nancy & Gene Beard, Susan Bloom, Susan & Larry Goldfein, Roe Green & Priscilla Heublein, Sylvia & Paul Heiner, Judy & Lew Kramer, Pamela & Brian McIver, Diane & Mark Perlberg, Alan Sagner, Marlene & Martin Silver, Selma & Joe Sitrick, Karin & John Strasswimmer, Mimi & Frank Walsh, Lee Wolf & JorDan Cohen; Cocktail sponsors Ruth & Ted Baum, Penny & Mitchell Beers, Patty Alper Cohn & David I. Cohn, Sylvia Greenberg, Beverly & Stuart Halpert, Helga & John Klein, Dina Merrill & TEd Hartley, Don & Linda Silpe; Gift Bag sponsors La Roche-Posay Laboratoire Dermatologique and
Too Jay's.