The Big Tent Party
Looking for the Digital program? Click HERE
THE BIG TENT PARTY
A Benefit for Long Wharf Theatre
Be part of Long Wharf Theatre’s celebration of community and our biggest fundraiser of the year!
Gathered together under one big tent for a theatrical celebration, you help make possible our storied theatre’s commitment to Artistic Innovation, Radical Inclusion, and Kaleidoscopic Partnerships. THEATRE IS FOR EVERYONE.
The silent auction is now LIVE. Let the bidding begin! Click HERE to register, bid and win!
5 PM (outdoors)
- COCKTAILS, PASSED HORS D’OEUVRES & TASTING STATIONS by Café George by Paula
- TASTING STATIONS hosted by New Haven Restaurants
- LIVE JAZZ
6:15 PM (live on the Claire Tow Stage and live-streamed on the big screen outdoors)
- MUSIC PERFORMANCES by celebrated New Haven Artist and singer/songwriter Thabisa and Tony-award winning artists Gavin Creel and Nikki M. James
- PREMIERE SCREENING of the short documentary film SEE ME AS produced by Lotta Studio under creative director Mistina Hanscom showcasing Long Wharf Theatre costumes over the decades styled and modeled by New Haveners
- PADDLE RAISE to benefit Long Wharf Theatre’s kaleidoscopic programming
7:30 PM (outdoors)
- DANCE PARTY with New Haven’s DJ GABBY
- FOOD TRUCKS
- DESSERT STATIONS
RSVP DETAILS: Tickets are on sale now!
- Director Ticket $500
- Patron Ticket $300
- Dance Party Only Ticket $30
Proof of COVID-19 vaccination required; masks required inside the theatre and optional outdoors.
To explore sponsorship opportunities, contact Director of Philanthropy Jennifer Crookes.
To contribute an item to the online Silent Auction, contact Development Coordinator Nicole Makos.
Get a sneek peek of See Me As. Get your tickets to see the full length video at the Big Tent Party!
Thabisa
she/her Musical Performer
Gavin Creel
he/him MUSICAL PERFORMERGAVIN CREEL received a Tony Award for his
performance as “Cornelius Hackl” in HELLO, DOLLY! starring
Bette Midler. After making his Broadway debut in
THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE, for which he received his
first Tony nomination, Creel went on to star in the Broadway
productions of HAIR, (Tony Award nomination), LA CAGE
AUX FOLLES, SHE LOVES ME, THE BOOK OF MORMON,
and WAITRESS. Gavin received an Olivier Award for his
portrayal of “Elder Price” in the London Production of THE
BOOK OF MORMON and also appeared on the West End in
MARY POPPINS, HAIR, and WAITRESS. On television,
Creel recently performed a solo PBS concert special with
“Stars on Stage,” appeared in the premiere episodes of Ryan
Murphy’s anthology series “American Horror Stories” and
played “Bill” alongside Julie Andrews in “Eloise at the Plaza”
and “Eloise at Christmastime.” As a songwriter, he has
released three original albums: GoodTimeNation, Quiet, and
Get Out and is currently writing an original theatre piece
entitled WALK ON THROUGH: CONFESSIONS OF A
MUSEUM NOVICE, based on the collections of The
Metropolitan Museum of Art. A native of Findlay, Ohio, Gavin
is a proud graduate of University of Michigan School of Music,
Theatre and Dance, a 2022 Hermitage Artist Fellow, and, with
WALK ON THROUGH, will be one of this summer’s featured
writers at The O’Neill National Musical Theatre Conference.
Nikki M. James
she/her MUSICAL PERFORMERNikki M James originated the role of Nabalungi in the Broadway hit musical, The Book of Mormon, for which she won the Tony for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. She recently starred in the world premiere production of Shaina Taub’s Suffs at The Public Theater (Drama League nomination).Favorite theater credits include Tony Kushner’s A Bright Room Called Day (Public), Broadway productions of Les Miserables, All Shook Up and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin (Encores!), Romeo & Juliet, Caesar & Cleopatra alongside. Christopher Plummer (Stratford Theater), The Wiz (La Jolla Playhouse), Julius Caesar, Twelfth Night (Shakespeare in the Park), Bernarda Alba (Lincoln Center), and Preludes (LCT3). Recent notable work in television includes “Severance” for AppleTV+, “Proven Innocent” on FOX, and CBS’s quirky series “Braindead.”As a director, Nikki has helmed episodes of The Bite and The Good Fight. She served as an assistant director to Michael Arden for the Broadway revival of Once On This Island and A Christmas Carol starring Jefferson Mays.She resides in New York City with her husband and holds a BFA in Drama from NYU. She is a sustaining member of her local public radio station. @nikkimjames
