The Public Gala & Delacorte Reopening in Central Park
The 2025 Public Theater Gala was a magical night under the stars, celebrating the 10th Anniversary of Hamilton, the 50th Anniversary of A Chorus Line, and The Public’s commitment to accessible theater with the grand reopening of the renovated Delacorte Theater, home to Free Shakespeare in the Park.
After nearly two years of construction, 650 guests were thrilled to return to the Delacorte, captivated by the vibrant atmosphere on the gala lawn. The event was a resounding success, raising over $2.5 million, to fuel The Public Theater’s 2025–26 season productions and advance the Forever Public campaign.
The Rahul Shah Trio set the atmosphere for the cocktail hour where guests were delighted by instant portrait photography to commemorate the occasion. In celebration of Hamilton’s 10th anniversary, Leslie Odom Jr.’s jubilant performance filled the air with energy, while Renée Elise Goldsberry’s graceful, effortless vocals lifted the night to new heights, culminating in a thrilling countdown to illuminate the Delacorte. Passionate remarks by Executive Director Patrick Willingham, Artistic Director Oskar Eustis, and Board Chair Luis A. Miranda Jr. honored the enduring support of the Jerome L. Greene Foundation and designer Paula Scher, whose bold artwork framed the lawn’s perimeter.
Since 2022, Empire has proudly collaborated with The Public Theater to produce their annual gala. Our team weaves creativity and precision to craft an unforgettable experience, ensuring every moment reflects The Public Theater’s mission of accessible, transformative theater.
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Guests received their first taste of technological innovation at registration, where they were welcomed by name on a reactive LED screen installation covering the full width of the entry wall. A large lunch café was created with a décor scheme that incorporated custom-built, ceiling-high steel LED frames draped with foliage to create smaller, intimate restaurant-style spaces that displayed both technology and nature.
A series of breakout sessions presented content targeted to attendees’ varied interests, while imagery displayed throughout the venue showcased real-life applications of how products designed to empower developers help to unleash the power of data and reimagine possibilities that will improve our world.
Every element of Microsoft Connect(); from registration, breakfast and keynote, to lunch and evening cocktails, were custom-designed to communicate exacting brand messaging and to deliver a high-touch guest experience to this important audience. The keynote and breakout sessions were livestreamed through an onsite studio built for this purpose and content was watched online by millions around the world.
Empire is proud to collaborate with Microsoft on this annual, top-tier business communication event.
To view excerpts of Connect(); 2017, please visit https://www.microsoft.com/connectevent
