The nonprofit Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC) will present its highest honor, the Applause Award, to legendary musician and producer Norbert Putnam and Dollar General Corporation at its annual fundraising event, TPAC Gala, on Saturday, Aug. 26.
The center also will honor the legacy of the late, celebrated singer-songwriter Dan Fogelberg, who lived, performed, and recorded in Nashville, with a special posthumous award presentation. Starting Sept. 8, TPAC will present the world premiere of a new, original musical, Part of the Plan, featuring Dan’s music.
“So many artists, songwriters, and performers are drawn to Music City, just as Dan Fogelberg was as a teenager. That continued allure is the result of contributions of organizations like Dollar General, which fosters literacy and arts education in our community; genius artists like Norbert Putnam who helped to make Nashville a place for creative risk and collaboration and educators who understand how the arts inspire learning and change lives,” said Kathleen O’Brien, TPAC president and chief executive officer. “We’re so proud to recognize the efforts of our honorees at this year’s gala and to celebrate our thriving creative community.”
“I am extremely excited and honored to receive the Applause Award and be present to honor the legacy of my old pal, Dan Fogelberg. The music we created together provided a template of creativity for generations to come,” Putnam said. “Dan was a triple-play musical genius who could write, play and sing with the greatest of all time. It is also a great honor to return to TPAC. I vividly remember an opening night invitation from Martha Ingram to attend the first concert in this beautiful venue. I will dust off my tux, polish my shoes and practice, once again, that extremely difficult knot, and attempt -- a socially acceptable bow tie. I am also looking forward to visiting with my old friends and acquaintances from that ‘golden era’ of Nashville history.”
“Dollar General and the Dollar General Literacy Foundation understand that magical moments in learning come through a variety of different avenues,” said Rhonda Taylor, Dollar General’s executive vice president, general counsel and Dollar General Literacy Foundation board member. “We are proud to be a long-time supporter of the Tennessee Performing Arts Center’s outreach efforts to ensure all children have access and exposure to artistic performances that bring books to life and inspire learning.”
In addition to celebrating the honorees’ distinguished contributions to the arts, TPAC’s signature fundraising event, co-chaired this year by Sara and Kevin Hartley and Lauren and Andrew Tavi and themed to the Tony Award®-winning hit musical, An American in Paris, marks the launch of TPAC’s 2017-18 HCA/TriStar Health Broadway at TPAC season.
An American in Paris, which will play TPAC’s Andrew Jackson Hall Oct. 31 - Nov. 5, 2017, is directed and choreographed by acclaimed Tony Award®-winner Christopher Wheeldon and brings the magic and romance of Paris to life – in perfect harmony with unforgettable songs from George and Ira Gershwin – to tell the story of an American soldier, a mysterious French girl, and an indomitable city, each yearning for a new beginning in the aftermath of war.
Delta Dental of Tennessee is the title sponsor of TPAC Gala in 2017. Additional sponsors are Barbara and Jack Bovender, CoreCivic, Courier Printing, Dollar General; Earl Swensson and Associates, HCA/TriStar Health; MEDHOST, Nissan North America, Vanderbilt University. The media sponsor is Nashville Lifestyles.
Working with the co-chairs on event planning are reservation co-chair Julie Boehm, auction co-chairs Lauren and Patrick Poole and floral designer Phillipe Chadwick of Electric Flora. Special thanks to décor and Parisian advisor Amelie de Gaulle.
TPAC Gala, the nonprofit center’s signature fundraising event, will begin with cocktails and a silent auction at 6 p.m. in the lobby of Andrew Jackson Hall, followed at 8 p.m. with the award presentation, dinner from Sargent’s Fine Catering, special performances, and additional music by 12 South.
This year’s auction will include an online component that goes live on Aug. 18 and continues through the event on Aug. 26. Click here to pre-register.
For more information on TPAC Gala, call 615-687-4300 or visit TPAC.org/Gala.
