Awakenings: A Virtual Gala

September 12, 2020

Two-part event; 7:00pm (ET), 8:15pm (ET) After-PartyThe Virtual After-Party is for adults only!

One-Hour TV Special presented by WKYC Studios
(7:00pm ET on WKYC Channel 3 & WKYC’s website)
followed by a Virtual After-Party
(8:15pm ET in Zoom)

Tickets: $1
Suggested Donation: $1 to $179
1 ticket per email address

To purchase tickets for the After-Party, click the TICKETS button above.

For 17 years, Cleveland Public Theatre’s annual fundraising extravaganza and “Party of the Year,” Pandemonium, transformed the CPT campus into a labyrinth of theatre, dance, visual art, and performance in every corner.

The creative minds at CPT are dreaming up a different experience for 2020… Awakenings: A Virtual Gala, an experience that takes you inside the labyrinth—from the comfort of your own home. The proceeds from Awakenings: A Virtual Gala will benefit CPT’s groundbreaking artistic work and life-changing education programs.

At 7:00pm, tune into WKYC Channel 3 for a one-hour TV special: Awakenings, A Celebration of Cleveland Public Theatre. At 8:15pm, a casual virtual After-Party kicks off to celebrate CPT and our PAN Awardee, Micki Byrnes. You’ll see even more live performances—and of course, we’ll close it all out with a dance party.

Ticket sales for the Virtual After-Party will end at 4:00pm (ET) on Saturday, September 12.

Check out the video of awakenings, a celebration of cleveland public theatre

One-Hour TV Special presented by WKYC Studios.

Click here or on the image above to watch the video from Awakenings, A Celebration of Cleveland Public Theatre.

Program for Awakenings, A Celebration of Cleveland Public Theatre, presented by WKYC Studios HERE!

Program for the Virtual After-Party HERE!

AWAKENINGS
A VIRTUAL GALA

CPT celebrates the artist within us all:
Rise and shine… and awaken the senses!

CPT’s education programs empower youth and adults to cultivate their inner light,
creating rousing and inspiring performances for the community.

CPT is on a mission to stimulate creativity, innovation, and rebirth on the west side of Cleveland.

Awakenings: A Virtual Gala is a two-part event

Your journey begins at 7:00pm (ET) on WKYC Channel 3 (or online on WKYC’s website) with a one-hour TV special: Awakenings, A Celebration of Cleveland Public Theatre. Created in collaboration with WKYC (Jeff Reidel and Micki Byrnes) and the Cleveland Film Company, the special celebrates artists from across Cleveland and leaders from local organizations who come together to support our work. We’ve spent weeks rehearsing and filming with our artists, interviewing our community partners, and picking out footage from the vault to share with you. You’ll see beloved CPT performances, as well as brand new art performed in the Gordon Square Theatre for the first time in months.

After the special, head over to Zoom at 8:15pm (ET) for the after-party! If you’ve bought a ticket, we’ll email you a link to join on September 12. We’ll see even more live performances, and present the PAN Award to our wonderful honoree, Micki Byrnes. And of course, we’ll close it all out with a dance party.

Pictured: Filming of Awakenings, A Celebration of Cleveland Public Theatre, presented by WKYC Studios.
First photo by Casey Lowenthal, second photo by India Nicole Burton, third photo by Emma Wolpert.

AWAKENINGS TV SPECIAL PARTICIPATING ARTISTS

Hypnothesis & River Prayer by Raymond Bobgan & Cleveland CORE Ensemble; Eyes See You by Joan Hargate & Faye Hargate; The Poetry Psychic Project by Denis Michael Griesmer; Inlet Dance Theatre; Robin VanLear & Arts Acts Ltd.; Panther Women: An Army for the Liberation by India Nicole Burton; ENDependence – “Treatment”  by Molly Andrews-Hinders; Djapo Cultural Arts Institute; The Absolutely Amazing and True Adventures of Ms. Joan Southgate by Nina Domingue-Glover (2019/2020 Nord Family Foundation Playwright Fellow); Everything is Okay (and other helpful lies) – “Mama” by Melissa Crum & Caitlin Lewins (2016/2017 Nord Family Foundation Playwright Fellows); Daniel Gray-Kontar, Twelve Literary Arts; Omar Kurdi, Masrah Cleveland Al-Arabi مسرح كليفلاند العربي; Breakout Session (or Frogorse) by Nikkole Salter

