Cloudy Skies Couldn't Dampen Bay Street Theater's Silver Anniversary Summer Gala

Bay Street Theater celebrated its 25th Annual Summer Gala at the Long Wharf in Sag Harbor on Saturday, July 9, 2016. Proceeds from this gala will go to support Bay Street’s educational and theatrical programs.

Despite the cloudy skies and the constant threat of rain, the event was a smashing success. The long hallway, which led to the main party area, was graced on both sides with large photographs of scenes from productions over the last quarter of a century. The spacious, tented ballroom was decorated with chandeliers, blue lights, elegant bar areas, and perfectly set tables. The atmosphere was fun and festive, and the hundreds of supporters of this theater just seemed happy to be there.

Sag Harbor residents, Alan and Arlene Alda, served as the honorary chairs for this over-the-top Silver Anniversary celebration, which fittingly included scenes from productions from the past 25 years, a cocktail hour, dinner and dancing, a silent auction featuring actor and Bay Street Artistic Associate Richard Kind (A Serious Man, Spin City) as the Celebrity Auctioneer. B.D. Wong was the Emcee for this spectacular evening.

Since this was the Silver Anniversary celebration, the founders and patrons that brought this theater to life were rightfully honored: Emma Walton Hamilton and Stephen Hamilton; Adrianne and Jerry Cohen; and Patrick Malloy III.

The evening also included special appearances and performances by Jason Alexander, Alec Baldwin, Josh Grisetti, and Harris Yulin.

I was happy to run into Amanda Kristin Nichols, one of the stars of The Last Night of Ballyhoo, the play that is currently running until July 24 at Bay Street Theater, and I was sure to tell her how much I loved the show and her performance in it.

Among the other notables attending the gala were: Edie Falco (The Sopranos, Nurse Jackie), Aida Turturro (The Sopranos), Stewart F. Lane (Six-time Tony Award winning producer) and his wife, Bonnie Comley (Three-time Tony Award winning producer), and Southampton Town Supervisor, Jay H. Schneiderman.

Cindi Sansone-Braff, The Romance Whisperer, talks to the dead to show you how to live well and love better. She is an award-winning playwright and has a BFA in theatre from the University of Connecticut. She is the author of Grant Me a Higher Love and Why Good People Can’t Leave Bad Relationships. Visit her web site at: www.grantmeahigherlove.com.