2014 Folger Gala

About the evening

Wednesday, April 23, 2014 Celebrating William Shakespeare's 450th Birthday

The 2014 Folger Gala was a great success. With the generosity of our sponsors, guests, and donors, we raised more than $330,000 for Folger Shakespeare Library’s programs, which bring the very best in Shakespeare education and performance to schoolchildren, scholars, and audiences in the Washington area and beyond.

We extend a very special thank you to Gala Chair Susan Sachs Goldman and the Gala Committee whose leadership and efforts helped achieve this success. Thank you also to Honorary Co-Chairs, the British Ambassador and Lady Westmacott, for their patronage.

More than 275 guests enjoyed cocktails and the exhibition viewing of Shakespeare’s the Thing followed by “What revels are in hand?” in the Elizabethan Theatre. The panel of actors, including Zach Appelman, Michael Benz, Richard Clifford, Katie deBuys, Holly Twyford, and Fiasco Theater, provided an interesting and humorous perspective on their experiences of acting Shakespeare, with the finale of singing Happy Birthday to the Bard! The centerpiece of the evening was the exquisite dinner in the beautifully sparkling Reading Rooms. You may enjoy reading the event coverage in The Washington Post, Bloomberg, and Bisnow.

Entertainment

Zach Appelman recently starred in Folger Theatre’s Henry V, the highest grossing production in Folger history. Washingtonian’s Sophie Gilbert wrote, “Appelman’s Henry V is so eloquent, so engaging, that it’s hard not to leave the theater thinking of him as one of the greatest male characters Shakespeare ever wrote.” Appelman had a supporting role in the 2013 film Kill Your Darlings with Daniel Radcliffe, and has appeared Off-Broadway as Demetrius in Julie Taymor’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and on Broadway as Sergeant Fine in War Horse at Lincoln Center Theater.

Michael Benz played Hamlet in Shakespeare’s Globe world tour of Hamlet, where the Folger was the Washington, DC debut for the company. He received a 2013 Helen Hayes Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor, Non-Resident Production for his performance. Benz made a guest appearance in the season four Christmas Special of Downton Abbey in the role of Ethan Slade.

Richard Clifford is a renowned British actor and director. Among his Folger Theatre directing credits is the record-breaking production of Maxwell Anderson's Elizabeth the Queen. Other productions for the Folger include The School for Scandal, The Clandestine Marriage, and The Game of Love and Chance. He recently performed alongside Jude Law in the acclaimed West End production of Henry V. Clifford has appeared in such films as My Week with Marilyn and Kenneth Branagh’s Much Ado About Nothing and Henry V.

Katie deBuys most recently played Princess Katherine in Folger Theatre’s critically acclaimed Henry V. Other productions at the Folger include The Conference of the Birds and The Gaming Table. Katie has also performed at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, Round House Theatre, and the Shakespeare Theatre Company.

Holly Twyford is a Helen Hayes Award winning actress who most recently played Tranio in Folger Theatre’s The Taming of the Shrew. She was recently featured in the second season premiere of the Netflix drama House of Cards, and, in 2015, will star in Folger Theatre’s Mary Stuart.

Fiasco Theater performed The Two Gentlemen of Verona at the Folger beginning April 17, 2014. Fiasco is known for staging Shakespeare’s most whimsical, timeless tales in stripped-down, music-filled productions. Their production of Cymbeline, which was presented at the Folger from May 28 to June 1, 2014, was hailed as Top 10 Theater of 2011 by New York magazine. The play had two Off-Broadway runs, nearly 200 performances, and was honored with the Off-Broadway Alliance Award for “Best Revival” of 2011/2012. Their production of Into the Woods will be featured in Roundabout Theatre Company’s 2014/15 season.

Committee and Honorary Committee

Honorary co-chairs

The British Ambassador and Lady Westmacott

Gala chair

Susan Sachs Goldman

2014 Folger Gala committee

Jarrett and Nora Arp

Heather and Dick Cass

Vinton and Sigrid Cerf

Louis and Bonnie Cohen

Philip Deutch and Marne Levine

Lisa Fuentes and Thomas Cohen

David and Margaret Gardner

Maxine Isaacs

Carol and Gene Ludwig

Ken Ludwig and Adrienne George

The Honorable John D. Macomber

Darcy and Andy Nussbaum

Melanie and Larry Nussdorf

Herman J. Obermayer

David and Mary Parsons

Gail Kern Paster

Joanne and Paul Ruxin

Mr. and Mrs. B. Francis Saul, II

Mallory and Diana Walker

Honorary committee

Speaker John A. Boehner

Senator Michael F. Bennet

Senator Roy Blunt

Senator Richard Burr

Senator Thad Cochran

Congressman Steve Cohen

Congressman Tom Cole

Senator Susan Collins

Congressman John K. Delaney

Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro

Congressman John D. Dingell

Senator Mike Enzi

Senator Dianne Feinstein

Senator Chuck Grassley

Congressman Michael Grimm

Senator John Hoeven

Congressman Rush Holt

Senator Tim Johnson

Congressman David P. Joyce

Senator Mary L. Landrieu

Congressman John Lewis

Congresswoman Doris Matsui

Senator John McCain

Congresswoman Betty McCollum

Congressman James P. Moran

Senator Lisa Murkowski

Congressman Thomas Petri

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree

Senator Mark Pryor

Senator Jack Reed

Congressman Dave Reichert

Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez

Senator Charles E. Schumer

Congresswoman Louise M. Slaughter

Congressman Pat Tiberi

Senator Tom Udall

Senator Mark R. Warner

Congressman Henry A. Waxman

Senator Roger F. Wicker

Congressman Roger Williams

Sponsors

Lead Sponsors

Susan Sachs Goldman ● Carol and Gene Ludwig ● Mr. and Mrs. Mark Pigott KBE

Prime Sponsors

Vinton and Sigrid Cerf ● The Honorable John D. Macomber

Major Sponsors

The Lee and Juliet Folger Fund ● Herman J. Obermayer ● Mr. and Mrs. B. Francis Saul, II

Sponsors

Jarrett and Nora Arp ● Louis and Bonnie Cohen ● Lisa Fuentes and Thomas Cohen ● David and Margaret Gardner ● Stephen H. Grant ● Maxine Isaacs ● Edward and Patricia Leahy ● Susan Carmel Lehrman ● Darcy and Andy Nussbaum ● Melanie and Larry Nussdorf ● Mary and David Parsons ● Gail Kern Paster ● Stuart and Mimi Rose ● Mallory and Diana Walker

Patrons

David Bradt and Diane Tipton ● The Lord Browne of Madingley ● Twiss and Patrick Butler ● Heather and Dick Cass ● Nicky and Steve Cymrot ● Philip Deutch and Marne Levine ● Dominion ● Florence and Peter D. Hart ● Wyatt R. and Susan N. Haskell ● Catherine Held ● Betsy K. Karel ● Ken Ludwig and Adrienne George ● John and Connie McGuire ● Roger and Robin Millay ● The Mosaic Foundation (of R. and P. Heydon) ● Joanne and Paul Ruxin ● Philip and Tricia Winterer ● Nyla and Gerry Witmore ● Phyllis Jane Young

Pictures

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  2014 Folger Gala. Photo by James Brantley.

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  2014 Folger Gala. Photo by James Brantley.

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  2014 Folger Gala. Photo by James Brantley.