This year was a big milestone for Dallas Theater Center, and the Tony Award-winning company celebrated accordingly at its annual gala.

Titled "Centerstage 40: A Brand New Day," the gala not only commemorated its 40th year of fundraising but also 65 years of DTC itself. The event's name was a nod to the musical The Wiz, which is currently enjoying a Broadway revival. The gala's guest star, musical theater legend André De Shields, starred in its original 1975 run.

Event chair Hamilton A. Sneed, along with honorary chairs T.D. and Serita Jakes and Helen and Frank Risch, welcomed arts enthusiasts, Dallas luminaries and philanthropists, and colorfully dressed guests to Fashion Industry Gallery on May 4.

The cabaret-inspired evening was styled after 54 Below, an intimate New York City performance venue/supper club known as Broadway's Living Room.

Upon entry, guests were greeted with Lallier Champagne before ducking into luxuriously styled rooms featuring live entertainment by Diane & Hal Brierley Resident Acting Company members Tiffany Solano and Zachary J. Willis, accompanied by Vicky Nooe and Jesse Fry.

In adjoining rooms, a pop-up gallery offering a look back on DTC’s Public Works and Project Discovery was on display. The nearly 260 gala guests were encouraged to write their favorite things about DTC on the temporary walls, with several mentions of how it improves the community appearing throughout the night.

Bars served up several different ages of The Macallan scotch, along with the evening’s signature cocktail “The Ruby,” featuring Divertido tequila.

Once everyone was seated at the rainbow-inspired tables, Sneed welcomed the crowd and recognized the 1984 Centerstage chairs Linda Custard, Bess Enloe, and Jane Dune. Spotted applauding in the crowd were Anita Hawkins, Kimberly Alexander, Chuck Steelman, Andy Smith and Paul von Wupperfeld, Diane and Hal Brierley, and Kristen and Reed Gibbons.

Vestals Catering served a three-course meal with menu items inspired by headliner De Shields and the 2023-24 DTC season, before newly appointed interim artistic director Jonathan Norton delivered the Linda and Bill Custard Award to DTC Life Trustee Donna M. Wilhelm.

Auctioneer Morgan Hopson then kicked up the intensity by auctioning luxury experience packages that included an in-home dinner with celebrity chef Tiffany Derry and fellow female chefs Janice Provost, Tracy Miller, Nikky Phinyawatana, and Jill Bates; a NYC experience with tickets to the Broadway revival of The Wiz; and an ultimate Napa experience featuring visits to over 10 wineries and vineyards. But it was the Ferragamo brand experience with two tickets to the spring/summer 2025 runway show in Milan that stole the show, selling for $45,000.

Remarks by Brandi Giles, DTC director of Public Works, followed, which also included a heartfelt introduction of Christian Wilson, a former Project Discovery student and current theater director at Lancaster High School.

His message set the tone for the Public Works paddle raise before it was time for DTC executive director Kevin Moriarty to introduce the evening's headliner.

The Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Award-winning De Shields first took an excitement-inducing stroll through the audience, greeting, complimenting, posing with, and absolutely making the night of many attendees. He then performed such notable hits as “Let the Good Times Roll,” “Stand By Me,” “Bad Boy,” “Symphony Rap,” and an entertaining mash-up of sultry, soulful tunes.

Proceeds raised from Centerstage makes it possible for DTC to continue the inclusive and creative work of the organization with community and engagement programs such as Project Discovery, the Public Works Pageant, and many others. See DTC's 2024-25 season here.

Photo by Thomas Garza Photography

Brandi Giles.

Sneed will return as the event chair for Dallas Theater Center’s Centerstage 41 event in 2025.