Princeton NJ Events

McCarter Theatre's 2026 GALA

Friday June 12, 2026
6:00 PM

The McCarter Gala is our theatre’s most significant and highly anticipated annual fundraising event. At the 2025 event, Gala supporters raised almost half a million dollars for McCarter, including Stage Door Access —providing unparalleled opportunities for students and neighbors to access and experience McCarter’s premier arts and education programs.

Join friends of McCarter for a one-night-only Gala performance on Friday, June 12 featuring Tony and GRAMMY-award winning artist Kecia Lewis. Kecia Lewis is celebrating over 40 triumphant years as a dynamic storyteller on stage and screen. She can currently be seen as a Series Regular opposite Tracy Morgan in Crutch, a new comedy for Paramount Plus.

This year, McCarter is also honored to recognize Emily Mann, former Artistic Director and Resident Playwright, with the inaugural Roger S. Berlind Award recognizing immense leadership and a lifetime commitment to creating art and an environment for the arts to flourish.

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Madama Butterfly, Princeton Festival

Friday June 12, 2026
7:00 PM

Puccini's Madama Butterfly explores themes of love, betrayal, and heartbreak. It is a tragic love story between a young Japanese woman, Cio-Cio-San, and an American naval officer, Pinkerton. After an impulsive, intercultural marriage to one another, Cio-Cio-San is soon abandoned by Pinkerton, but she remains faithful to their marriage and committed to a future with him and their child. Eventually, Pinkerton returns, but not alone. He is accompanied by his American wife. Cio-Cio-San is devastated and finds herself in a dishonorable position which leads to dire consequences.

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