Tuesday (4/5) Chicago’s Harris Theater for Music and Dance hosted “Imagine the Celebration” Gala plus a performance of Dido and Aeneas from Mark Morris Dance Group and Music Ensemble. While the invite said gala, this wasn’t a ball gown and tuxedo affair seeing as it took place during the week though there were a few best dressed guests spotted on the scene.
Sarah Albrecht in Vionnet
Jay Franke in Thom Browne
Douglas Williams
Sally Jackson and friends
The fundraising event, commemorating completion of the first phase of Harris Theater’s multi million dollar Imagine campaign (renovation and expansion of the public space of the Harris Theater), was chaired by Jay Franke, artistic director of the Chicago Dancing Festival and David Herro, chief investment officer of Harris Associates. The host committee, meaning donations of $50,000+, was a who’s who in Chicago’s corporate and civic leaders including Ariel Investments President Mellody Hobson and husband George Lucas, King and Caryn Harris, Rita and John Canning of Dearborn Partners, Northern Trust Wealth Management Central Region President Steve “Mac” MacLellan and Miriam Waltz, Liz and Eric Lefkofsky of the Lefkofsky foundation, Harris Theater Board of Trustee chairman Alexandra and John Nichols and Pamela Crutchfield to name a few.
Michael Tiknis, Guest, Alexandra Nichols, John Nichols
Guest, Anne Kaplan, Phil Lumpkin, Janet Carl Smith, Guest
Jay Franke, Sarah Albrecht, Tom Shapiro, Madeleine Grynsztejn
Jay Franke, David Herro
Guests on the host committee were sequestered at the begining of the night by dining onstage atop the Pritzker Pavilion while the rest of the gala’s attendees were treated to a strolling buffet dinner. The performance which started shortly after was scheduled to start at 8pm, but first some networking and mingling and a Mayor Emanuel sighting. While waiting for the show to start, one guest was overheard chiding a friend for missing the dinner, when the friend responded that he did just elswhere #levels. The performance of Dido and Aenas, based on the opera by Henry Purcell, was powerful and short. After rousing applause from the audience to the cast and accompanying music ensemble following the performance, it was time for the afterparty in the expanded lower lobby with DJ Matt Roan, as guests enjoyed desserts, music and more mingling.
Amanda Lawson, Cheryl Mendelson, Kevin Jackson, Jodi Kurtze
Suzanne Appel
Shannon Schuyler, Stephen Beard
Alicia del Real, Remberto del Real, David Snyder, Susi Montasir, Kris Kazibut
Bill Ruffin, Emmie Ruffin, Jeff Steele
Charlie Vinz, Kam Buckner
Mark Cozzi, Lisa Schumacher, John Podjasek, Laura Sargent
Pam Crutchfield, Randy Duncan
Sally Jackson
Photo credit: Daniel Delgado/SociaLifeChicago
