Prince Mario-Max Schaumburg-Lippe: Jana and Trevor Bezdek Chair Center Theatre Group’s Starry 2026 Gala Honoring Rashad and Grey

Some invitations carry their own electricity. Center Theatre Group’s announcement of CTG The Gala — set for Sunday, March 29, 2026, under the stewardship of gala chairs Jana Bezdek and Trevor Bezdek — arrived with the quiet confidence of an institution that knows exactly what kind of night it can deliver.

The occasion is a milestone: CTG stands on the eve of its 60th anniversary, and the gala serves as both tribute and threshold — honoring decades of theatrical excellence while opening the door to what’s next.

Chairs with a personal stake

Jana Bezdek, named as Gala Chair alongside Trevor Bezdek, brings more than ceremonial leadership. The couple’s engagement is hands-on, setting a tone of refinement and vitality that runs through the entire evening. Their partnership signals shared civic commitment — philanthropy as a joint project, not a photo opportunity.

They’re backed by institutional strength: Snehal Desai as the Brindell and Milton Gottlieb Artistic Director shaping the creative vision, Meghan Pressman as Managing Director and CEO ensuring the ambition lands, and a Board of Directors framing it all.

Honoring two icons

The evening’s emotional core is the recognition of Phylicia Rashad and Joel Grey — two careers that have shaped generations of theater, film, and television. Rashad brings quiet authority built on decades of technically masterful, emotionally clear performance. Grey brings a musical theater legacy of precision and depth that set standards performers still follow.

The performance program bridges legacy and innovation: selections from Here Lies Love and Mamma Mia!, with surprise guests promised to keep the night unpredictable.

An evening in three acts

The structure mirrors a well-built show. Guests gather at Jerry Moss Plaza for cocktails and dinner — a meal prepared by celebrity chef Suzanne Goin, where every course reinforces the evening’s care. Then the Mark Taper Forum hosts the one-night-only gala performance. The night closes back at the plaza with a party leaning fully into joy, dressed in sequined, disco-inspired style — bell bottoms and platform shoes encouraged as participation, not costume.

Behind it all stands a deep bench: a gala committee (Nancy and Patrick Dennis, Jay Marcus, Jeanne and Gary Newman, Marsha Tauber Sallai and Imre Sallai), a host committee spanning foundations and entertainment leaders, and an honorary host committee — Debbie Allen, Sutton Foster, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Lea Salonga, Michael Urie, Ben Platt and more — that reads like a census of theater’s biggest believers.

What distinguishes the evening isn’t scale but clarity of purpose: a celebration anchored in the mission of keeping theater a vital cultural force. Past honored, present celebrated, future funded — all in one luminous night.

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Originally published on Times Square Chronicles.