Photos: Inside Clubbed Thumb's 2023 Gala Honoring Anne Kauffman

Tony Award-nominated and five-time Obie Award-winning theater company Clubbed Thumb celebrated award-winning director Anne Kauffman at the 2023 Clubbed Thumb Gala, held on Monday, October 2 at Etsy Headquarters (117 Adams Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201).

In honor of Anne Kauffman, Clubbed Thumb has launched a Directors’ Fund to raise money for major increases in compensation, special opportunities and other support for the company’s directors. The evening has thus far raised over $150,000. Donations to the Directors’ Fund are still being accepted.  To donate, please visit: clubbedthumb.kindful.com/?campaign=1268243.

The event included a musical performance by Cindy Cheung (Catch as Catch Can) with music and lyrics by Mike Iveson (What the Constitution Means to Me) and Kate E. Ryan (Card and Gift), Saddle Up for a Small Adventure by Jenny Schwartz (God’s Ear), and The Lady by Anne Washburn (Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play) based on conversations with Matthew Maher (“Our Flag Means Death”), Adam Bock (A Small Fire), Erin Courtney (The Tattooed Lady), Alison Weller (“Don’t Look Up”), Quincy Tyler Bernstine (Marys Seacole), Jennifer R. Morris (Gone Missing) and Brooke Bloom (D Deb Debbie Deborah). Jennifer R. Morris and Matthew Maher also served as auctioneers for the evening’s paddle raise.

Saddle Up for a Small Adventure was performed by Mike Iveson, Matthew Maher, Ken Rus Schmoll (The Internationalist) and, Jenny Schwartz.

The Lady was performed by Tony Award nominee Maria Dizzia (Eurydice), Obie Award winner Jennifer Dundas (Arcadia), Gibson Frazier (Frances Ha), Ethan Lipton (Tumacho), Jennifer R. Morris, Susan Pourfar (“Black Mirror”), Tony Award winner Miriam Silverman (The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window), and Sarah Steele (I Can Get It For You Wholesale).

Other special guests for the celebration included Monica Bill Barnes, Susan Bernfield, Mark Brokaw, Jason Eagan, Kip Fagan, Gina Gionfriddo, Jane Kazcmarek, Pam MacKinnon, and Heidi Schreck. To download photos from the evening, please click here.

The Gala’s host committee included Emmy Award winner Rachel Brosnahan (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”), Amy Herzog (An Enemy of the People), Golden Globe Award winner Oscar Isaac (“Dune”), Jane Kaczmarek (“Malcolm in the Middle”), Jennifer Morris (YOU BETTER SIT DOWN: TALES FROM MY PARENTS’ DIVORCE), Victoria Myers, Jenny Schwartz, Miriam Silverman (The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window), Olivier Sultan, and Dennis Trunfio (The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window).

Anne Kauffman is a director specializing in new work for theater and music. She got her start with Clubbed Thumb and joined the board in 2018. Previous to joining the board, she was a co-creator of the CT Directing Fellowship. Her recent and upcoming credits include UnEARTH and Fire in My Mouth by Bang on a Can’s Julia Wolfe, both of which premiered at the New York Philharmonic, Sarah Silverman’s The Bedwetter at the Atlantic Theater Company, Tony-nominated The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window with Oscar Isaac and Rachel Brosnahan for which she won a Drama League Award, Amy Herzog’s Mary Jane this coming spring at the Samuel Friedman with Rachel McAdams and this coming summer will be reviving Maury Yeston and Peter Stone’s TITANIC for Encores! She is a Resident Director at Roundabout Theater, Artistic Associate and Founding Member of The Civilians, a New Georges Associate Artist, an SDC Executive Board Member, Vice President and Trustee of SDCF 2020-2023 and Artistic Director of City Center’s Encores! Off-Center 2017-2020. Kauffman’s awards include three Obies, the Joan and Joseph Cullman Award for Exceptional Creativity from Lincoln Center, the Alan Schneider Director Award, a Lucille Lortel Award, and the Joe A. Callaway. She is a co-creator of the Cast Album Project with Jeanine Tesori. 

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