A decade of champions return to chair Dallas Theater Center’s annual fundraiser this May.
BY TERRI PROVENCAL
On a spring evening in early May, the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre will glow a little differently. Its glass walls will catch the last light of day as familiar spaces transform for a gathering that sustains Dallas Theater Center long after the curtain falls.
This marks the 42nd year of the CENTERSTAGE Gala. Typically guided by one or two leaders, this year’s gala is chaired by a remarkable reunion of CENTERSTAGE champions representing a decade of stewardship, bringing continuity, experience, and a shared belief in the power of theater to connect and inspire.
The 2026 gala is led by past chairs spanning 2016–2025, including Melinda Johnson, Ann Mahowald, Mickie and Jeff Bragalone, Bret Levy, Michelle Lockhart, Krista Weinstein, Andy Smith, Paul Von Wupperfeld, Scott Davis, Scott Moore, Scott Orr, Peter Altabef, Deborah McMurray, Stephanie Byrd, and Hamilton A. Sneed. It’s a quiet acknowledgment that institutions are carried forward collectively, over time, by many hands.
Board of trustees president Andy Smith traces his connection to DTC to both passion and partnership. His “love for theater” drew him in, he says, “but my deep connection began when I was introduced to DTC through my company, Texas Instruments, which has supported DTC since its founding.” CENTERSTAGE, he adds, “provides essential fuel for our mission.… This evening ensures we can continue to inspire, educate, and bring transformative theater to our entire community.”
The evening will begin in motion, with guests circulating through a cocktail reception where scenic fragments, costumes, and props will place DTC’s artistry front and center. Stories from Public Works and community programs will circulate before the crowd moves into the Potter Rose Performance Hall, where the stage becomes a space to dine, watch, and engage. Here DTC will present its highest honor, the Linda and Bill Custard Award, to Larry Anglilli, whose decades of behind-the-scenes leadership have strengthened arts organizations across Dallas through durability rather than applause.
Later, energy will rise with a live auction and music, as Broadway actor Michael Urie, a son of Dallas, returns, bringing humor, warmth, and storytelling shaped by stages from television to Broadway.
A current of transition will run throughout the night. With Jaime Castañeda stepping into the role of Enloe/Rose Artistic Director, the evening will reflect continuity and change. “Through the distinct voices and styles of the past ten years of gala chairs, the evening reflects a living legacy—one that naturally welcomes Jaime Castañeda’s bold, modern, and inclusive vision,” says Deborah McMurray.
For these theater lovers, memory and momentum intertwine. “This year is special because DTC dedicated the season to Bill Custard, who we lost in 2025,” says Peter Altabef. “I admired him tremendously, and we all miss him.” He also remembers Sarah Warnecke “who had an encyclopedic knowledge of every gala.” And he recalls the gala’s “fascinating history, dating back to an early gala that featured Paul Simon, as well as stars from Broadway,” while also looking ahead “to see members of the Brierley Resident Acting Company sing and dance like the stars they are.”
For those who have stepped into the role of gala chair, the scale and collaboration behind CENTERSTAGE become unmistakably clear. “When Jeff and I first chaired the Dallas Theater Center Gala, we quickly learned that CENTERSTAGE is a true company production—crafted by DTC’s artistic staff in close collaboration with the development and marketing teams. It’s an extraordinary effort to create a spectacular, one-night-only show,” says Mickie Bragalone.
Jeff Bragalone adds, “While every gala brings memorable moments, 2017 was especially magical.… And watching Brierley company member Alex Organ rise from a dinner table to sing ‘You’ll Be Back’ from Hamilton—joined onstage by original cast member Sydney James Harcourt—was unforgettable.”
Chairing the gala for a third year, Hamilton Sneed says, “My part in the evening will be a gesture of gratitude, a step aside, and a clear expression of confidence in the future. At its best, CENTERSTAGE has never been about one person, but about collective belief—and the magic that happens when a city shows up for its theater.” He says that night’s final bow “will mark a new artistic chapter—rooted in bold storytelling, expanded voices, and DTC’s enduring role as a cultural anchor for Dallas.”
The 16 chairs have a shared understanding of why the theater exists at all. The funds raised will ripple outward into classrooms, rehearsal rooms, and neighborhoods, supporting programs that make theater accessible and alive across North Texas. P