Awakenings Virtual After-Party Participating Artists

Raymond Bobgan & Cleveland CORE Ensemble; Sheffia Randall Dooley (2019/2020 Premiere Fellow); Siaara Freeman & Nehemiah “Neemo” Spencer; Holly Loush of the Loush Sisters; The Poetry Psychic Project by Denis Michael Griesmer; Zyrece Montgomery; DJ Anthony “TonyFresh” Velez

Safety is our #1 priority

Awakenings, A Celebration of Cleveland Public Theatre, presented by WKYC Studios, was rehearsed and filmed with comprehensive COVID-19 safety measures. We worked with WKYC Studios to create a plan for unforgettable performances that kept our artists, crew, and staff safe. This meant that everyone signed a safety agreement and had their temperature checked before entering the theatre. We assigned safety hosts to ensure that everyone was at least six feet apart at all times and wearing masks. We even emptied the theatre between each artist group to allow it to breathe. Creating theatre in a pandemic takes a lot of work, but of course the safety of our artists, staff, and crew is our highest priority.

Pictured: Filming of Awakenings, A Celebration of Cleveland Public Theatre, presented by WKYC Studios.
First photo by India Nicole Burton, second photo by Caitie H. Milcinovic, third photo by India Nicole Burton.

behind the scenes

Stills from Awakenings, A Celebration of Cleveland Public Theatre, presented by WKYC Studios

Check out the video of last year’s gala, Pandemonium 2019: Alchemy

Video produced by Ted Sikora.

Click here or on the image above to watch the video from Pandemonium 2019: Alchemy.

Sponsorships Available
Contact Caitie H. Milcinovic
216-631-2727 ext 213 or


ca******@cp*******.org











Click here to view sponsors of Awakenings: A Virtual Gala.

Sponsorship Opportunities

Click here or on the image above to view Sponsorship Opportunities for Awakenings: A Virtual Gala.

2020 PAN Award Honoree: Micki Byrnes

Micki is an advocate for education, community building, and the arts

Micki Byrnes serves as President & General Manager of WKYC Media, overseeing all operations of the broadcast station and its digital platforms. She joined Channel 3 in 1997 as Director of Marketing and was named Vice President, Advertising and Promotion in 2000, and Station Manager in 2014.

Micki has won numerous regional Emmy, Telly, and Addy Awards. She was inducted into the Cleveland Association of Broadcasters’ Hall of Fame in 2013 and was named a 2016 YWCA Woman of Achievement and a 2016 Crain’s Woman of Note. She was also named 2016 General Manager of the Year by Broadcasting & Cable magazine.

Micki and WKYC Studios have been long-time champions of Cleveland Public Theatre. We are thrilled to be recognizing her as our 2020 PAN Award recipient!

Read more about our honoree here.

HONORARY CHAIR

Mayor Frank G. Jackson

HOST COMMITTEE CO-CHAIRS

Margaret Bernstein
Tim Clepper
Joe & Nelda DiRocco
Debbie & Mac Donley
Cindy Flynn
Matt Kaulig
Mark Ross

HOST COMMITTEE

Kristen Baird Adams
Peter Anagnostos
Denise A. Carkhuff
Bill & Judie Caster
Loren & Heidi Chylla
Diane Downing & Tom Corrigan
Judi & Tom Embrescia
Heather & Jeff Ettinger
Trina Evans & Ken Birch
Rob Falls
Lee Friedman & Joe Gogol
Arne F. Goldman
Ira C. Kaplan
Tommy Marzella
Greg McDonald
Philip M. Oliss & Rachel McQuade-Oliss
Jeffery K. Patterson
Sam Pines
Sean Richardson
Shawn M. Riley
Bob & Susan Smith
Randy & Tracey Stephens
Sally & Terry Stewart
Hon. Joan & Roger Synenberg
Michelle Tomallo
Julie C. Tutkovics
Karen A. White
Dr. Marie A. Simon & John Michael Zayac