Multi-award-winning performer Cynthia Erivo will be honored at the American Ballet Theatre’s 2026 Fall Gala, titled “Angels and Demons,” on Thursday, October 29, 2026, at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center in New York City. The event celebrates her contributions to the performing arts across stage and screen.
The Bottom Line
- The Event: American Ballet Theatre’s 2026 Fall Gala: Angels and Demons takes place on October 29, 2026, at Lincoln Center’s David H. Koch Theater.
- The Honoree: Grammy, Emmy, and Tony Award winner and three-time Oscar nominee Cynthia Erivo is being recognized for her impact.
- The Program: Curated by ABT Artistic Director Susan Jaffe, the one-night performance features classic ballet excerpts followed by a Promenade dinner and dance.
An Icon Bridging Theater, Film, and Dance
Recognized as a Grammy, Daytime Emmy, and Tony Award winner alongside three Academy Award nominations, Erivo’s recent slate includes her turn as Elphaba in the Wicked film adaptations, including Wicked: For Good topping $525 million in worldwide grosses.
Beyond cinema, Erivo’s artistic drive took her back to London’s West End earlier this year for an ambitious one-woman production of Dracula, where she assumed 23 characters. Her roots with the American Ballet Theatre run deeper than mere red-carpet appearances. In May 2020, during the pandemic, Erivo lent her voice to ABT’s first digital gala, American Ballet Theatre Together Tonight, delivering an a cappella rendition of “America the Beautiful” set against footage of the company’s dancers.
Inside the “Angels and Demons” Gala Production
Curated by ABT Artistic Director Susan Jaffe, the 2026 Fall Gala embraces a seasonal aesthetic. The program explores a celestial and mischievous dichotomy, bringing fantasy and theatricality to the New York stage just ahead of Halloween.
“Few artists possess Cynthia Erivo’s extraordinary ability to transform themselves through performance,” Susan Jaffe stated, emphasizing the shared discipline required between world-class ballet and Erivo’s stage and screen career. “Whether through music, theater, or film, she brings an uncommon combination of artistry, emotional honesty, and fearless imagination to every role.”
| Event Detail | Specification |
|---|---|
| Date | Thursday, October 29, 2026 |
| Venue | David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center, NYC |
| Theme | Angels and Demons |
| Gala Grand Chairs | Sloan & Violet Barnett; Emily & Laila Blavatnik; Julia & Mary Julia Koch |
The evening’s performance lineup features excerpts from classical and neoclassical repertory, including Coppélia, Swan Lake, La Sylphide, and Sylvia. The carefully selected lineup is completed by Agnes de Mille’s Three Virgins and a Devil, Michel Fokine’s Le Spectre de la Rose, and Frederick Ashton’s Dance of the Blessed Spirits. Following the curtain drop, festivities will spill onto the Promenade for dinner and dancing.
The Fundraising Machine Behind ABT
As ABT’s premier annual fundraising event, the Fall Gala relies on philanthropic leadership to support new company productions, dancer training programs, and community educational initiatives. Highlighting this dedication, the 2026 edition is organized around a co-chair framework headed by three mother-and-daughter duos: Sloan Lindemann Barnett and Violet Barnett, Emily Blavatnik and Laila Blavatnik, and Julia Koch and Mary Julia Koch.
As Erivo approaches the autumn ceremony—potentially carrying a Primetime Emmy following her nominations for producing and hosting the 2025 Tony Awards and performing in Wicked: One Wonderful Night—her recognition by ABT signals a broader industry appreciation for performers who refuse to stay in creative boxes.
