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| Kelly Bishop |
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Maureen McGovern
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| Euan Morton
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The 2009 Spotlight Spectacular!, the Huntington's annual benefit event, took place at the Sheraton Boston Hotel and Towers on Monday, May 4, 2009, and a spectacular time was had by all!
Chaired by Huntington Trustee Carol Deane and Huntington Overseer Neal Balkowitsch, this year's event raised more than $650,000 to help us support the Huntington's productions and programs, specifically our award-winning Youth, Education and Community initiatives. Tony Award-winning actress Kelly Bishop of TV's Gilmore Girls joined us as the evening's hostess, welcoming to the stage Grammy and Academy Award-winning singer Maureen McGovern and Broadway sensation Euan Morton.
John M. Cornish of the Calderwood Charitable Foundation was presented with the seventh Wimberly Award, given annually to a member of the Huntington community who has demonstrated an outstanding commitment to the organization. Another highlight of the evening included a recitation of the Gettysburg Address by a Huntington/Codman Academy partnership student, Sebastien Lewis, who was introduced by prominent presidential historian, Doris Kearns Goodwin.
An exciting live auction, "pirated" this year, once again, by the Huntington's own President of the Board of Trustees, Bill McQuillan, featured many unique items, including:
- An opportunity to have James Beard Award winning chef Barbara Lynch, owner of several Boston culinary outlets including the critically acclaimed No. 9 Park, cater a multi-course, in-home dinner for ten guests.
- A once-in-a-lifetime cocktail party with Artistic Director Peter DuBois and Doris and Dick Goodwin for 30 guests on one of the Huntington's two stages.
- A Walk-on Role in a major motion picture starring Adam Sandler, filming this summer on the North Shore.
As part of the live auction, guests pledged more than $87,000 for the opportunity to "Sponsor-a-Class" for our Student Matinee Series, which brings more than 6,000 Boston-area students to Huntington productions each season. And for the fourth year in a row, our online auction allowed friends of the Huntington to preview items and place bids during the weeks leading up to the event.
Many thanks to all those who attended, supported, donated, and helped to make this a wonderful and successful evening.
Watch for details about the 2010 Spotlight Spectacular! You won't want to miss it!
For more information, or to reserve a table for next year's event, please contact Michelle M. Williams, Special Events Manager.
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From left: Trustee and Event Co-Chair Carol Deane with Honoree John M. Cornish and Overseer and Event Co-Chair Neal Balkowitsch
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From left: Huntington Overseer Fancy Zilberfarb, Lisa Owens, Jeff Zilberfarb, Overseer Sharon Malt, and Overseer Darryl Settles
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Huntington Artistic Director Peter DuBois (right) wth Dick and Doris Kearns Goodwin
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