The South Orange Performing Arts Center Celebrates 10th Anniversary with Gala

The South Orange Performing Arts Center is celebrating a decade of presenting superb arts events to the region with a Gala on October 29, 6-11 p.m. The iconic building, located at One SOPAC Way in the heart of the South Orange Village, will host the party in its theatre, loft and lobby areas.

South Orange Village President Sheena Collum, SOPAC Board member Carolyn MiNick Mason and community leader and SOPAC founding supporter Peter Shapiro will be honored for their outstanding contributions to the success of SOPAC.

"We are so thrilled to be honoring these three fantastic people," raved SOPAC's Executive Director Mark Packer. "They have made such meaningful contributions to SOPAC through the years. Their impact is incalculable."

Cocktails and delicious hor d'oeuvres, dinner, entertainment by renowned "local" talent and a silent auction will make the evening festive. Tickets to the event are extremely limited and more information can be found at SOPACgala.org or by calling (973) 712-4101.

Honorees

The Honorable Sheena Collum was elected in May of 2015 as the first woman Village President in the history of South Orange. Professionally, she is the Executive Director of the American Planning Association - New Jersey Chapter, a statewide planning organization whose mission is to help build stronger communities. Sheena is a proud alumna of Seton Hall University, where she graduated summa cum laude with a BA in Political Science and an MA in Public Administration. She was named "Seton Hall Alumna of the Year" in 2006. She works tirelessly on behalf of the South Orange community and its residents.

Known to her friends as Cookie, Carolyn MiNick Mason is a person whose zest for life and commitment to social justice has led her to achieve high levels as a lawyer, activist and philanthropist. In her career as a labor relations lawyer, Carolyn worked closely with colleagues in the areas of diversity, equal employment opportunity and minority supplier diversity. She is also an active and committed philanthropist who focuses her efforts on improving the circumstances of girls and African -American and Latino youth. She focuses her thoughtful guidance and fund-raising prowess on supporting not only SOPAC but organizations like the Apollo Theater Foundation; Girls, Inc. of NYC; Jack and Jill of America and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority.

Peter Shapiro has lived in South Orange since 1963, attended local schools, and has had a distinguished career in the public and private sectors. At age twenty three, he was the youngest person ever elected to the NJ Assembly and went on to serve as the first Essex County Executive. He was the Democratic nominee for Governor in 1985, losing to incumbent Governor Thomas Kean. In 1997, Mr. Shapiro founded Swap Financial Group, the leading independent advisor on market risk management in the U.S. They provide advice to large government agencies, non-profits and non-financial corporations.

Mr. Shapiro and his wife, Bryna Linett, have been stalwart supporters of SOPAC since its founding. His dynamic leadership has made a real difference in creating a better community.

Entertainment

Featuring performances by Kelly Bishop, Bill Charlap, SuzzAnne Douglas, Savion Glover, Brother Valiant and hosted by Budd Mishkin, the evenings entertainers all hail from the South Orange/Maplewood area.

One of the world's premiere jazz pianists, Bill Charlap has performed with many leading artists of our time, ranging from Phil Woods and Tony Bennett to Gerry Mulligan and Wynton Marsalis. He is known for his interpretations of American popular songs and has recorded albums featuring the music of Hoagy Carmichael, Leonard Bernstein and George Gershwin.

Kelly Bishop is an actress and dancer best known for her Tony Award-winning turn in A Chorus Line, Baby's mother in Dirty Dancingand the matriarch Emily Gilmore in the TV series The Gilmore Girls.

A multi-talented performer, SuzzAnne Douglas is acclaimed for both her skilled acting and her beautiful voice. She has enjoyed a career that encompasses television, motion pictures, Broadway and regional theatre, recordings and more. Suzzanne's musical talents have enabled her to perform with Stanley Turrentine, Gene Harris, Jon Faddis, Kenny Burrell, Kenny Barron, Nat Adderley, Don Bradenand Thelonious Monk Jr.

Savion Glover is a virtuosic tap dancer and choreographer known for works like Jelly's Last Jam and his Tony Award-winning choreography for Bring in 'da Noise/Bring in 'da Funk. He made his Broadway debut at the age of 12 and hasn't slowed down since. His latest Tony nomination was for Broadway's 2016 production of Shuffle Along.

Brother Valiant formed in 2013 and it didn't take long for the project to evolve into an eclectic seven-piece ensemble, forging an identity all its own - a patchwork of sounds described by some as Alternative Jazz-Folk and Americana Ska.

Budd Mishkin is a television host and correspondent for NY1. He hosts the weekly series One on 1 with Budd Mishkin, in which he interviews and profiles prominent New Yorkers with significant connections to the city, and Sports on 1: The Last Word everyThursday.

Silent Auction

Let the bidding begin on Monday, October 17 at noon for exciting and unique vacations, dining experiences, fun Broadway and sports experiences and luxury items. Visit www.501auctions.com/sopacgala to view the packages. More will be added through the next two weeks, so make sure to check in often.

Some of the items include

• Vacation homes in South Carolina, Massachusetts, and Michigan
• Giants tickets with parking pass
• Newark-born Willie Cole print, "Burning Desire" from a private collection
• Spa and yoga packages
• Canine Pet Portraiture
• Broadway show tickets complete with backstage tour
• Decorative luxury shower items
• Museum passes