Abby Traister and McKenna Wesley
Phoenix Theatre was decked out for the affair.
Missi Harrington and Lynne Love have fun on the dance floor.
Carolyn and Craig Jackson
Darlene Keller-Price and Vincent VanVleet
Gabrielle Van Buren and chef Gabriele Bertaccini
Love onstage with the Applause! Gala actors
Love onstage with the Applause! Gala actors
January 9, 2017 | Parties
Standing Ovation
Theater enthusiasts donned their best Broadway attire for a night of cocktails, posh bites and performances.
THE PARTY
Phoenix Theatre’s 2016 Applause! Gala marked a record-breaking year, with more than $450,000 raised for the theater’s performances, education programs and community outreach efforts.
THE GUESTS
Honorees included Craig and Carolyn Jackson, who received the Pope Humanitarian Award; Lynne Love and Karrin Kunasek Taylor, both recipients of the Woman Who Cares Award; former Tempe Mayor Neil Giuliano, who nabbed the Man of Character Award; Larry and Janet Read, who earned the Angels of the Art Award; and Pat McMahon, winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award.
THE HIGHLIGHTS
Guests enjoyed a sumptuous plated dinner by chef Gabriele Bertaccini of iL Tocco Food and performances of the honorees’ favorite musical-theater songs. The audience erupted in laughter as Valley philanthropist and MoneySoft, Inc., president Robert Machiz impersonated fellow philanthropist Billie Jo Herberger. Overall, the evening was a success, raising more money than any event in the theater’s 97 years. ‒Lauren Swanson
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