Colorado Ballet to Host Peter Pan themed A Night in Neverland Gala

DENVER, CO (January 21, 2020) – Colorado Ballet’s A Night in Neverland Gala will be held February 6 at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House at the Denver Performing Arts Complex. One evening will make an impact that touches lives throughout the entire year—A Night in Neverland Gala will support Colorado Ballet’s Education and Community Engagement Programs and Academy Scholarships. The event is being chaired by Brent and Melanie Backes and Ann and Ford Frick.

“As long time trustees, we are honored to be in a position that allows us to make an impact on so many young people’s lives,” states Gala Co-Chair Brent Backes. “Colorado Ballet’s Gala is a fantastic annual event, and my co-chairs and I are excited to be involved in supporting this wonderful organization and making a difference in Colorado’s dance community.”

THE EVENING
A Night in Neverland Gala begins at 5:30PM in The Ellie lobby, with a Mix & Mingle cocktail reception, a Wine Pull sponsored by Colorado Ballet Auxiliary, a jewelry pull provided by John Atencio and a curated silent auction.

At 7:00PM, entertainment on the Ellie stage will include a short performance by Colorado Ballet Academy students and Colorado Ballet’s professional company will perform an excerpt from the ballet Peter Pan, followed by a live auction and paddle raise.

Following the entertainment and auction, an elaborate Neverland-themed dinner created by Kevin Taylor will be served in the Chambers Grant Salon and the Studio Loft. After dinner guests may stay for bubbly and dancing on the stage. Cocktail attire is recommended.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE LIVE AUCTION

• The Spirit of Aloha with Cuvée. It’s been called the top villa on the Four Seasons Hualalai golf course, and for good reason — impeccably designed for gathering, for those who appreciate privacy, design and five-star amenities. Uniquely positioned on the second fairway of one of the best resorts in the world, this fabulous Hawaiian experience features five nights of world-class luxury and epic adventure at Cuvée’s Hualalai Estate, a Big Island Villa for up to ten guests.
• Central Coast Wine Adventure. Enjoy a luxurious stay at Liz and Bill Armstrong’s Epoch Estate Wines atop York Mountain in Paso Robles, California. Feast on gourmet meals and sip on wines that are carefully crafted from Rhone, Zinfandel and Tempranillo varieties. Learn more about the locale at epochwines.com.
• Private Golf Excursion at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa & Shangri La Resort on Grand Lake O' the Cherokees
• Experience the excellence and tradition of golf at Southern Hills Country Club, ranked #34 on Golf Digest’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses of 2019-2020. Three couples will enjoy two nights at the historic Mayo Hotel in Tulsa, golf for three at Southern Hills, plus a two night stay at the Shangri La Resort on Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees with golf for six.
• An Enchanted Evening. Spend an intimate evening at the Denver Art Museum Penthouse residence of Lanny and Sharon Martin. Enjoy a decadent meal prepared by Kevin Taylor, expert wine pairings by a Certified Sommelier, and journey through the Martin’s private art collection including Stella, Warhol, Chamberlain and Still.
• Cook Up a Custom Kitchen. Your new kitchen will sparkle with cabinets from the Artisan Shop, paint from Sherwin Williams, a custom pantry design and painting by Imhoff Fine Residential Painting, new lighting, tile, appliances, faucets and more.

SILENT AUCTION
Some of the silent auction items include:

• One-week stay in a gorgeous condo in the heart of Cannes, France
• A night at the Brown Palace Hotel for three couples including an overnight stay, dinner, cigars and breakfast
• Two-night stay at the Four Seasons Santa Fe with resort credit and Santa Fe Opera tickets
• Golf and an overnight stay at the Garden of the Gods Club in Colorado Springs
• Many more!

GALA COMMITTEE
Colorado Ballet’s A Night in Neverland Gala Co-Chairs: Brent and Melanie Backes & Ann and Ford Frick. Committee Members: Edie Bell, Kristin Bender, Nancy Boland, Allie Coppeak, Colleen Curran, Christie Del Ciotto, Adam Diskin, Denae Duesler, BJ Dyer, Erin Ferris-Dollarhide, Kaye Ferry, Terri Fisher, Alyson Graves, Duke Hartman, Linda Heiss, Nancy Hemming, Nancy Hockemeier, Liz Katkin, Maggie Klein, Mike Korenblat, Greg Laugero, Merry Logan, Kris McMullan, Cindy Meany, Rachel Moskovich, Lyndsie Oldroyd, Denise Sanderson, Adam Sexton, Susan Stiff, Susan Struna and Aubrey Tramontina.

TABLES AND TICKETS

• Platinum Tables are $10,000 and include guestrooms at The Westin Denver Downtown for the night of the gala and upgraded wines served at the gala
• Gold Tables are $5,000 and include upgraded wines
• Silver Tables are $3,500
• Individual tickets are $350. Tickets for young professionals 40 and under are $250

Tables, tickets and more info are available at (303) 339-1640 or online at COLORADOBALLET.ORG/GALA

ABOUT COLORADO BALLET
Presenting exceptional classical ballet and innovative contemporary dance through performances, training, education and community engagement, Colorado Ballet continues to inspire and grow an increasingly diverse audience base in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1961 by Lillian Covillo and Freidann Parker, Colorado Ballet is a non-profit organization celebrating 59 years of excellence.As a world-class professional company, Colorado Ballet presents 55 performances annually to sold-out audiences in the 2,000 seat Ellie Caulkins Opera House. The Company’s 32 professional dancers and 21 studio company dancers come from all over the world. Colorado Ballet’s The Armstrong Center for Dance, a 35,000 square foot building, boasts eight state-of-the-art professional dance studios and amenities for the professional Company. Under the direction of Artistic Director Gil Boggs, Colorado Ballet performs classical ballet masterpieces, full-length story ballets and its critically-acclaimed repertory production Ballet MasterWorks, featuring varied works from neoclassical ballets to world premieres. The Raydean Acevedo Colorado Ballet Academy serves over 1,200 students from toddlers to seniors each year. Colorado Ballet’s Education and Community Engagement programming serves under-resourced students, teachers, families, people with disabilities and lifelong learners, reaching more than 35,000 contacts in 300 schools and organizations annually. For more information please visit COLORADOBALLET.ORG.