Photo Flash: Tom Kitt And Tom Gabbard Honored At Broadway Dreams 12th Annual Holiday Gala

The Broadway Dreams Foundation, the premier immersive musical theatre training program, held its 12th annual Holiday Gala at the St. Regis Hotel in New York City on the evening of Monday, December 9th, to raise critical funds for arts education. Presented by Broadway Dreams Foundation Board Member, Gala Event Chair, and CEO and founder of the award-winning RWS Entertainment Group Ryan Stana, the evening was hosted by Broadway Dreams faculty member and Broadway veteran Christopher J. Hanke, featuring performances by Frozen and Bring It On's Ryann Redmond, Mean Girls' Renée Rapp, Something Rotten! and Freaky Friday's Heidi Blickenstaff, Spongebob Squarepants' Jai'len Josey, Once on This Island's Quentin Earl Darrington, NBC's The Village's Ben Ahlers, actor and dancer Addalie Burns, Newsies and Cats' Evan Kasprzak, and Jagged Little Pill's Antonio Cipriano. The programming was directed by Broadway Dreams Artistic Advisor, Theater Calgary Artistic Director, and Olivier Award nominee Stafford Arima.

The evening resulted in a record-breaking amount raised for arts education.

Tom Kitt, the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning composer of many Broadway hits - including music supervising, orchestrations and arrangements for Jagged Little Pill and Spongebob, music and co-orchestrating for Next to Normal, music and orchestrating for High Fidelity, arrangements and orchestrations for Bring It On, and music for If/Then - was honored at the Gala, and Tony Award-winner and Blumenthal Arts President and CEO Tom Gabbard was presented with the Foundation's inaugural Founders Award, in recognition of his contributions towards arts education.

"We look forward to The Gala all year long to celebrate the generosity of our donors, Board, and employees with their time and resources," said Ryan Stana. "This event lets everyone involved see the magic of what they help to create at The Broadway Dreams Foundation, and how they further our mission of providing youth from all backgrounds with the skills and opportunities to succeed on stage and in life."

Since its inception in 2006, Broadway Dreams has inspired more than 10,000 students and awarded over $1 million in need-based financial scholarships in major cities throughout the world. As funding for the arts faces decreased commitments each year, Broadway Dreams has stepped in to provide youth and young adults of all socioeconomic backgrounds equal opportunities in the performing arts.

Photo Credit: Leandro Justen