At its annual Front & Center Gala, The Naples Players raised more than $1.7 million in support of its productions, education programs, and community partnerships. The funds raised will directly sustain The Naples Players’ mainstage productions, its TNP Academy programs, which train and mentor young artists, and its Arts Access initiatives, which bring theatre-based experiences into healthcare settings, senior centers, schools, and community organizations across Collier County.
During the gala, philanthropists Patty & Jay Baker publicly pledged a $10 million endowment that will strengthen the organization’s long-term financial foundation and ensure that its work is sustainable for generations.
The evening was capped by a standing ovation given to the first responders, healthcare workers, teachers and the military who were invited to attend the gala.
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This year’s Front & Center Gala was stressed service, shared responsibility, and the belief that community is strongest when people show up for one another.
During his remarks, CEO and Executive Artistic Director Bryce Alexander connected the evening’s theme of honoring community heroes with the broader purpose of the organization.
“Teachers. First responders. The military. Healthcare workers,” Alexander said. “Like the performers on this stage, we ask them to show discipline, excellence under pressure, and teamwork. That is why we are here tonight. Because The Naples Players is a critical part of their team.”
The evening honored those heroes while also highlighting the programs The Naples Players has built to support them and their families, including arts-based wellness partnerships, accessible education opportunities, youth training programs and community initiatives that use theatre as a tool for connection and healing. The money will enable The Naples Players to expand access, remove financial barriers, and ensure that students, families, veterans, first responders, and seniors can participate regardless of circumstance.
Denny and Tanya Glass’ first paddle gift of $250,000 set the pace for the night and sparked widespread engagement throughout the room.
The program also included a deeply personal surprise: a marriage proposal between a young Marine, a former TNP Academy student, and her partner, a former finance intern for the organization. The moment underscored what many in the room already knew: The Naples Players is not simply a performance venue, but a place where lives intersect and lasting relationships are formed.
The Naples Players (TNP) is a nationally recognized community theatre dedicated to building community through exceptional access to the power of theatre. Located in the heart of downtown Naples, TNP engages more than 850 volunteers annually, reaching over 70,000 audience members and students through high-quality productions, inclusive education programs, and innovative community partnerships. TNP is home to The Baker Day School of the Academy of Dramatic Arts, the only full-time performing arts school in Southwest Florida. With a newly renovated, LEED-certified facility, TNP continues to serve as a cultural hub and leader in how theatres can impact their communities. Learn more at: naplesplayers.org.
More on Patty & Jay Baker
Patty & Jay Baker want to make a difference in the city they love. Toward that end, they’re on a mission to make Naples a better place to live for everyone. With their pledge to The Naples Players, they have donated more than $110 million to various causes in Naples.
They have previously favored The Naples Players with a $2 million gift for TNP’s
renovated Kizzie Theatre (named after the couple’s late dog, Kizzie) and $2 million for the Jay and Patty Baker Preschool of the Arts.
Other notable gifts by the Bakers include:
- $20 million toward the cost of Gulfshore Playhouse’s new building, named the Baker Theatre and Education Center;
- $20 million for orthopedic services at the Hospital of Special Surgery at NCH Baker Othropedic Center;
- $15 million to modernize NCH Baker Hospital;
- $10 million for the future five-story NCH Family and Stroke Critical Care Center to be added to the NCH Baker Hospital campus in downtown Naples;
- $10 million endowment for the Baker Museum at Artis-Naples;
- $5 million for the Baker Senior Center;
- $5 million for the [renamed] Patty Baker Humane Society Naples; and
- $2 million for Baker Park (previously Gordon River Park).
Most recently, the Bakers loaned four historically important paintings for the first U.S. exhibition of work by Art Deco artist Tamara de Lempicka. For more on their role as art collectors and benefactors, visit:
- “Putting a shining light on the queen of art deco;” and
- “Baker Museum retrospective advances legacy of art deco painter Tamara de Lempicka.”
Support for WGCU’s arts & culture reporting comes from the Estate of Myra Janco Daniels, the Charles M. and Joan R. Taylor Foundation, and Naomi Bloom in loving memory of her husband, Ron Wallace.
