On a picture-perfect Saturday night, more than 250 of Dallas’ most devoted arts patrons gathered at the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre for CENTERSTAGE 42, the annual gala benefiting Dallas Theater Center. The elegant evening on May 2 proved to be both a celebration of Dallas theater’s past and a curtain-raising for its future.

As the sun began to set across the Diane and Hal Brierley Esplanade in the Dallas Arts District, guests descended the outdoor staircase for an al fresco cocktail reception. One popular stop was just inside the doors of the lobby: A "Ziya" digital photo booth from local company Make Life Sweeter that turned patrons' posed photos into stylized watercolor portraits.

Throughout the venue, installations highlighting Dallas Theater Center’s Public Works initiative reminded attendees that the organization’s impact stretches from the stage to the neighborhoods of North Texas.

A multicourse dinner was served on the stage inside the Potter Rose Performance Hall, making attendees feel like the stars of the show in the intimate, theatrical atmosphere.

One of the night’s most meaningful moments came with the presentation of the prestigious Linda and Bill Custard Award to Larry Angelilli, recognized for more than three decades of leadership and advocacy that helped shape Dallas’ cultural landscape. The gala also paused to honor the memories of two beloved arts patrons, Linda Custard and Sarah Warnecke, both longtime champions of Dallas Theater Center and the broader arts community.

Inspired by their example, guests bid high for fabulous live auction items, including trips to Palm Springs and Hawaii and a private dinner with actor Michael Urie at a home on White Rock Lake. A paddle raise followed, with patrons giving generously all around the room.

Every $100 counted - from upstage, downstage, and closer to the wings - as the sold-out fundraiser's earnings totaled an impressive $545,000 in support of the Tony Award-winning theater company and its education and community engagement programs, including Project Discovery, Summer Stage, Saturday Sessions, and Community Workshops.

It wouldn't have been a theater benefit without a showstopping performer. When scheduled headliner Michael Urie was called away for filming commitments tied to Shrinking, Dallas Theater Center called on homegrown talent — and the result brought the crowd to its feet. Broadway performer Tiffany Mann, a DFW native with credits including Be More Chill and Waitress, delivered a powerhouse performance - and a few sparkly outfit changes.

The entire program was emceed by Bri Woods and Akron Watson, both fresh off Dallas Theater Center’s acclaimed production of Ragtime. Woods, an SMU Meadows graduate and Linda and Bill Custard Meadows Actor in the Diane and Hal Brierley Resident Acting Company, represented the next generation of Dallas theater talent, while Tony-, Grammy-, and Emmy-winning Watson brought Broadway pedigree and star power to the gala stage.

This year’s gala leadership reflected the milestone spirit of the evening. Rather than appointing a single chair, Dallas Theater Center reunited gala chairs from the past decade to lead CENTERSTAGE 42 collectively. Leadership included Jennifer and Peter Altabef, Mickie and Jeff Bragalone, Stephanie Byrd, Scott Davis, Melinda Johnson, Brett Levy, Michelle Lockhart, Ann Mahowald, Deborah McMurray, Scott Moore, Scott Orr, Andy Smith, Paul Von Wupperfeld, Hamilton Sneed, and Krista Farber Weinstein.

The evening also marked an exciting turning point for Dallas Theater Center as it prepares to enter a new era under incoming Enloe/Rose Artistic Director Jaime Castañeda, a TCU grad who is making his return to DFW. The affable leader introduced himself to the audience with a few fun personal anecdotes (including one involving an Easter bunny suit) and expressed his enthusiasm for the vision and direction of DTC.

Cheers went up as Castañeda made a surprise announcement: That The Lehman Trilogy would be the final show in DTC's 2026-27 season.

Upon retrieving their cars from valet, guests departed with an ingenious gift on their front seat: A thank-you note and invitation for two tickets to the DTC's next production, the world premiere of Jonathan Norton's play Malcolm X and Redd Foxx Washing Dishes at Jimmy’s Chicken Shack in Harlem -on stage now through June 7. "We look forward to welcoming you back to the theater!" read the note.

Spotted in the crowd, enjoying the evening, were DTC patrons and supporters including Zeke Williams, Grace Cook, Jeff Netzer, Lynn McBee, Kristina Kirkenaer-Hart, Ann Mahowald, Michelle Lockhart, Hamilton A Sneed, Krista Farber Weinstein, Caroline Hamilton, Brandi Willis, Paul von Wupperfeld, Andy Smith, Mickie Bragalone, Jeff Bragalone, Deborah McMurray, Glen Davison, Cynthia Smoot, Jeff Netzer, Jeremy Lock, D'Andra Simmons Lock, Lynn Richardson, Elvenn Richardson, Michelle Lockhart, Krista Weinstein, Paul von Wupperfeld, Sarah Jackson, Andy Smith, and many more. (Scroll through the photos, above, to see highlights of the night.)

Photo by Tamytha Cameron

Zeke Williams, Grace Cook, Jeff Netzer, Lynn McBee, Kristina Kirkenaer-Hart