DALLAS SUMMER MUSICALS RAISES MORE THAN $500,000 AT UNFORGETTABLE 2018 DSM GALA, AN EVENING WITH THE BEST OF BROADWAY
Posted on November 9th, 2018
All proceeds to directly support Dallas Summer Musicals and its education and community programs
Dallas, TX (Nov. 9, 2018) – An Evening with the Best of Broadway illuminated the historic Music Hall at Fair Park on Saturday night as Dallas leaders, philanthropists and lovers of the arts came together to support the magic of musical theatre at the 2018 DSM Gala.
Hosted by one of Broadway and television’s favorite personaities, Jane Lynch, and featuring the vocal talents of four extraordinary artists, Matthew Morrison, Shoshana Bean, Joshua Henry and Loren Allred, An Evening with the Best of Broadway raised more than $500,000, which will support the growing nonprofit’s mission to bring the very best of Broadway to North Texas, as well as DSM’s education and community programs, such as the DSM High School Musical Theatre Awards (DSM HSMTA), Seats for Vets, Seats for Kids, Kid’s Club, Hear Us Now and the DSM Community Performance.
“Dallas Summer Musicals could not be more appreciative of our supporters,” said Kenneth T. Novice, DSM president. “We know that it’s up to us to educate and uplift students, young people, veterans and seniors with the arts, and we look forward to engaging numerous organizations and individuals in a conversation about how musical theatre can create a positive impact on our communities. Our goal is to share the gift of Broadway with as may people as we can, which would not be possible without the funds raised from An Evening with the Best of Broadway.”
The evening, overseen by Gala co-chairs Cara Owens and John Clutts, began with dinner crafted by Executive Chef Christopher Patrick of Abacus-Jasper’s Restaurant Group. During the meal, guests particpated in a silent auction that included opportunities to bid on a trip for two to the 73rd Annual Tony Awards® in New York City donated by Broadway Across America and American Airlines, premium tickets to the performance and cast party of Hamilton when it comes to the Music Hall in Spring 2019, an experience package including box tickets to a Fleetwood Mac concert at American Airlines Center and stay at The Joule, family tickets for the Dallas engagement of Disney’s Aladdin and more. Everyone attending the show had the opportunity to purchase raffle tickets for a chance to meet the stars following the show and the lucky winners were three very ecstatic theatre teachers.
The celebration continued with a show-stopping production directed by Ken Sawyer featuring performances from an extraordinary lineup of artists, including Emmy and Golden Globe Award winner Jane Lynch, who served as the evening’s emcee. Lynch kicked off the festivities dressed as “the greatest showman” in a number highlighting DSM’s 2018-19 season.
Broadway star and Billboard-topping jazz and R&B artist Shoshana Bean was first to grace the stage, accompanied by Alan Ferber. Bean dazzled audiences with her powerhouse vocals in renditions of “I Wanna Be Around” off of her latest album, Spectrum, and “You Will Be Found” from Dear Evan Hansen.
Next, Lynch’s former Glee co-star and Tony® Award nominee Matthew Morrison took the stage with Brad Ellis and captivated the audience with medleys from his standout roles on Broadway including Finding Neverland and Hairspray, and Morrison showed off his dance ability during “Singin’ in the Rain.”
Between performances was the special presentation of DSM’s newest award and highest service honor, the ANGEL Award, handed out by Novice, Owens and Clutts, to the family of Charles S. Sharp and Ruth Collins Sharp Altshuler in recognition of Charles and Ruth’s dedication and service to DSM. Because of their outstanding leadership within DSM and commitment to the Dallas arts community, the award will henceforth be named in their honor as the Charles S. Sharp and Ruth Collins Sharp Altshuler ANGEL Award. Sally Harris, the Sharps’ daughter, said, “the Music Hall is a place of great memories of the magic and excitement of musical theatre. Dallas Summer Musicals was a huge part of my life growing up because my father and later my mother gave their all to its success and continuation. It inspired me to both participate in and support the arts.”
“Dallas Summer Musicals’ annual Gala is a celebration of the many wonders of musical theatre, but it’s also an opportunity for us to give back to those who helped build the organization into what it is today,” said Clutts. “Without the tireless efforts from exemplary supporters like Charles, Ruth and community members all over Dallas, DSM would not be able to touch the hearts and lives of so many,” agreed Owens.
The event was designed with an element of surprise which built a great deal of anticipation among guests. The audience’s expectations were exceeded as were wowed with surprise performances from Hamilton alum and two-time Tony Award® nominee Joshua Henry, who brought the stage to life with “Feeling Good” and “The Room Where It Happens,” and Loren Allred, best known as a member of Team Adam on The Voice and for her role in The Greatest Showman, who received roaring applause for her performance of “Never Enough.”
