In celebration of the spring season, the New-York Historical Society President and CEO Louise Mirrer presented New York City Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum and Speaker of the New York City Council Christine Quinn—the two highest-ranking female officials in New York—with distinguished service awards at the New-York Historical Society’s annual Strawberry Festival Benefit Luncheon.  ABC News’ Lynn Sherr served as Keynote Speaker.

Lynn Sherr

Committee members include Luncheon Chair Joan C. Jakobson, Kevin Abernathy, Patricia Altschul, Patricia Begley, Judith Roth Berkowitz, Lorraine Boyle, Susan Braddock, Mary Beth Daniel, Elizabeth B. Dater, Sid Davidoff, Barbara Knowles Debs, Helena Durst, Lena Kaplan, Patti Kenner, Mrs. John Klingenstein, Deborah Krulewitch, Cheryl W. Lewy, Tarky Lombardi, Jr., Suzanne Maas, Virginia S. Mailman, Sarah E. Nash, Nancy Newcomb, Jane Singer, Leila Straus, and Sue Ann Weinberg.

The first recorded gathering of the New-York Historical Society’s Strawberry Festival took place 150 years ago on June 15, 1856 in Washington Square Park, where guests enjoyed a stimulating lecture and strawberry feast.  This rite of spring disappeared in the 1960s, but was revived in May of 2000.  Past keynote speakers include Lesley Stahl, Liz Smith, Wendy Wasserstein, Anna Quindlen and Hillary Clinton.

Project Sunshine, a nonprofit organization that provides free programs to children and families facing medical challenges, honored real estate executive Billy Macklowe, president of Macklowe Properties, at its 3rd Annual Gala, “Sunshine Over Manhattan,” at the Waldorf-Astoria.

In one of the evening’s highlights, Billy’s father, Harry Macklowe, presented his son with Project Sunshine’s Apollo Award for his outstanding contribution to the organization. The event, which brought out more than 1000 guests, raised $1.5 million.

The evening marked the finale to “Project Sunshine Week” in New York City, when local businesses raised funds and promoted awareness on behalf of one of the country’s fastest growing non-profit organizations.

Chairpersons of the 2006 Gala included Mitchell Konsker, of Cushman & Wakefield, and Robert Vogliano, of EvansonBest. Ace Greenberg, of Bear Sterns, and his merry magicians performed magic during the cocktail hour. Dionne Warwick and the Harlem Boys Choir provided the night’s entertainment. All proceeds from the event benefited Project Sunshine services and activities.

The Gala also included both silent and live auctions featuring exclusive items, including an autographed Sting Fender Bass Guitar, a pair of Mohamed Ali’s boxing gloves, a unique bag by Judith Leiber along with many other unique prizes.

Project Sunshine is a nonprofit organization that provides free programs and services, including arts and crafts, tutoring, entertainment and special events, to children and families who are affected by medical challenges.  The organization, which was founded in a college dorm room, currently serves more than 100,000 families in over 100 hospitals throughout the U.S. Joseph Weilgus is the Founder. Amy Saperstein serves as Executive Director.

The Public Theater held its annual Summer Gala at the Delacorte Wednesday night honoring Meryl Streep and Kevin Kline on the opening night performance of Macbeth starring Liev Schreiber and Jennifer Ehle for Shakespeare in the Park. This is the Public first production of the summer season.  It runs through July 9.

Kline and Streep have made significant artistic contributions to The Public Theater over the last four decades. Co-chaired by Warren Spector and Kenneth B. Lerer  at the Delacorte on the opening night of Macbeth, the first production this summer of Shakespeare in the Park.

The Gala features an outdoor buffet dinner in Central Park, followed by a performance at the Delacorte Theater, with a post-show cast party at Belvedere Castle overlooking Turtle Pond and the Delacorte.

It is attended by several hundred – including the Mayor and top government officials, CEOs and business leaders of Fortune 500 and other major corporations, established leaders of the social community, young trendsetters and a wide range of celebrities.  Last year they grossed $1.6 million for the institution.

Mr. Kline made his debut at The Public Theater in the 1970 Wars of the Roses cycle at the Delacorte, a presentation of Shakespeare’s King Henry VI Parts 1 and 2 and Richard III. He returned in 1980 with the musical hit Pirates of Penzance, which went on to success on Broadway and on film. Other notable performances of his at The Public include the title roles in Shakespeare’s Henry V, Richard III, and two turns as Hamlet- once in 1986 and again in 1990 where he also served as director. Offstage, he joined the artistic staff of The Public Theater, first as an Associate Producer in 1993, then becoming an Artistic Associate in 1996. In 1990, he joined The Public’s Board of Trustees.

The great Meryl Streep will perform this summer as Mother Courage in the second production of Shakespeare in the Park: a new translation by Tony Kushner of Bertolt Brecht’s Mother Courage and Her Children with original music by Jeanine Tesori and directed by George C. Wolfe.  She made her Public Theater debut in 1975 in Arthur Wing Pinero’sTrelawny of the ‘Wells’, part of the theater’s uptown season at the Vivian Beaumont Theater. She went on to be featured in nearly a dozen productions, including Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew at the Delacorte Theater, the television broadcast of the musical Alice at the Palace, and Andrei Serban’s landmark staging of Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard with Irene Worth. In 2001 she appeared with Kevin Kline in the critically acclaimed production of The Seagull directed by Mike Nichols.  Her additional Public Theater credits include: Henry V, Measure for Measure, Taken in Marriage, Alice in Concert. Recently she performed in The Public Sings: A 50th Anniversary Celebration at City Center.

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