BrightestYoungThings: PHOTOS: Shakespeare Gala After Hours

all photos: Kimberly Cadena and Jeff Martin

Every year the Shakespeare Theatre Company's Gala After Hours is a capital "G" Grand affair. This year, though, it was just a little GRANDER. All caps worth, we'd say. And with good reason. The company was celebrating 25 years in existence and honoring not just anyone with their annual award, but giving it to the captain of their ship, Michael Kahn, who has been the creative director behind the quarter century of exceptional plays we've all come to expect from STC (in photo below, Michael is on the right).

The evening was filled with memorable moments and filled with true love and appreciation for the man that everyone involved seemed to be truly proud of/in love with (this, as it was pointed out in one of the early speeches of the evening, is pretty rare at Galas like these, this feeling of genuine appreciation and awe).

Some of the highlights included:

Patrick Stewart recounting how he ran into Michael at an airport and pitched him his idea of "Othello" and before you knew it, the photonegative Othello was born
Bradley Whitford (!!!! - WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO BRING UP FIRST- "WEST WING" or "ADVENTURES IN BABYSITTING"), Harry Hamlin, Chelsea Clinton, Stacey Keach and many others paying homage to the man of the hour

Terrance McNally recounting meeting Michael freshmen year at Columbia and all the adventures they've been to through the years
The truly FABULOUS entertainment highlighting some of the greatest adaptations of Shakespeare's plays (from "Where is the life That Late I led" from Kiss me Kate to "The Best is Yet to Come" sung by Diane Reeves)
and so many more, by the time the program was over, there was not a dry eye in the house, or an unclapping hand attached to anyone

Then, as planned, the party moved from Sidney Harman Hall to National Building Museum for drinks, food and, apparently dancing to "Pumped up Kicks" and "Push It" while in ballgowns, which we, naturally saluted by taking A LOT OF PHOTOS.

So, I'll cut this short and let you enjoy those, because, well, Jeff and Kimberly did a truly spectacular job of capturing the spectacular evening.

And a final note-if you had a good time here- we highly recommend you check out STC's "Under 35" programs and discounts for future bonding over theatre opportunities.

snaps by Jeff: