Center announces plans for 2022 gala fundraiser

Acclaimed vocal group Straight No Chaser will deliver the headline performance next fall at the Center for the Performing Arts’ annual gala fundraiser.

The Center Celebration 2022 presented by Krieg DeVault is set for Friday, Sept. 16, 2022, at the Palladium. After two years in which the event was streamed online due to pandemic concerns, the next gala will return to an on-site, in-person format.

“We can’t wait to welcome our family of supporters back to the Palladium for this special night that we all look forward to so much,” said Jeffrey C. McDermott, the Center’s President/CEO. “The 2022 event will truly be a celebration.”

Straight No Chaser, founded at Indiana University and discovered on YouTube by Atlantic Records, has become one of the world’s top all-male a cappella groups, with a massive fan base, numerous national TV appearances and a series of successful CD releases.

The evening also will include a cocktail reception, a live auction and themed after-parties in the Palladium’s lounges.

Co-chairing the Center Celebration 2022 will be:

· Mike and Liz Holtz Messaglia of Brownsburg – Mike is a corporate and banking attorney and managing partner of title sponsor Krieg DeVault. Liz is the owner/operator of Hidden Creek Farm equestrian facility in Brownsburg, president of the Indiana Eventing Association and board member for other nonprofit organizations.

· Jeff and Shari Worrell of Carmel – Jeff is founder of Advantage Medical and a member of the Carmel City Council and Carmel Redevelopment Commission. Shari is an active community volunteer for Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Carmel Merciful Help Center, CarmelFest and other organizations.

The co-chairs are currently seeking volunteers to serve on the various committees coordinating the gala.

The Center’s virtual gala in September 2021 generated more than $200,000 in gifts and pledges to support the Center’s mission. The free livestream attracted viewers as far away as Australia and the United Kingdom.

About the Center for the Performing Arts

The mission of the nonprofit Center for the Performing Arts is to engage and inspire the Central Indiana community through enriching arts experiences. Its campus in Carmel, Indiana, includes the 1,600-seat Palladium concert hall, the 500-seat Tarkington proscenium theater and the black-box Studio Theater. The Center presents and hosts hundreds of events each year, including the Center Presents performance series, featuring the best in classical, jazz, pop, rock, country, comedy and other genres. Educational and experiential programming for all ages includes children’s concerts and camps, book clubs, lectures, and classes in music and dance. The Center is home to the affiliated Great American Songbook Foundation and provides space and support services for six resident arts companies. More information is available at TheCenterPresents.org.