Starlight Gala, A Chorus Line, Harvest Happy Hour and National Portrait Gallery

On Saturday, October 12, Starlight will hold its 33rd annual black-tie benefit gala to support the historic theatres education and outreach efforts, Broadway programming and theatre operations. This year’s gala is chaired by Bridget and John Murphy and honors the Elsberry Family with the Star Award for their leadership in the Kansas City arts community. Each year, the benefit gala is an exciting night that includes a delicious, multi-course dinner and program with live entertainment, including with performances by students who participate in Starlight’s education programs.

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A Chorus Line is headed to the small screen. Ryan Murphy, the screenwriter, director and producer best known for his successful television series like Glee, American Horror Story, Pose and more, has announced plans to turn A Chorus Line into a 10-part miniseries to be released on Netflix. The 1976 Tony Award-winning musical follows a group of dancers and the process of auditioning for a Broadway musical, while taking a glimpse into the lives of the performers and what led them to their careers. A release date has yet to be announced, but we’ll bring you updates on this singular sensation of an adaptation, as we have them.

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Young Friends of Starlight is excited to announce the third annual Harvest Happy Hour event, featuring seasonal samplings from some of Kansas City’s best local breweries, wineries and restaurants. Attendees will be invited to tour the venue with our expert guides and will be the first to find out this year’s highly anticipated After Hours at the Towers theme! Tickets are just $15 for members of Young Friends of Starlight and $20 for non-members. Check out kc starlight dot com for more information, and we hope you’ll join us Thursday, October 17 for this exciting event.

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Lin-Manuel Miranda is no stranger to the nation’s capitol. Before Hamilton opened on Broadway in 2016, he performed the title number all the way back in 2009 at a spoken word event at the White House. Since then, Hamilton has scored eleven Tony Awards, sold-out runs in New York and across the country, and returned to the White House for a few additional performances with the cast. Now, Lin-Manuel Miranda will return to Washington at the National Portrait Gallery’s annual gala to receive the Portrait of a Nation Prize, which “celebrates and honors exemplary achievements in the worlds of science, performing arts, business, fashion and media.” Michelle Obama, who was present at that spoken word event where Miranda first performed the title song, will present the award.

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