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Thursday, January 19, 2012

Richard III Opens at BAM with a Banquet Fit For a King


BAM President Karen Brooks Hopkins; BAM Executive Producer Joseph V. Melillo; Rena DeSisto, Global Arts & Culture Executive for Bank of America; Kevin Spacey, Artistic Director of the Old Vic and title character of Richard III; Caro Newling of Neal Street (Photo: Elena Olivo)
The Bridge Project, a transatlantic partnership between BAMThe Old Vicand Neal Street, had its inaugural performances at BAM in 2009. Three world tours later (all directed by Sam Mendes), this month The Bridge Project has returned to BAM for its final run with Richard III starring Kevin Spacey, artistic director of the Old Vic, in the title role.

On Wednesday, January 18, BAM celebrated this momentous occasion with a Banquet Dinner and Opening Night Party.

Jump ahead to read more about this exciting, festive evening, and be sure to check out the photo albums from the event here and here.

Before dinner, guests arrived for cocktails and hors d'oeuvres in the Dorothy Levitt Lobby of the BAM Opera House, where they got a first look at the newly installed BAM 150 Archives Exhibit. The Banquet Dinner followed, upstairs in the Lepercq Spacewhich the decor artists at Fleurs Bella had transformed into a dark and mysteriously inviting banquet hall with regal banners and red and white roses warring overhead.


Event Decor by Fleurs Bella (Photo: Etienne Frossard)
The evening was chaired by Amy W. Schulman, with Bank of America (also the presenting sponsor of The Bridge Project) serving as Corporate Chair.

After the conclusion of the performance of Richard III in which Kevin Spacey played the role with "all-conquering audacity" (The New York Timesand "makes acting up a devastating storm," guests were joined by company members for a festive Opening Night Party in the BAM Harvey Theater's Campbell Lobby which lasted late into the night. Wine and spirits were served courtesy of Diageo with a delicious dessert spread by Great Performances.

Before guests departed for the night, they were greeted with gift bags filled with items from The Body ShopJohnson's PopcornPenguin GroupPerseus Booksand popbar.

The festive evening garnered great coverage from many publications including The Wall Street Journal and New York Social Diary.


BAM President Karen Brooks Hopkins with actor Hugh Jackman and Pat Schoenfeld (Photo: Elena Olivo)
Bobby Cannavale and Haydn Gwynne (Queen Elizabeth) (Photo: Elena Olivo)
Chandler Williams (Duke of Clarence); Maureen Anderman; and Jeremy Bobb, (Sir William Catesby) (Photo: Elena Olivo)
Guests Edith Starr and Elliott Sagor enjoying the decor (Photo: Elena Olivo)
Richard III runs through March 4th at the BAM Harvey Theater (Photo: Etienne Frossard)

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