Sharon Playhouse Kicks Off 2026 Summer with Spotlight Gala Honoring Skip Barber

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The gala honors board member Skip Barber and presents the inaugural Spotlight Spirit Award to Sarah Combs.

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The Sharon Playhouse will roll out the red carpet on Saturday, May 30 for its annual Spotlight Gala: Hey There, Good Times!

This evening of music, celebration, and community will honor longtime Sharon Playhouse Board Member and Treasurer Skip Barber, beloved community leader, motorsport pioneer, and champion of the arts, while also presenting the inaugural Spotlight Spirit Award to Sarah Combs , whose decades of dedication helped shape the very foundation of the Sharon Playhouse.

With Gala reservations already generating strong response, only a limited number of seats remain for the evening's Dinner & Performance experience in The Bok. Starting at 5pm, guests choosing the full Gala Dinner experience will enjoy cocktails, a festive seated dinner provided by Rita Welch Catering, and an exciting fundraising celebration led by CK Swett benefiting the Sharon Playhouse Fund before taking their seats in the Bobbie Olsen Theater for the evening's spectacular gala performance.

Beginning at 6:30pm, the Gala's Patio Celebration option offers a lively open-air experience featuring live music by Ram Miles and Joe Finn, chef-prepared fare served fresh on site, and a spirited pre-show gathering before the performance. The expanded Patio menu includes sliders fresh from the grill—including pulled pork, burgers, and vegetarian options—along with flavorful sides, passed hors d'oeuvres, and festive bites designed for mingling and celebration.

The evening's main event is the gala performance and award presentation, directed and choreographed by Krystyna Resavy with music direction by Eric Thomas Johnson , which promises to be a bright, exhilarating musical revue of beloved Broadway favorites celebrating the Playhouse's honorees and the exciting summer season ahead.

The all-star lineup includes returning Sharon Playhouse favorites and exciting local artists from the upcoming season, including:

Special guests include: Margaret Dudasik , star of season opener Swingtime Canteen and four members of the Launchpad Company's upcoming production of Zombie Prom: Ellis Bell, Abby Callaway, Brianna Vivace, and Charlotte Wise . The Gala will also showcase an exciting group of Sharon Playhouse YouthStage Company performers—many of whom audiences have already cheered on our stage and who return this season—including: Phoebe Amankwah, Gilvey Barnett-Zunino, Phillipa Cavalier, Andy Delgado, Wolf Donner, Ivan Howe , Jakob Kerr-Lucero, Mollie Leonard, Kellan Lockton, Peter Mirren, Kennadi Mitchell, Sam Norbet, Callan Scott, Sylvie Stevenson, and Lyra Wilder.

“This is truly one of the most joyful nights of our year,” said Carl Andress , Artistic Director of the Sharon Playhouse. “The Spotlight Gala is a celebration of everything the Playhouse represents—professional theater, arts education, community, and the incredible artists of all ages who bring our campus to life. It's especially meaningful this year to honor Skip Barber and Sarah Combs , whose contributions to our region and to this institution have been so extraordinary.”

Proceeds from the Spotlight Gala, which is presented with the generous support of producers Rob Fish and Phillips “Pete” Hathaway, and associate producers Rebecca Hathaway, Charles and Georgette Mallory and Northwell Health, support the Sharon Playhouse Fund, sustaining professional live theater, arts education programs, and the Playhouse campus in Northwest Connecticut. Tickets and reservations are available now at https://www.sharonplayhouse.org/2026-spotlight-gala

The Sharon Playhouse urges all ticket buyers to be cautious of third-party ticket sellers. The safest and only reliable source for tickets is at SharonPlayhouse.org . Tickets are $25–$55 for all performances and are now on sale. Please note that ticket prices for special fundraising events will differ.

The Sharon Playhouse is a professional, nonprofit theater producing high-quality performances with Broadway-caliber actors as well as talented local community members serving thousands of patrons annually. Its mission is to entertain the community of Northwest Connecticut and beyond, while also serving as a teaching theater to encourage aspiring actors and other theater artists of all ages to develop their craft.

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_Originally reported by [BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/connecticut/article/SPOTLIGHT-GALA-HEY-THERE-GOOD-TIMES-Kicks-Off-2026-Summer-Season-at-Sharon-Playhouse-20260521)._