Bristol Riverside Theatre Gala Honors Keith Baker's 25 Years As Artistic Director

Bristol Riverside Theatre hosts its 30th Anniversary Gala on Saturday, June 3 at 5:00 PM. The evening honors Keith Baker's 25-year tenure as Artistic Director at BRT and concludes the 30th anniversary season of BRT. BRT will also present the inaugural Leonard N. Snyder Philanthropic Award to the Grundy Foundation. Artistic Administrator David Abers will receive a Special Recognition Award for his thirty years of dedicated service to BRT in almost every capacity, from behind the scenes work in development and box office to actor, costume designer and choreographer.

The evening features a cocktail reception and dinner along the banks of the Delaware River, a concert showcasing BRT favorites of the last thirty years followed by an after party, live music, and dancing under the stars. Tickets to the Gala's full evening of events are $75, afterparty only tickets are $35. Tickets are available by visiting brtstage.org or calling the BRT Box Office at 215-785-0100. Bristol Riverside Theatre is located at 120 Radcliffe Street in Bristol, PA.

"This year's Gala honors a trifecta of BRT stars - Keith for his multi-faceted artistic talents, the Grundy Foundation for their critical and constant generosity, and David for his unflagging devotion to the company," said Founder Susan D. Atkinson.

Keith Baker has steered BRT's artistic vision for the past twenty-five years, helping position the company's vital role in the regional cultural landscape. He has directed more than 40 productions for BRT including Working: A Musical and Jesus Christ Superstar this season, Man of La Mancha (nominated for three Barrymore Awards) and Rumors last season, Lost in Yonkers, Ragtime (nominated for nine Barrymore Awards), Gypsy starring Tovah Feldshuh, Chicago (nominated for six Barrymore Awards), The Balkan Women (winner of a Barrymore Award for Outstanding New Play), The Dresser (nominated for a Barrymore Award for Best Director of a Play) and Dear World (nominated for three Barrymore Awards). His acting credits include numerous productions at BRT including this season's upcoming production of Witness for the Prosecution, Mountain, Inherit the Wind, Deathtrap, A Raw Space, Barrymore, Defiance, Proof, Hamlet, A Little Night Music, Arsenic and Old Lace, A Moon for the Misbegotten, and Old Wicked Songs, for which he won a Broadway World Award. He started his career as Perchik in Fiddler on the Roof on Broadway and later appeared as Jeeves in the Andrew Lloyd Webber and Alan Ayckbourn musical By Jeeves at the Goodspeed Opera House, and has sung leading roles with Houston Grand Opera, Western Opera Theatre, and Kentucky Opera Association. On television he appeared in two episodes of Stella for Comedy Central. Baker has been nominated eleven times for the prestigious Carbonell Awards, for which he was twice the recipient for Best Actor.

"I am very grateful to the BRT board which has trusted me to challenge myself and our audiences artistically and to the BRT staff whose commitment to the company continues to inspire me," said Baker.

The Grundy Foundation was created in 1961 upon the death of Senator Joseph R. Grundy who was active in the business and civic affairs of Bucks County and Pennsylvania. The Foundation continues to carry out the Senator's philanthropic tradition of giving back to his community through grant awards to deserving nonprofit organizations.

"As one of the founding donors, we have been proud to be part of BRT's ongoing success. Their commitment to artistic excellence mirrors our dedication to encouraging arts and culture to flourish in Bristol," said Eugene Williams, Executive Director at the Grundy Foundation.

David Abers has been a part of BRT since 1986, acting in nearly 50 productions, and serving in such varied positions as assistant Equity stage manager, house manager, assistant to the Producing and Artistic Directors, props master, costumer, facilities manager, casting associate, office manager, box office manager and company manager. Since 2008 he has worked as the company's Artistic Administrator. A Bristol native, he remains active in the community, teaching part-time at the George School, a local Friends high school, where he is also the resident choreographer.

"I have been very privileged to be part of BRT both behind the scenes as a staff member and onstage as part of the creative team. I have watched with pride the company's thirty-year growth from a fledging movie theater-turned-live theater to its current role as an important economic engine for Bristol," said Abers.

Since 1986, BRT has continued to bring critically acclaimed professional theatre to Bucks County. The theatre is the recipient of over 68 Barrymore Award nominations for Excellence in Theatre, given annually by Theatre Philadelphia. Under the direction of Artistic Director Keith Baker, Founding Director Susan D. Atkinson, and Managing Director Anne S. Kohn, the theatre serves as a cultural hub for the community. In addition to its mainstage productions, BRT offers four concerts including the holiday tradition An American Christmas Songbook, the new play development series America Rising, and the summer theater arts camp ArtRageous. For information, visit www.brtstage.org.