The Women’s Board of Ravinia hosted the festival’s annual Gala Benefit Evening, Gershwin at Ravinia: Who Could Ask for Anything More? on July 15 at the Ravinia Festival in Highland Park, IL. There were 1,100 guests in attendance, and the benefit evening raised approximately $750,000.
Four-time Tony winner Audra McDonald, vocalist Brian Stokes Mitchell, creator and star of George Gershwin Alone Hershey Felder and conductor/pianist Andrew Litton along with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra headlined the Gala performance that commemorated the 70th anniversary of George Gershwin’s only Ravinia performance in 1936, just a year before his untimely death.
The 2006 Gala Benefit Evening was overseen by the Women’s Board committee headed by Gala chairman Becky Murray and Gala co-chairman Gail Hodges. Joan Feitler and Jean McClung served as the Gala Benefactor co-chairmen and James T. Glerum, Jr. and Holly W. Madigan served as the Trustee Benefactor co-chairmen. Audrey C. Rubinstein is the Women’s Board chairman.