The People's Gala is the highly anticipated 5th annual event in support of People's Theatre Project’s mission. This year’s event will honor three exceptional immigrants, Shaun Smith, Zafi Dimitropoulou Del Angel, and Emilio Sosa, for their outstanding contributions to social justice, the arts, and community building.
Guests of the gala can expect an evening filled with glamour, inspiration, and entertainment, featuring a red carpet reception, an impactful benefit performance, and a festive cocktail party. VIP ticket holders are invited to a pre-event cocktail reception at 6pm for a sneak peek at the future of People's Theatre Project and a toast with our honorees. At 7pm, all guests will enjoy a benefit performance co-directed by Mino Lora and Vida Tayebati, and starring the cast of PTP's The Diamond and students of the PTP Academy. Following the performance, guests will adjourn to a festive reception with open bar, passed hors d'oeuvres, music, and dancing.
Purchase Tickets Below
Event Date & Time
Tuesday, June 6, 2023
VIP Cocktail Event at 6:00 P.M.
Benefit Performance at 7:00 P.M.
Main Reception at 7:30 P.M.
We're Counting Down!
Location
New World Stages
340 W. 50th Street
(between 8th & 9th Aves)
Honorees

Shaun Smith
Group Senior Vice President, Chief People and Culture OfficerNewYork-Presbyterian
Mr. Smith has over 25 years of human resources, legal, and health care management experience, including leadership roles at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital in Plattsburgh, New York, where he served as the Chief Human Resource Officer. Mr. Smith received his undergraduate degree in Business Administration and his law degree from Pace University. He was an adjunct professor of Human Resources Management at the State University of New York in Plattsburgh and currently serves as the Associate Dean for the NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences. Mr. Smith is a member of the Executive Leadership Council. He is a member of the Boards of Trustees of Pace University, The Center of Community Alternatives, and The Rogosin Institute.
Mr. Smith has also served on other health care industry boards, including his past role as Chair of START Treatment and Recovery Centers in New York City.
Mr. Smith’s approach to HR leadership is grounded in the firm belief that people are at the core of what makes an organization great. A truly great organization is created by highly engaged people who actively participate in a culture focused on respect and caring for one another and their community.

Zafi Dimitropoulou Del Angel
Artistic Director (2018-2023)People's Theatre Project
Born in Mexico and raised in Greece, Zafi studied dance and performing arts from her early years. As an educator, she has facilitated theatre-making workshops and classes in public schools across the world. As a performer, she has been a member of many ensembles in Europe and the United States, including the Troubleyn theatre company and the Athens Epidaurus festival. As a director, Zafi specializes in creating methodologies that center underrepresented artists and develop original work through an anti-oppressive lens.
Her latest works—Las Mariposas, Somos Más, and Doña Mañana—have been performed in venues and theatre stages across NYC including The Riverside Theatre, The Whitney, and New York Theatre Workshop. In 2020, she was selected for the New York Foundation of the Arts (NYFA) Emerging Leaders Program Cohort. BA Acting, Greek Art Theatre Karolos Koun; MFA, Physical Theatre, Dell’Arte International.

Emilio Sosa
Tony-Nominated Costume Designer &American Theatre Wing, Chair
Host Committee
Eleazar Bueno
Mariana Elder
Monica Hidalgo
Jane Seidenberg
Board of Directors
Sarina Prabasi, President
Kevin Thurman, Vice-President
Hiram Miguel Arnaud, Treasurer
Deborah Katznelson, Secretary
Cindy Caplan
Monica Hidalgo
Zahira Perez
Melanie Wuong
Artistic Council
Ioana Alfonso
Dominic Colón
Guadalís Del Carmen
Shadi Ghaheri
Yuko Kudo
Donja R. Love
Jacob Padrón
Reza Salazar
Candace Thompson-Zachery
Stephanie Ybarra
Purchase Tickets & Make Donations
For sponsorship information or to pay by check, please contact [email protected]
Proceeds from The People's Gala will benefit the artistic and education programs of People's Theatre Project, a 501(c)3 organization (EIN 26-4705999). Contributions are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law.
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