Finally, students from the Dallas Independent School District and the 2018 DSM HSMTA Best Actor and Actress winners, Noah Aguilar and Sierra Roberson of Frienship High School, joined Morrison, Bean, Henry and Allred on stage for a memorable finale performance of “This Is Me” from The Greatest Showman, which received a standing ovation from the audience.
The 2018 DSM Gala Spotlight Underwriters are Dallas Southwest Osteopathic Physicians Group and Highland Capital Management. Producer Underwriters are Dr. Sami Arslanlar and John R. Clutts; Barbara and Don Daseke & Laree Hulshoff and Ben Fischer; Fears Nachawati Law Firm; Astrid Merriman; and Cara and Gary Owens. The 2018 DSM Gala Media Sponsor is PaperCity Magazine and the Digital Media Sponsor is MySweetCharity. The Official Airline for the 2018 DSM Gala is American Airlines and the official hotel for the event is The Joule. Abacus-Jasper’s Restaurant Group sponsored the Patron Party. DSM’S 2018-19 Broadway Season Sponsors are Texas Instruments, American Airlines, The Dallas Morning News and WFAA Channel 8.
DSM will continue to bring the best of Broadway to North Texas in the 2018-19 season with Hamilton, Disney’s Aladdin, Hello, Dolly!, Cameron Mackintosh’s new production of The Phantom of the Opera, Anastasia, Miss Saigon, Fiddler on the Roof and season add-ons Elf and The Book of Mormon.
For more information about DSM’S education and community programs, please call the DSM Development office at 214-426-6333 or visit http://dallassummermusicals.org/education-outreach/.
About Dallas Summer Musicals:
For more than 75 years, the non-profit Dallas Summer Musicals Inc. (DSM) has presented the very best in Broadway to North Texas audiences. Located in the historic Music Hall at Fair Park, DSM promotes excellence in live musical theatre with year-round performances for diverse audiences of all ages, impacting the lives of children and families through education and community outreach programs, while enriching the cultural landscape of North Texas and the Southwest Region.
As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, DSM relies on a variety of funding sources to offer affordable ticket prices, preserve the beautiful historic theatre, educate young audiences and develop impactful community programs.
DSM gratefully acknowledges the support of our season sponsors, annual fund donors and corporate partners American Airlines, Texas Instruments, The Dallas Morning News, and WFAA TV Channel 8. For more information about Dallas Summer Musicals, please call 214.421.5678 or visit our website at DallasSummerMusicals.org.
About Jane Lynch:
Jane Lynch was raised near Chicago and cut her theatrical teeth at The Second City and Steppenwolf Theatre. Lynch is the two-time Emmy winning host of Hollywood Game Night and an Emmy and Golden Globe winner for her portrayal of “Sue Sylvester” on Glee. She currently appears in The Good Fight on CBS and on Amazon’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Additional television credits include portraying Janet Reno in Manifesto, Criminal Minds, Portlandia, Angel From Hell, Party Down, Lovespring International, Two and a Half Men, and The L Word. Lynch’s film credits include Wreck It Ralph I and II, The Three Stooges, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Talladega Nights, Role Models, Julie & Julia, A Mighty Wind, Best In Show, and For Your Consideration.
She made her Broadway debut in the 2013 production of Annie, and soon thereafter embarked on her own live concert tour, See Jane Sing, with Kate Flannery and Tim Davis. Their Billboard Top 10 holiday album, A Swingin’ Little Christmas is available from iTunes, Amazon and other outlets.
About Matthew Morrison:
Matthew Morrison is a versatile actor who is recognized for his work on-stage and on-screen. He has been nominated for Tony, Emmy and Golden Globe Awards.
Morrison most recently starred as “J.M Barrie” in Finding Neverland through January, 2016. The Broadway production is an adaptation of the 2004 film written by David Magee. The story follows the relationship between Barrie and the Davies family, who became the author’s inspiration for the creation of Peter Pan. Morrison received two Drama Desk nominations for his role, and won the category of Favorite Actor in a Musical in the Broadway.com Audience Awards.
In addition to his Broadway tenure in 2016, Morrison performed as a guest star on the CBS hit show The Good Wife, where he played the role of U.S. Attorney, “Conor Fox” through the series finale.
In 2015, Morrison wrapped the final season of Fox’s musical comedy series Glee, where he starred as the director of the glee club, “Mr. Schuester.” The show was created by Ryan Murphy and received the Golden Globe award “Best Television Series – Comedy or Musical” in 2010 and 2011.
In June, 2013, Morrison released his latest studio album, Where It All Began, which is a Broadway standards record that was produced by the legendary Phil Ramone. Prior to this album, Morrison released his debut, self-titled album through Mercury Records in 2011, which featured an A-list lineup of guest artists including Sting, Gwyneth Paltrow and Sir Elton John.
