Event Details
Black Tie Optional
5:30 p.m. | Red Carpet Reception
Shirley Bush Helzberg Garden of the Stars
7 p.m. | Dinner & Program
Jeannette & Jerome Cohen Community Stage
Performance by Tony-Award Winner Sutton Foster
Presenting Entertainment Sponsor: Shirley & Barnett C. Helzberg, Jr.
9 p.m. | After Party Celebration
Applause Club and Garden
A Stage for Every Story
For generations, Starlight has served as a community gathering space that removes barriers to live performance, welcomes new audiences, and nurtures what’s next. Join us as we celebrate the stories that define Starlight and the impact we continue to create together.
Saturday, October 17, 2026 | 5:30 p.m.
Sponsorship levels start at $2,000. Respond by September 17 to ensure printed program recognition.
Chairs
Howard & Debbi Cohen
Star Award Honoree
Roshann Parris
Chairs
Howard & Debbi Cohen
Howard & Debbi Cohen
Star Award Honoree
Roshann Parris
Roshann Parris
Consistently ranked as one of the best fundraisers in Kansas City, this event brings together Kansas City community leaders, change-makers, and arts enthusiasts for dinner, live entertainment, presentation of the Star Award to a deserving community member, and much more.
An Annual Kansas City Tradition
The Annual Benefit Gala is one of our most important events, highlighting Starlight’s mission-based programs and bringing the community together in celebration of the arts.
Each year, funds raised through the Gala enable Starlight to impact the lives of 60,000 local residents through education and community engagement programs, bring world-class Broadway productions and concerts to more than 320,000 patrons, and sustain this cultural landmark for generations to come.
Photos from Past Galas
