ROOTED & RISING
Hudson Valley Shakespeare's Annual Gala
Saturday October 17, 5:00-9:00pm
HONORING
Chris Davis
Recipient of the Marit and Lars Kulleseid Award
Jeanne Gang
For Extraordinary Contributions to the Arts
Join us for Hudson Valley Shakespeare's Annual Gala on Saturday, October 17 honoring visionary philanthropist, Chris Davis, whose incredible gift of 98 acres provided HVS with a permanent home, and renowned architect Jeanne Gang, the founding principal of Studio Gang, who designed the Samuel H. Scripps Theater Center.
Guests will gather at the Samuel H. Scripps Theater where they will enjoy cocktails, seasonal bites, surprise performances, music, and more!
Event Schedule
5:00 PM | Act I
Cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, and passed dinner plates.
Please Note: The Gala is a cocktail-style celebration rather than a traditional seated dinner.
6:30 PM |Act II
Award Presentation honoring Chris Davis and Jeanne Gang
Performances featuring members of the HVS Acting Company
Benefit paddle raise.
Theater Seating: Seats for Act II are assigned in advance. You will receive your ticket at check-in. Ushers will be available to help direct you to your seats.
7:30 PM | Act III
Dessert, music, and dancing to complete the evening.
9:00 PM | Event concludes.
Get Gala Ready!
We look forward to welcoming you to the HVS 2026 Gala: Rooted & Rising on Saturday, October 17 at 5:00 PM at the Samuel H. Scripps Theater Center (2015 U.S. Route 9).
Here's some information to help you prepare for the celebration:
What is the dress code?
This is an outdoor event which will proceed rain or shine! Festive attire is encouraged, but please plan for the weather. We recommend dressing in warm layers and wearing footwear suitable for our paved walkways, gravel surfaces, and dancing. A complimentary coat check will be available should you wish to shed a layer as the evening progresses.
Registration
We encourage each guest attending the Gala to complete registration before arriving. Confirmation your attendance via the button below.
Parking & Accessibility
Parking: Parking is free in the Theater's gravel lot, accessible via Route 9 or Snake Hill Road. ADA accessible parking is available in the center section, closest to the path to the theater.
Guests who would benefit from a closer drop-off location may be dropped off directly behind the theater. The driver must return the car to the gravel parking lot and walk or take a golf cart shuttle.
Golf Cart Shuttle: A golf cart shuttle will be available for guests who would like assistance traveling between the parking lot and the theater. Visit our Front of House team at the entrance to the theater pathway, and they will be happy to assist you.
RECIPIENT OF THE MARIT AND LARS KULLESEID AWARD
CHRISTOPER DAVIS
Christopher Davis is Chairman of Davis Advisors, an independent investment management firm founded in 1969 with $29 billion in AUM. Chris joined Davis Advisors in 1989 and has over three decades of experience in investment management and securities research. He has been previously recognized as a Morningstar Manager of the Year. Chris is on the Board of Director at Graham Holdings, Inc., The Coca-Cola Company and Berkshire Hathaway.
As a philanthropist, Chris’ reach extends from institutions in New York to the Hudson Valley, and beyond. As an enduring testament to his love for the Hudson Highlands, its history, art, communities, and natural beauty, Chris has passionately supported numerous regional and local non-profit institutions to advance conservation and create public access to the area’s iconic landscapes, including the Hudson Valley Shakespeare campus. Perhaps the most tangible example of this commitment is his visionary leadership of the Hudson Highlands Fjord Trail, where he serves as Chair of the Board of Directors. Chris is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Hudson Highlands Land Trust.
EXTRAORDINARY CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ARTS
JEANNE GANG, FAIA (STUDIO GANG)
Architect Jeanne Gang is the founding partner of international architecture and urban design practice Studio Gang. Known for a distinctive design approach that expands beyond architecture’s conventional boundaries, she creates striking places that strengthen connections between people, their communities, and nature. Her diverse portfolio across the Americas and Europe includes the Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation at the American Museum of Natural History in New York; a new United States Embassy in Brazil; and an expansion of the Clinton Presidential Center in Little Rock. A MacArthur Fellow and the Kajima Professor in Practice of Architecture at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, Jeanne has been named one of TIME Magazine’s most influential people in the world.
Tickets & Sponsorship Packages
Co-Chair $50,000
Gala Ticket Package for 12 Premium Seats, Recognition from the stage during the program, Name listed on the Gala webpage, event signage, and in the program.
Vice-Chair $20,000
Gala Ticket Package for 8 Premium Seats, Name included in the Gala webpage, and in the program
Champion $10,000
Gala Ticket Package for 6 Premium Seats, Name included in the Gala webpage and program
Committee $5,000
Gala Ticket Package for 4 Premium Seats, Name included on Gala webpage and in the program
Company of Friends $2,500
Preferred Seating for 2
Friend $500
Gala Ticket for 1
RSVP by October 2, 2026
Questions?
Contact, Martha Pearson, Director of Development at mpearson@hvshakespeare.org
Gala Supporters
(list in formation)
Co-Chair
Patricia King
Frederic C. Rich
Lucy Rockefeller Waletzky, M.D.
Russell Wiese
Vice-Chairs
Anonymous
Robin & Ralph Arditi
Pepper Evans & Bob Lieber
Steve Holley & Luke Allen
Richard & Natasha Krupp
Dan Kramer & Judy Mogul
Chip Loewenson & Susan Brune
Diana Calthorpe Rose & Jonathan F. P. Rose
Laura Jean Wilson & Mark Menting
Champions
Suzanne & D. J. (Jan) Baker
Michael Emerson & Carrie Preston
Marie Fabian & Genie Cesar-Fabian
Christopher & Heidi Flagg
Kristin Gamble
Peter Hofmann M.D. & William Burback
Heather & Derrick Hopkins
Doug Land & Lynn Peebles
Christine Wong Lent & Paul Lent
Warrie & Jim Price
Leigh Seippel & Michèle Gerber Klein
James Stanford & Kate Farrell Stanford
Byron & Siew Thye Stinson
Ned Whitney & Martha Howell
Committee
Meg Armstrong & Greg Lozier
Mary Elizabeth & Jeffrey Bunzel
John & Weezie Gates
Kyle Good & Jerry Singer
Anita & Bob Jacobson
Michael & Kate Lombardi
Deborah McManus
Friedrike Merck
Leslie Nowinski & Joe Perry
Orentreich Family Foundation
Michael and Kathleen Schoen
Sarena Straus & James Gary
Ken Vittor & Judith Aisen
Wesley Weissberg & David Goldberg
2026 Gala Sponsors
About the Work
Consigli Construction Co.
Hudson Valley Credit Union
Sive Paget & Riesel, P.C.
Hudson Highlands Fjord Trail
Studio Gang