Wilbury Theatre Group to Celebrate 16 Years with SWEET SIXTEEN Gala on May 9

Wilbury Theatre Group unveils SWEET SIXTEEN: A Fundraising Gala for Wilbury Theatre Group on Saturday, May 9, celebrating the theatre company's 16 years of groundbreaking performances and adventurous audiences in Providence. The event, which takes place at the theatre, will honor Umberto Crenca with The Kerry Callery Award for Distinguished Service to the Arts and Erin X. Smithers with The Arthur Richter 'Spirit of Giving' Award. Tickets are available now at thewilburygroup.org/sixteen

SWEET SIXTEEN: A Fundraising for Wilbury Theatre Group commences with an exclusive VIP reception at 6:00pm. The main event, which begins at 7:00pm, will feature a family-style dinner, drinks, a silent auction and liquor pull, as well as a sneak peek performance from Girl from the North Country with music and lyrics by Bob Dylan, and performances from our world premiere production of From Here to Where by Umberto Crenca and the Gillen Street Ensemble.

All proceeds from the event will support Wilbury Theatre Group in its mission to provide Providence's diverse community with affordable and accessible performing arts through its education and public outreach programs.

"Providence's creative community exists because of people like Umberto (Bert) Crenca and Erin X. Smithers," said Wilbury Theatre Group Artistic Director Josh Short. "Bert's decades of artistic leadership and advocacy inspired the fearless, artist-centered ecosystem that made it possible for Wilbury Group to flourish, and the idealism and accessibility that he has championed have flowed through the veins of this theatre company from our earliest days. Our longtime friend and supporter Erin embodies that same spirit of generosity and commitment, Known and beloved by our creative community as a photographer and champion for equity, diversity, and inclusion, Erin has strengthened our community through her advocacy, philanthropy, and creative work in more ways than could ever be counted.We're honored to celebrate both of them at SWEET SIXTEEN as we look back on sixteen years of groundbreaking theatre and look forward to the future."

Past recipients of The Kerry Callery Award for Distinguished Service to the Arts include Monica Shinn, Shey Ri Acú Rivera Ríos, Richard Donelly, Charles and Cheryl Cavalconte, Barnaby Evans, Wendy Overly, and Brien Lang.

Past recipients of The Arthur Richter 'Spirit of Giving' Award include Joe and Billy Zappala, Ronald & Heather Florence, and members of the Lifelong Learning Collaborative (LLC).

ABOUT THE HONOREES

About Umberto Crenca - The Kerry Callery Award for Distinguished Service to the Arts

Umberto (Bert) Crenca is a multidisciplinary artist with a long exhibition and performance history. His work appears in the permanent collections of the Rhode Island School of Design and Newport Art Museums, and in numerous private collections in the US and abroad. Bert's most recent work is an ongoing series of paintings called DIVINE PROVIDENCE, a loving but unsentimental glimpse into the corners, crevices and in-between spaces in which life happens in the city.

Well known for being co-founder and longtime artistic director of AS220, a nonprofit center for the arts in downtown Providence, Bert is a passionate advocate of the conviction that all people should have access to the means to cultivate and express their creativity. He has received numerous honors and awards for his community work and holds honorary doctorates from Roger Williams and Brown Universities.

About Erin X. Smithers - The Arthur Richter 'Spirit of Giving' Award

Erin X. Smithers is a Senior Compliance Manager and Fair Banking Program Manager at Citizens. With more than 20 years of experience in banking, she has built a career grounded in strong risk and compliance expertise, servant leadership, and an unwavering commitment to fair and responsible banking. Her work spans regulatory compliance, risk management, and designing programs that strengthen Citizens' ability to better serve customers and communities.

Beyond her core responsibilities, Erin manages the PrepareRI High School Internship Program and launched the first Co‑Op Program in Rhode Island at Citizens. Both programs are delivered in partnership with Skills for Rhode Island's Future, with the Co‑Op Program developed alongside Rhode Island College's School of Business. These initiatives reflect Erin's passion for expanding equitable career pathways and helping young people build meaningful skills for the future of work.