In 2012, Morrison starred in the Lionsgate film, What to Expect When You’re Expecting, which was based on the book of the same name, directed by Kirk Jones. The film also starred Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Lopez and Dennis Quaid among others. Morrison played a famous dance show star who is faced with the unexpected demands of fatherhood. The film was released on May 18, 2012.
In March 2012, Morrison hosted and narrated the PBS special entitled Oscar Hammerstein II- Out of My Dreams, which focused on the Broadway producer’s life and career. Also in March 2012, Morrison was featured in a performance of Dustin Lance Black’s play, 8 – a staged reenactment of the federal trial that overturned California’s Prop 8 ban on same-sex marriage. The performance raised money for the American Foundation for Equal Rights.
Morrison studied musical theater, vocal performance and dance at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. He made his debut on Broadway in Footloose but his big break came when he was cast as heartthrob “Link Larkin” in the hit Hairspray. Morrison was later nominated for a Tony Award for his role in The Light in the Piazza, and received a Drama Desk Nomination for Outstanding Actor in a Musical for 10 Million Miles. He also starred in the Tony® Award-winning revival of South Pacific at Lincoln Center Theater in New York.
Morrison currently resides in New York.
About Shoshana Bean
Shoshana Bean’s four independent solo albums have all topped the iTunes charts in the U.S. and U.K., with her latest album Spectrum landing at #1 on the Billboard Jazz Charts.
Bean made her Broadway debut in the original cast of Hairspray and starred as the very first replacement for “Elphaba” in Wicked. Most recently, she appeared as “Fanny Brice” in Funny Girl and as “Cee-Cee Bloom” in the new musical adaptation of Beaches, for which she earned a Jeff Award Nomination for best lead actress in a musical.
She has sold out solo concerts around the globe, lent her voice to countless films and television shows, amassed millions of views on YouTube, toured with Postmodern Jukebox, performed alongside David Foster, Ariana Grande, Brian McKnight and sang back up for Michael Jackson for his 30th anniversary concert at Madison Square Garden. She arranged vocals for Jennifer Lopez’s American Idol performance of “I Luh Ya Papi,” and her music has been featured in television shows on NBC, MTV, Oxygen, Bravo and Showtime.
About Joshua Henry
Joshua was most recently seen on Broadway as the iconic ‘Billy Bigelow’ in the revival of Carousel for producer Scott Rudin and director Jack O’Brien, for which he received a coveted Tony nomination. This past December, Joshua closed his run as ‘Aaron Burr’ in the cultural phenomenon, Hamilton, in Los Angeles. On screen, he’ll next be seen in a starring role in the action flick Renegades for Luc Besson/EuropaCorp opposite Oscar winner JK Simmons and Sullivan Stapleton. Joshua has starred on Broadway as ‘Noble Sissle’ in George C. Wolfe’s Tony-nominated musical Shuffle Along opposite Audra McDonald. Prior to Shuffle Along, Joshua was seen on Broadway in his Tony nominated turn opposite Sutton Foster in the musical Violet. He received Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and Drama League Award nominations for his thrilling, show-stopping performance. He was previously nominated for a Tony Award for his starring role in Susan Stroman’s The Scottsboro Boys. Other Broadway credits include leading roles in Diane Paulus’ revival of Porgy & Bess and Green Day’s American Idiot.
About Loren Allred
Loren Allred is a world-renowned vocalist, widely known as the heart-gripping voice behind the song “Never Enough” from the hit soundtrack of The Greatest Showman. The single has been certified Gold, boasts over 100 million digital streams across the globe, and sat atop the Spotify viral charts in the U.S and globally. Allred was recently featured on the Hardwell track “This Is Love”, and looks forward to sharing her recently-announced duet with Michael Bublé, set for worldwide release on November 16, 2018.
About Ken Sawyer
Ken Sawyer is an award-winning director based in Los Angeles but grew up in the Dallas area where he began his early art education at The Arts Magnet High School at Booker T Washington. Directing highlights include: collaborating with Emmy Award winner Paris Barclay on the musical ONE RED FLOWER (starring Maureen Mcgovern and Josh Henderson), with rock icons Charlotte Caffey (the GoGos) and Anna Waronker (That Dog) on LOVELACE: THE ROCK OPERA (starring Katrina Lenk), with Stephen Schwartz and David Stern on the development of SNAPSHOTS, with Colin Escott on development of the Broadway hit THE MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET, and with legends Lily Tomlin and Jane Wagner in re-imagining their THE SEARCH FOR SIGNS OF INTELLIGENT LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE for a full cast. This summer Ken directed for film HAM: A MUSICAL MEMOIR by Sam Harris chronicling his rise to fame as the first winner of Star Search. Ken works regularly at the Lily Tomlin/Jane Wagner arts complex at the LA LGBTQ Centre and is currently developing a musical based on the night of the Stonewall riots. For more information go to www.kensawyerdirector.com
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