Photos: Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty Honored at Oscar Hammerstein Museum Gala

The Oscar Hammerstein Museum & Theatre Education Center honored Tony Award-winning songwriting duo Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty at its annual Something Wonderful fundraising gala on October 4, 2026, in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. See photos from the celebration!

Held at the Inn at Barley Sheaf Farm, the former Bucks County property of playwright George S. Kaufman, the event raised more than $170,000 to support the restoration of Oscar Hammerstein II’s Highland Farm, educational programming, and museum operations.

Ahrens and Flaherty, whose Broadway credits include Ragtime, Once on This Island, and Anastasia, received the museum’s Ockie Award, recognizing artists whose work reflects Hammerstein’s legacy of optimism, empathy, and mentorship.

The evening featured a concert by Tony and Grammy Award nominee and Emmy Award winner Liz Callaway. A highlight of the performance was a rendition of “Journey to the Past” from Anastasia, featuring Callaway, who provided the singing voice of the title character in the animated film, and Christy Altomare, who originated the role on Broadway. Flaherty accompanied the performers on piano.

The gala also featured performances by the four winners of the museum’s International Youth Solo Contest: Sorin Spears, Joey Carolan, Winter Donnelly, and Kate Monroe. The young performers appeared individually and alongside Callaway and master of ceremonies Jenny Lee Stern.

Linda Leffingwell Paton chaired the gala committee, with Tony Award-winning director and choreographer Kathleen Marshall serving as honorary chair.

The event was supported by the Zazyczny Family Foundation and Café with Soul. Callaway’s appearance was underwritten by museum board member Gregory Kammerer and his husband, Fred White.

The celebration followed the groundbreaking for the restoration of Highland Farm, the National Historic Landmark where Hammerstein lived and worked during the final two decades of his life. The project will transform the historic farmhouse into a museum dedicated to the lyricist’s artistic legacy.

The Oscar Hammerstein Museum & Theatre Education Center is expected to reopen to the public in spring 2027.

For more information, visit HammersteinMuseum.org.