Mid-century Cuban style was on full display as McCarter Theater Center hosted its 40th gala benefit, supporting its ongoing artistic and educational missions in Princeton and around the region. This year’s gala, A Night in Old Havana, featured a special performance by the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, led by Wynton Marsalis.
The evening began with a cocktail reception and dinner hosted in a specially designed tent on McCarter’s back lawn, attended by 400 guests. During the meal, guests took part in both live and silent auctions, the live auction hosted by Sebastian Clarke of Rago Arts in Lambertville. The dress theme for the evening was 1940s-inspired black or white tie.
The artistic highlight of the evening was a sold-out 90-minute set by Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra in McCarter’s 1,072-seat Matthews Theater. After the concert, more than 500 guests returned to the tent for an after-party complete with food, entertainment, and dancing.
The event co-chairs were Reggie and Aliya Browne of Newtown, PA; Ed Matthews and Vilma Keri of Princeton; and Christiana Foglio-Palmer and Douglas Palmer of Princeton.
The supporters of McCarter’s gala make numerous initiatives possible at McCarter. In addition to the work appearing on its two stages each season, McCarter also offers numerous educational outreach programs that serve as many as 20,000 students a year across the region.
