The New York Classical Theatre Board of Directors
cordially invites you to a
A GALA EVENING
to benefit
NEW YORK CLASSICAL THEATRE
Wednesday, March 26, 2025
6:30pm Cocktails | 7:30pm Dinner
The Manhattan Penthouse
with live performances and a Royal Tribute to
Nick Salamone & Clay Storseth
Since 2000, New York Classical Theatre, founded by Stephen Burdman, has brought the magic of classical theatre to life in public spaces across New York City—for free. From beloved Shakespearean works to forgotten classics, our productions transform parks and plazas into vibrant arenas for storytelling, making great theatre accessible to all.
Over the past 25 years, NY Classical has presented more than 900 free performances to over 325,000 New Yorkers—nearly 30% of whom live at or below the NYC poverty line. By removing financial barriers, we’ve built a diverse, dynamic audience that reflects the city we call home.
Proceeds from Gala 2025 will make it possible to bring Shakespeare to life in public spaces across the city this summer, offering free performances for everyone to enjoy. Stay tuned—our 2025 production will be announced in early February!
Dress: Formal & Fabulous (any time period!)
We are proud to honor Nick Salamone & Clay Storseth for their many years of dedication to NY Classical and their commitment to making free, world-class theatre accessible to all New Yorkers.
Nick Salamone and Clay Storseth have a long and storied history with New York Classical Theatre. Clay made his debut as Don Armado in Love’s Labour’s Lost (2007), and Nick joined two years later as the Duke of Cornwall in King Lear, alongside Clay as the Duke of Albany. Since then, both have become Artistic Associates, with Nick joining our Board of Directors in 2011 after our epic Henry V.
Together, they have appeared in 33 productions, portraying 56 characters, making them integral to NY Classical’s success. Some of Clay’s standout roles include Jacques in As You Like It, the Duke in Measure for Measure, and his dual performance as Miss Prism and Chasuble in The Importance of Being Earnest (Two Ways). Nick, often seen as the father to our leading ladies, has delivered unforgettable performances as Dorn in The Seagull, Capulet and Mercutio in Romeo & Juliet, Gloucester in King Lear (2021), Molière in Playing Molière, Sganarelle in School for Husbands, and the title role in last season’s Henry IV.
We look forward to seeing them both take the stage again in Shakespeare’s All’s Well That Ends Well this summer.
Host Committee
Crown Champions
Steve & Melanie Perlstein
Susan & Ethan Falkove
Maura Harway & Richard Mark
Sid Ray & Philip Kearns
Royal Patrons
David Frankel & Lynn Freedman
Katriana & Orlando Lopez
John Michalski
Noble Supporters
Bill Ings
Jon Lukomnik & Lynn Davidson
Matthew Rooney
Join Our Host Committee!
Support the gala at one of these exclusive levels:
Noble Supporter: Purchase 2 premium gala tickets.
Royal Patron: Purchase 4 premium gala tickets or a half-table for your group.
Crown Champion: Purchase 8 premium gala tickets or a full table for your group.
For questions or to make a pledge, contact Colin Knapp, Director of Development and Communications,
at colin@nyclassical.org or 212-662-0760.
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