Oh, What a Night!
Victor and I want to thank every single soul who contributed to the magic of this year’s Academy Gala.
We loved every second working on the event. We loved collaborating with the Academy’s fabulous staff and a truly gifted Gala committee, who made it such a wonderful team effort, and we all certainly enjoyed being together on that most sparkly night. The time, talent and treasure contributed by everyone who was part of the event was gracious, good-natured, and generous.
We are so grateful to our fantastic Gala volunteers from Lynchburg College and Liberty University, and to Mac Foster, Megan Gibbons, Laura Bailey, Sallie Carson, Laina Vitalie, and especially VTA’s Anna Wehr, who directed traffic throughout the evening in support of Volunteer Chair Brandon Landes’ thorough planning.
We are grateful to Endstation’s Chris Bailey for his able stage management, to Geep Howell for sound support, and of course to the Academy staff and Gala Committee, who worked tirelessly for the months leading up to September 16th.
Auction Chair Anne Ainslie’s leadership throughout was nothing short of spectacular; Decor Chair Troy Deacon’s Warehouse Theatre transformation was beautiful, aided by his brilliant sidekicks Heather Zippel and Dabney Treacy. Elizabeth Stroud as silent auction chair cast such a spell in Moore And Giles’ Boom Boom Room!
Finally, I know we are all so grateful to the talented performers from home and away who loaned us their gifts and let us bask in their glow for the evening: Billy Stritch and Jim Caruso, Spence White, Hope Harris, Paul Fitzgerald, Mary Dalton, Whitney O’Brian, Tony Camm, Isaac Williams, Taylor Rodriguez and David Haught.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to this adventure, whether onstage, backstage, in the wings, or in the audience. None of it would have been nearly as magical without the presence – and gifts – of every single one of you.
Most gratefully,
Perry Payne Millner
2017 Academy Gala Chair
All photos courtesy of Marcelo Quarantotto.
The Academy Center of the Arts’ board and staff are most grateful to Harman Eye Center, the Gala’s lead sponsor.
Harman Eye Center was founded in 1988 with a focus on providing the highest quality eye care and superior service to its patients. Harman Eye Center now has ten locations and their own surgery center which is the only free standing ambulatory surgery center in this area dedicated specifically to eye surgery. Harman Eye is proud to be an integral part of the Central and Southside Virginia communities with offices in Amherst, Appomattox, Collinsville, Danville, Forest, Lovingston, Lynchburg, Martinsville, South Boston and Wyndhurst. It’s a visual world. Make the most of it.
The Academy Center of the Arts would also like to thank all other sponsors of the Academy 2017 Gala, including our Stork Club, Rainbow Room, and Performer sponsors.
