Highlights
- Applause! Gala 2026 takes place Friday, Nov. 6, from 5:30 to 10 p.m. at the Dr. Stacie J. and Richard J Stephenson Theatre, 1825 N. Central Ave., Phoenix.
- Six honorees include Lauren Bailey, Sally Pope, John Graham, Stevie Eller, The David E. Reese Family Foundation, and Rose Law Group.
- Gala proceeds fund the Partners That Heal program and Summer Theatre Camp for children of all abilities.
- Honorary Chairs DeeDee Vecchione and Robert Meza will lead the evening, which includes a live musical directed by Producing Artistic Director Michael Barnard.
Phoenix Theatre Company will host its Applause! Gala 2026 on Friday, Nov. 6, from 5:30 to 10 p.m. at the Dr. Stacie J. and Richard J Stephenson Theatre and Courtyard, 1825 N. Central Ave., Phoenix, the company's home inside the Central Arts District it helped found.
The evening opens with a live musical production written and directed by Producing Artistic Director Michael Barnard, followed by a New York City-themed dinner and dancing with Justin & the SwingBeats. Honorary Chairs DeeDee Vecchione and Robert Meza will lead the program.
Six individuals and organizations will be recognized: Lauren Bailey, Sally Pope, John Graham, Stevie Eller, The David E. Reese Family Foundation, and Rose Law Group. Gala proceeds support two programs: Partners That Heal, which brings live performance to hospital patients, and Summer Theatre Camp, open to children of all abilities.
The company, Arizona's largest professional regional theatre with more than 600 performances annually across multiple stages, is opening its 107th season.
Who are the 2026 honorees?
The six honorees span individual patrons and institutional donors: Lauren Bailey, Sally Pope, John Graham, Stevie Eller, The David E. Reese Family Foundation, and Rose Law Group. The company has not yet disclosed the specific criteria for each honoree's recognition in publicly available materials.
Where to find them
- Stephenson Theatre · phoenixtheatre.com · Instagram · Facebook · TikTok
- Rose Law Group · roselawgroup.com · Instagram · Facebook · X
- Summer Theatre · supersummertheatre.org · Instagram · Facebook
Sources
Every factual claim in this article traces to one of the sources below. See how we work for the editorial process.
- phoenixtheatre.com retrieved 23/07/2026 16:17
- yourvalley.net retrieved 23/07/2026 16:17
- Stephenson Theatre (official site) retrieved 23/07/2026 16:17
- Rose Law Group (official site) retrieved 23/07/2026 16:17
- Summer Theatre (official site) retrieved 23/07/2026 16:17
Authored by The Scottsdale Signal. Drafted by AI from primary-source material under our beat-specific editorial guides; reviewed by humans before publish under our five-gate process. Sources retrieved at 23/07/2026 16:17. Every claim traces to a source.
