French Heritage Society’s Annual Gala Dinner Dance

Galas in Manhattan are (mostly) back. So is Broadway. The two came together at the French Heritage Society’s annual Gala Dinner Dance – A Cabaret Evening Celebrating the City of Lights – honoring Broadway hyphenates Bonnie Comley and Stewart F. Lane. This night is always one of the best excuses to get out your most elegant gowns. And Gala Chairs Liz McDermott Barnes, CeCe Black, Stark D. Kirby, Jr., Jay R. Paul, and Jean Shafiroff kept the glamour quotient high.

It’s appropriate to the cause. Paris is the chicest, most romantic city in the world. What helps define it? It’s architecture. The Society seeks to preserve this defining French heritage, and Franco/American amitié with our first allies. The beautiful chateaus that dot the country side no longer have feudal systems to maintain them. Now they have the support of French Heritage. They send funds, and sponsor internships to carry the torch. And so, as flames threatened Notre Dam, the French Heritage Society was already receiving donations to restore it.

The group holds cultural soirées here and trips to galas in Paris. Next year’s 40th Anniversary will feature a celebration in the Petit Palais, Paris’ Belle Epoque masterpiece.

At this Francophile feast, Jean Shafiroff glided across the floor with designer Malan Breton, wearing one of his creations. Also enjoying Alex Donner’s band were Board Chair Elizabeth Stribling and President Comte Denis de Kergorlay, Board Members Timothy Corrigan, Christian Draz, Ronald Lee Fleming, Kazie Metzger Harvey, Michel Moscovici, and Young Patrons Circle Chair Blake Funston and Johnsonie Casimyr. Also in attendance were Christine and Max Ansbacher, Susan and Gerald Baker, Sharon Bush, Patricia Duncan, Susan Gutfreund, Mai Hallingby Harrison, Margaret and Gregory Hedberg, Rolf Heitmeyer, Sylvia Hemingway, Marife Hernadez and Joel Bell, Daniel Hurstel, Paul and Ursula Lowerre, Kenneth and Ellen Roman, Thomas and Patricia Shiah, Lynn and Pascale Franchot Tone, Kelly Williams Andrew Forsyth, and FHS Executive Director Jennifer Herlein.

And of course, the love/work couple Bonnie Comley and Stewart Lane. They share nine Tony Awards, two Oliviers, have produced more than 50 Broadway shows — including “La Cage aux Folles,” “War Horse,” “Sunday in the Park with George,” “The Will Rogers Follies,” “Thoroughly Modern Milly,” “The 39 Steps,” “Sunset Boulevard,” “Bernadette Peters’ Gypsy,” “The Goodbye Girl,” “Legally Blonde,” “Fiddler on the Roof” — and 40 films.  In the Hamptons, they are significant supporters of Guild Hall, Bay Street Theater, the Parrish Art Museum and more. She’s the president of the Drama League. He’s on the Actors’ Guild board. He even had a cameo in “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” at Bay Street. They also co-own the Palace Theater with the Nederlander Organization, where “An American in Paris” had its successful run. Its star, Robbie Fairchild, gave a charming cabaret performance, at the gala, accompanied by Kate Davis.

Comley and Lane’s ambitious project, BroadwayHD.com, their streaming platform for Broadway plays, came into its own during quarantine. For years, the duo worked to convince other producers the service wouldn’t compete with ticket sales. When the Great White Way went dark, streamed versions of “Hamilton,” “Diana” and more proved seeing it on TV promoted ticket sales.

The elegant fete was held at the behest of Gala Chairs Liz McDermott Barnes, CeCe Black, Stark D. Kirby, Jr., Jay R. Paul, and Jean Shafiroff, and in the presence of Consul General of France in New York Jérémie Robert and Cultural Counselor Gaetan Bruel. Gala Co-Chairs included Geoffrey Bradfield, Elisa Fredrickson, David and Susanne Gray, Michael Kovner and Jean Doyen de Montaillou, Bruce Horten, and Ann Van Ness. Further flair was added by New York Chapter Co-Chair Guy N. Robinson and Odile de Schietere-Longchampt and the event’s wine consultant, FHS Board Member George Sape.