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04/30/2015 12:01 AMStephanie Donegan Deitz is helping Guilford Art Center (GAC) light up a Branford ballroom for a legendary night, inspired by Truman Capote’s “Black & White” ‘60s-era party that was the hottest ticket in town.
“The gala is very loosely based on Truman Capote’s Black and White masquerade ball he had in 1966,” explains Stephanie, a GAC board member and gala committee member. “It took place at Plaza Hotel [in New York City] and he picked Kay Graham from the Washington Post to be his honoree. It turned out to be a really hot ticket. Everybody who was anybody wanted to go to this party.”
Capote’s party pulled in a fabulous list of cultural icons from a cross section of worlds including Andy Warhol, Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Frank Sinatra, and Lauren Bacall, to name a few.
Set for Friday, May 8, GAC’s Black & White Gala hopes to also draw a great cross section of supporters of the continuously fascinating arts and programming offered to residents across the shoreline by non-profit GAC. The gala takes place at the Pine Orchard Yacht & Country Club in Branford. The night’s honorary co-chairs are District 12 State Senator Ted Kennedy, Jr., and his wife, Dr. Katherine “Kiki” Kennedy, of Branford.
“It’s a fundraiser for Guilford Art Center, but we’re also looking at it as a ‘friend-raising’ event, too,” explains Stephanie. “We have some fun things going on at this party that will make it a great experience.”
GAC staffer and committee member Lisa Ste. Marie says the crowd can help re-create Capote’s 1966 party vibe.
“We hope people will embrace the theme by getting out the tuxes, wearing white and black, donning a mask, drinking a ‘Capotini’ and posing for a Warhol-inspired photo,” says St. Marie.
The party’s signature drink, a Capotini, has, “a little bit of sour or bitters, because Truman Capote was a bit acerbic,” says Stephanie, who’s been working with the committee of board members, volunteers, and GAC staff to plan the gala.
Surprises in the gala mix include some special guests populating the crowd and the opportunity for every attendee to take part in a pop-art moment that will result in a newly created piece of art by night’s end.
“You don’t have to be an artist to help create it,” Stephanie hints. “I am definitely not an artist—but I am a supporter of the arts.”
Actually, the Branford resident does have quite a bit of creativity in the kitchen. She is the daughter of celebrity chef Betty Ann Donegan and co-stars with her mom on News Channel 8’s TV CT Style during its “In the Kitchen” segment. Her mom’s community service ethic has been a part of Stephanie’s life and is something the family has always felt called to do, says Stephanie.
“Our community service initiatives are usually family-oriented,” says Stephanie, who inspired her sister, Christine Donegan, to join the gala committee and has asked her mom to make something special for the gala crowd.
“She’s making a chocolate whipped crème fudge cake, which is sort of black and white in layers, that I wouldn’t say is worth the price of admission—but pretty darn close. It’s amazing,” says Stephanie.
Stephanie has used her culinary craft and connections before to support GAC fundraisers, such as the annual Soup for Good fundraiser at GAC. Proceeds from last November’s soup supper benefited GAC and the Community Dining Room. Guests arrived at the GAC’s school building to enjoy a bowl of hearty soup, bread, dessert, and a glass of wine, and chose their soup bowl, handcrafted by GAC potter, to take home, “for good.”
“That is a really neat event, with all of the beautiful ceramic bowls and the wonderful soups we serve—and yes, my mom made soup!” says Stephanie.
As a mom herself, Stephanie has long been well aware of GAC’s opportunities for kids and adults to experience the arts in many ways. The Branford native and her husband, Bill, have two children, Nathan, 19, and Julia, 17.
“I’ve always known about it,” says Stephanie. “My kids took classes here when they were little. I took photography classes here years ago, and I always try to shop here at the holidays, because they have such unique things.”
Founded in 1967, GAC is a non-profit school, shop, and gallery located on Church Street in Guilford. It serves the shoreline with classes, gallery programs, a shop of contemporary crafts, and special events. GAC’s mission is to provide opportunities for the public to participate in the arts, experience cultural and historical diversity, and appreciate the process and product of creative work. The founders of GAC held their first Handcraft Expo on the Guilford Green in 1957 and that program has evolved to become the annual Craft Expo, featuring works by more than 180 of the country’s most distinguished artisans.
A GAC board member for two years, Stephanie says she can’t imagine what the shoreline would be like without the benefits and opportunities created by this unique non-profit.
“We’ve been here for so long, it’s hard to sometimes build excitement about Guilford Art Center, but we need to continue to create excitement so we can stay here!” Stephanie points out. “Because what would it be like if we weren’t here? It would be horrible.”
Bringing that call for excitement to the gala was easy, thanks to all of the hard work that’s been put into creating this memorable event, Stephanie adds.
“We have lots people working on this and lots of volunteers that help us out for many, many things. We’ve had a lot of fun planning with a pop-art theme and coming up with ideas for the gala,” says Stephanie. “It’s going to be a lot of fun and an opportunity to let people see the kinds of things that are being created at Guilford Art Center.”
Guilford Art Center’s Black & White Gala is Friday, May 8 from 6:30 to 10 pm at the Pine Orchard Yacht and Country Club, Branford. Tickets, $125 per person, can be purchased online at www.guilfordartcenter.org or by calling 203-453-5947. All proceeds will benefit Guilford Art Center’s educational and community programs.