Wynton Marsalis and Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra to Headline McCarter's 40th Annual Gala

On Saturday, May 6th, McCarter Theatre Center will host its 40th annual Gala Benefit, which supports McCarter's many ongoing artistic and educational missions here in Princeton and around the region. This year's gala, A Night in Old Havana, will be an evening of American jazz, Old Havana flare, fine food, live and silent auctions, and dancing.

The highlight of the Gala is a feature performance by The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, led by Wynton Marsalis. Made up of 15 of the finest soloists, ensemble players, and arrangers in jazz music today, this remarkably versatile group has been Jazz at Lincoln Center's resident orchestra since 1988.

Under the leadership of music director Wynton Marsalis, the JLCO performs a vast repertoire: from historic compositions and original JLCO-commissioned works, to arrangements by Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Thelonious Monk, Dizzy Gillespie, Benny Goodman, Charles Mingus, and many more. In 2010 JLCO travelled to Cuba and performed before a sold out crowd in Havana's Mella Theater. The performance was recorded for JLCO's 2015 Live in Cuba two-disc album, which captures the big band's unforgettable tracing of the connections between American jazz and Afro-Cuban music.

Under Emily Mann's artistic direction and Bill Lockwood's flair for booking established and emerging talent, McCarter has consistently demonstrated an unwavering commitment to engaging, entertaining and educating its audiences. In addition to the outstanding work appearing on McCarter's two stages each season, the Theatre also offers numerous innovative educational outreach programs that serve as many as 20,000 students a year - many that may not otherwise have access to the arts.

The 2017 Gala Co-Chairs are Reggie and Aliya Browne of Newtown, PA; Ed Matthews and Vilma Keri of Princeton; and Christinana Foglio-Palmer and Douglas Palmer of Princeton.

Visit McCarter Theatre Center's Gala Benefit website for more information about this year's event, ticketing, corporate and individual sponsors, and more.