The Summer Institute 30th Anniversary Benefit Celebration at Indochine
March 29, 2026 1:30 pm
Indochine, 430 Lafayette St, New York, NY 10003
Purchase Tickets or Donate Please join us in celebrating 30 years of The Wooster Group Summer Institute.
Paul Lazar
Natsuko Ohama
Kaneza Schaal
What: 30th Anniversary Benefit for The Wooster Group Summer Institute
When: Sunday, March 29, 2026, 1:30 PM to 4:00 PM
Where: Indochine, 430 Lafayette Street, NYC
Who: A free, three-week performing-arts program for NYC public-school students ages 12–18
Why: To keep the Summer Institute tuition-free for all participants
All supporters are recognized in the event program and on the event webpage at their respective level.
$5,000 – Event Sponsor
• Four tickets with premier seating
• Logo inclusion (if desired)
• Verbal acknowledgment during the program
$2,500 – Patron
• One ticket with preferred seating
$1,000 – Benefactor
• One ticket
$500 – Supporter
• One ticket
$250 – Artist Ticket
• One ticket
• Recognized as a Contributor
• May be purchased by an artist or by a supporter to sponsor an artist’s attendance
Steve Cuiffo and Eleanor Hutchins
James Dennin and Heather Brennan
Vallejo Gantner
David Gilbert and Hara Woltz
Mike Iveson
Robin Jenkins and Lisa Marie Simonetti
Mark Russell and Jennifer Goodale
Scott Shepherd
Kathy and Allan Weiser
Sponsors and committee in formation.
Jerry Bernstein and Ann Berlstein
Paul Cassidy and Vernon Evenson
Norma Cole
Buddy Dikman
Mark Goldberg and Ariana Smart Truman
Madeleine Grynsztejn and Tom Shapiro
Tom and Jennifer Jacoby
Maxine Lubner and Paul Goldberg
Gary Martin and Patrick Owens
Noni Pratt
Bill Stasiulatis and Carolina Saez
Dolores Budd
Stella Duarte Geller, Claudia Duarte, and Alan Geller
Michelle Stern
Erica Weissman
Don Castro
Sandra Garner
Claudia Gould
Amy Huggans and Jim Findlay
Tom Mandel and Beth Joselow
Aran Maree
Robyn Mewshaw
Daniel Pettrow
Shanta Thake and Tommy Kriegsmann
Louisa Thompson
Weinberg Family Fund
David Zinn
Court Street Grocers
The Drama Book Shop
Indochine
Founded in 1996 as an educational offshoot of The Wooster Group, the Summer Institute invites students to discover new dimensions of themselves through joyful, rigorous exploration of live performance. Each summer, we serve approximately 20 students and 4–5 paid interns. More than half of participating families receive government assistance, and students come from all five boroughs, representing a wide range of cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
The 30th Anniversary Benefit is both a celebration and a fundraiser. Proceeds directly support the Institute’s continued ability to remain tuition-free for students, ensuring that access is never determined by a family’s ability to pay.
The afternoon will be convivial and informal, with food, conversation, and community, as we honor three teaching artists whose work has been foundational in shaping the spirit, pedagogy and ethos of the Summer Institute.
Paul Lazar is a founding member of Big Dance Theater and an Obie-award winning director and performer whose work has been presented at BAM, St. Ann’s Warehouse, Classic Stage Company, and internationally. As an actor, he has appeared in more than forty feature films and was a longtime performer with The Wooster Group, bringing a singular rigor and playfulness to the Institute’s creative practice.
Natsuko Ohama is one of the country’s leading voice teachers and a founding faculty member of Shakespeare & Company. A Drama Desk–nominated actress and internationally sought-after pedagogue, she has trained generations of performers at institutions including NYU, Columbia, CalArts, the Stratford Festival, and USC, shaping the Institute’s vocal and ensemble work for decades.
Kaneza Schaal is a Guggenheim Fellow and internationally recognized director working across theater, opera, and film. Her productions have been presented globally, and she directed the Pulitzer Prize–winning opera Omar; her expansive artistic vision and commitment to arts education have profoundly influenced the Institute’s scope and ambition.
All ticket purchases and contributions directly support the Summer Institute, a program of The Wooster Group, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Payment must be received by March 25. All contributions are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law; deductible portion is total contribution less $136 per attendee.
