TheatreWorks Raises More Than $550K At GALA 54: A NIGHT OF DISCO DREAMIN'

Donned in vibrant jumpsuits and bedecked in sequined getups harking back to the heyday of Studio 54, some 246 guests danced the night away at Palo Alto Hills Golf & Country Club to honor TheatreWorks Silicon Valley at its spring fundraiser Gala 54: A Night of Disco Dreamin', a glitzy gala full of disco fun.

This event, held Sunday, May 4, successfully raised more than $550,000 to toast the exciting future of the Tony Award recipient and benefit its continued mission to bring the arts to Bay Area audiences.

During the event, Artistic Director Giovanna Sardelli addressed the crowd of TheatreWorks supporters, thanking them for their tireless support over TheatreWorks' 55 years. Following the May 2 cancellation of TheatreWorks' 2025 National Endowment of the Arts (NEA) Grant, Sardelli passionately restated TheatreWorks' commitment to spotlighting diverse voices and expressed the vital need for the arts as the crowd erupted with thunderous applause. She invited guests to raise their paddles and commit to supporting live theatre, a rallying cry that was met with an outpouring of pledges.

“I have been so heartened by the overflowing support following the recent shocking news of cuts to NEA funding,” said TheatreWorks Artistic Director Giovanna Sardelli. “TheatreWorks' vibrant community really shone this weekend, furthering their continued dedication to the arts in the Bay Area. Their pledges will help us prepare for next season, but we still have a long way to go, as traditional funding sources for the arts diminish. The funds raised during this wonderful event will help in closing that gap.”

Gala 54 committee members behind the festivities included the event's chair Barbara Shapiro of Menlo Park, as well as Dr. Sarah Donaldson of Stanford; Nancy Ginsburg Stern of Palo Alto; Vickie Rozell of Menlo Park; Julie Kaufman of Atherton; Cindi Sears of Portola Valley; Gayla Lorthridge Wood, Mrigendra Steiner and Lynn Szekely of Los Altos Hills; Aldo Bilingslea of Santa Clara; and Danielle O'Hare of San Francisco. TheatreWorks Board Chair Mark Greenstein of Menlo Park, TheatreWorks Board Co-Chair Katie Blodgett of San Carlos, and TheatreWorks trustees Wynne Dubovoy of Menlo Park, Rose Hau of Atherton, Roy Johnson of Portola Valley, Lee Ann Payne of Redwood City, Alex Perez of Palo Alto, Jane Weston of Emerald Hills, and Edlyn Yuen of Foster City enjoyed the festivities in style. Also in attendance was former California State Senator Joe Simitian, who stage managed at TheatreWorks during the disco days of the 1970s, as well as Montalvo Arts Center's Executive Director Angela McConnell and Managing Director Kelly Hudson; EnActe Arts' Artistic Director Vinita Belani and Managing Director Kalpana Guha; and Palo Alto Players Board President Dana Tom.

Guests passed through the velvet ropes to enter Palo Alto Hills Golf & Country Club, a stunning venue with sprawling vista views nestled next to the Arastradero Preserve. The guests began the event by mingling with cocktails and sumptuous wines from J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines in hand on the patio. Guests then gathered in the ballroom for a delectable dinner, enjoying hors d'oeuvres, salad, and a choice of pan seared filet of beef, chardonnay poached salmon, and vegetarian wellington.

Powerhouse performer/trailblazing activist Shakina was the evening's resident Dancing Queen ahead of her upcoming World Premiere Musical Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean, performing June 18 – July 13, 2025 at Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts. Shakina was joined by performers Solona Husband and Miller Liberatore for a medley of disco favorites. Shakina brought down the house with her stirring rendition of “The Rose.”

Star auctioneer Devon Bell took the stage to offer up rare treasures, unforgettable trips, and behind-the-scenes theatre experiences. Shakina joined Bell to kick off the evening by auctioning off three backstage tours at Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean. Other live auction items included a sailboat tour around the San Francisco Bay, a private plane tour through the Bay Area skies, premium season tickets to San Francisco Giants, and a musical theatre insider tour to New York to attend National Alliance for Musical Theatre's Festival of New Musicals. Bidding was fierce for a stunning seven-night escape to Maui as well as a golf getaway with courses at both the event's venue Palo Alto Hills Golf & Country Club and Monterey's Peninsula Country Club. The auction closed with several lucky attendees securing an exclusive VIP tour of Lucasfilm's campus in San Francisco's Presidio.

Sardelli was then joined by TheatreWorks Interim Executive Director Phil Santora and TheatreWorks Director of Development Aaron Nicholson to honor the contributions of the Board Emeriti with a special tribute spotlighting each of the decades of the company. Board Emeriti in attendance at the event included William Adler, Lauren Berman, Polly Bredt, Jenny Dearborn, Peggy Woodford Forbes, Anne Hambly, Susan Huch, Perry Irvine, Derry Kabcenell, Julie Kaufman, Robert Kelley, Robin Kennedy, Gayla Lorthridge Wood, Nancy Meyer, Eileen Nelson, Ellice Papp, Phil Santora, Loren Saxe, and Holly Ward.

The attendees engaged in a heated competition as TheatreWorks kicked off the Dessert Dash, sponsored by Cindi Sears and TheatreWorks' Volunteer Artist Hospitality Committee. In this favorite TheatreWorks fundraiser tradition, guests gathered table bids for the chance to choose their dessert selection first from a table groaning with beautifully decorated and decadent desserts from local businesses. The evening closed with Phil Santora leading the attendees in a rousing rendition of The Hustle.

San Francisco / Bay Area Awards - Live Stats

Best Musical - Top 3

1. URINETOWN (Ghostlight Theatre Ensemble)

16.7% of votes

2. THE DAY THE SKY TURNED ORANGE (San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Company / Z Space)

9.3% of votes

3. SWEENEY TODD (Cabrillo Stage)

8.4% of votes

Vote Now!