2010 Spring Gala
Click here to see photos from the event.
(All photos by Aaron Epstein.)
About the Honorees
Gretchen Shugart, CEO
TheaterMania
The Kathy and Howard J. Aibel Award Recipient
Gretchen Shugart is CEO of TheaterMania.com, Inc., which owns and operates OvationTix, a web-based ticketing system used by hundreds of arts organizations and events nationwide, and www.theatermania.com, an editorial website read by 750,000 consumers each month that markets and promotes theater and the performing arts. Prior to joining TheaterMania, Gretchen was President of eMediaCapital, an investment banking advisory firm focusing on the media and telecommunications industries. Ms. Shugart has Bachelor of Science degrees in Management and Economics from New York University's Stern School of Business, and serves on not-for-profit and foundation boards, including the Union Square Partnership, the National Corporate Theatre Fund, and the Maurer Family Foundation. Ms. Shugart lives in Westchester with her husband, Jonathan Maurer, and children Stephanie (18) and Alexander (16).
The Kathy and Howard J. Aibel Award is presented to a philanthropist or member of the business community whose work has made creating theatre in New York City better for artists. Past recipients include Laura Pels, President of The Laura Pels Foundation and The Laura Pels International Foundation; Eric Gural of Newmark & Company Real Estate, Inc.; producer Ted Snowdon; and Steve Olsen, owner of West Bank Cafe.
Sigourney Weaver
Founder of The Flea Theater
The Abe L. Blinder Award Recipient
Born and educated in New York City, Sigourney Weaver graduated from Stanford University and received a Masters degree from the Yale School of Drama. She started her Off Off Broadway career in Christopher Durang's plays, The Nature and Purpose of the Universe, Titanic, and Das Lusitania Songspiel, which she co-wrote. Among her numerous Off Broadway productions, Weaver originated roles in two A.R. Gurney world premieres: Crazy Mary at Playwrights Horizons, and Mrs. Farnsworth at The Flea Theater. She also starred in Neil LaBute's The Mercy Seat opposite Liev Schreiber at MCC Theater, and originated the female lead in Anne Nelson's The Guys at The Flea, where it was commissioned and directed by Jim Simpson. On Broadway, she received a Tony nomination for her role in Hurlyburly, and appeared in the Lincoln Center production of Sex and Longing, by Christopher Durang.
Weaver has received numerous nominations and awards for her films, which include all four Alien movies, Ghostbusters, Gorillas in the Mist, Working Girl, The Ice Storm, Galaxy Quest, Holes, and A Map of the World. Most recently, she was seen in the blockbuster Avatar, her first collaboration with James Cameron since Aliens. Upcoming films include Crazy on the Outside, Tim Allen's directorial debut; Paul, with Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Seth Rogan, and Jason Bateman; and You Again, with Jamie Lee Curtis and Kristen Bell.
Jim Simpson, Artistic Director
Founder of The Flea Theater
The Abe L. Blinder Recipient
Jim Simpson is the Founder and Artistic Director of The Flea Theater (2004 Drama Desk cited for Downtown Adventurous Theater). Two-time OBIE-award winner, 2002 National Board of Review Excellence in Filmmaking, and cited for artistic leadership in Downtown New York by the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council in 2002. Jim has directed over 70 works for the theater and has also directed for film and television. Venues include nine seasons at the Williamstown Theater Festival, Alley Theater, Hartford Stage, Yale Rep, Actor's Theater of Louisville, Eisenhower Theater at the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, Playwrights Horizons, EST, CSC, MCC, the London International Theater Festival, and the Melbourne Fringe Festival. Jim was a child actor in his hometown of Honolulu, as a teenager worked with Jerzy Grotowski in Poland, and holds degrees from Boston University School for the Arts and the Yale Drama School. Most recently, Jim directed A. R. Gurney's Crazy Mary at Playwrights Horizons, Will Eno's Oh, The Humanity..., the revival of Peter Handke's Offending The Audience, Addison's CATO , Thomas Bradshaw's Dawn , Gurney's A Light Lunch, and Will Eno's UNUM as part of The Flea's The Great Recession.
The Abe L. Blinder Award is presented to an artist or innovator who has made a significant impact on the theatre industry and community throughout his career. Past recipients include Anne Hamburger, Executive Vice President Creative Entertainment, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts; the producers of ABC's series Ugly Betty; Anita Durst, co-founder of chashama (an organization that transforms temporarily vacant properties into performance and gallery space); and Catherine Maciariello, Program Officer at The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
Gala Commitee
Susan Bernfield
Helene Blieberg
Jon Blinder
Marshall D. Butler
Alyce Dissette
Lisa Frigand
Michael Graff
Jeffrey R. Gural
John Issendorf
Robert LuPone
Carol Mitchell
Carol Ostrow
Victoria Pettibone
Catherine Porter