Honoring
Paul Lazar
Natsuko Ohama
Kaneza Schaal
At a Glance
What: 30th Anniversary Benefit for The Wooster Group Summer Institute
When: Sunday, March 29, 2026, 1:30 PM to 4:00 PM
Where: Indochine, 430 Lafayette Street, NYC
Who: A free, three-week performing-arts program for NYC public-school students ages 12–18
Why: To keep the Summer Institute tuition-free for all participants
Ticket & Support Levels
All supporters are recognized in the event program and on the event webpage at their respective level.
$5,000 – Event Sponsor
• Four tickets with premier seating
• Logo inclusion (if desired)
• Verbal acknowledgment during the program
$2,500 – Patron
• One ticket with preferred seating
$1,000 – Benefactor
• One ticket
$500 – Supporter
• One ticket
$250 – Artist Ticket
• One ticket
• Recognized as a Contributor
• May be purchased by an artist or by a supporter to sponsor an artist’s attendance
Event Sponsor
Select Equity Group FoundationInvitation Committee
Larry Casalino and Margaret SloanSteve Cuiffo and Eleanor Hutchins
James Dennin and Heather Brennan
Vallejo Gantner
David Gilbert and Hara Woltz
Mike Iveson
Robin Jenkins and Lisa Marie Simonetti
Mark Russell and Jennifer Goodale
Scott Shepherd
Kathy and Allan Weiser
Sponsors and committee in formation.
Patrons
AnonymousBenefactors
Barry AbramsJerry Bernstein and Ann Berlstein
Paul Cassidy and Vernon Evenson
Norma Cole
Buddy Dikman
Mark Goldberg and Ariana Smart Truman
Madeleine Grynsztejn and Tom Shapiro
Tom and Jennifer Jacoby
Maxine Lubner and Paul Goldberg
Gary Martin and Patrick Owens
Noni Pratt
Bill Stasiulatis and Carolina Saez
Supporters
Jennifer and Charles BaumDolores Budd
Stella Duarte Geller, Claudia Duarte, and Alan Geller
Michelle Stern
Erica Weissman
Contributors
AnonymousDon Castro
Sandra Garner
Claudia Gould
Amy Huggans and Jim Findlay
Tom Mandel and Beth Joselow
Aran Maree
Robyn Mewshaw
Daniel Pettrow
Shanta Thake and Tommy Kriegsmann
Louisa Thompson
Weinberg Family Fund
David Zinn
Institutional Donors
Bowery Group RestaurantsCourt Street Grocers
The Drama Book Shop
Indochine
Founded in 1996 as an educational offshoot of The Wooster Group, the Summer Institute invites students to discover new dimensions of themselves through joyful, rigorous exploration of live performance. Each summer, we serve approximately 20 students and 4–5 paid interns. More than half of participating families receive government assistance, and students come from all five boroughs, representing a wide range of cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
The 30th Anniversary Benefit is both a celebration and a fundraiser. Proceeds directly support the Institute’s continued ability to remain tuition-free for students, ensuring that access is never determined by a family’s ability to pay.
The afternoon will be convivial and informal, with food, conversation, and community, as we honor three teaching artists whose work has been foundational in shaping the spirit, pedagogy and ethos of the Summer Institute.
HONOREE BIOGRAPHIES
Paul Lazar is a founding member of Big Dance Theater and an Obie-award winning director and performer whose work has been presented at BAM, St. Ann’s Warehouse, Classic Stage Company, and internationally. As an actor, he has appeared in more than forty feature films and was a longtime performer with The Wooster Group, bringing a singular rigor and playfulness to the Institute’s creative practice.
Natsuko Ohama is one of the country’s leading voice teachers and a founding faculty member of Shakespeare & Company. A Drama Desk–nominated actress and internationally sought-after pedagogue, she has trained generations of performers at institutions including NYU, Columbia, CalArts, the Stratford Festival, and USC, shaping the Institute’s vocal and ensemble work for decades.
Kaneza Schaal is a Guggenheim Fellow and internationally recognized director working across theater, opera, and film. Her productions have been presented globally, and she directed the Pulitzer Prize–winning opera Omar; her expansive artistic vision and commitment to arts education have profoundly influenced the Institute’s scope and ambition.
All ticket purchases and contributions directly support the Summer Institute, a program of The Wooster Group, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Payment must be received by March 25. All contributions are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law; deductible portion is total contribution less $136 per attendee.