The Waveny Park Conservancy is hosting its Golden Gala on December 2nd, 2017, at Waveny House. This momentous event will commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Waveny being entrusted by Ruth Lapham Lloyd to the Town of New Canaan and will raise the funding necessary to restore Waveny Park’s pond and its surrounding landscape to its former glory. The actor Christopher Lloyd, son of Ruth Lapham Lloyd and former resident of Waveny, together with his wife Lisa Lloyd will be the Honorary Chairmen of the event. The winter-themed gala will be an elegant black tie dinner with a live auction followed by a special musical cabaret performance by the acclaimed star of screen and stage Tony Danza, harking back to the days when Ruth Lapham Lloyd held private concerts at her home. Musicians from the Stamford Symphony will perform during the cocktail hour.

Christopher Lloyd, who will be the Keynote Speaker, is known for his roles in One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Back to the Future, and Taxi. He grew up at Waveny and has fond memories of his childhood, especially fishing in the pond and discovering snakes and frogs. He has spoken of his mother’s enlightened vision to have Waveny become a public park for all to enjoy: “My mother would be so pleased to see what all of you are doing. It is exactly what she hoped, to preserve this place, for it to be a park where the people of New Canaan, and wherever else, could come and play. Take a walk in the woods, get married—whatever. So, I just cannot express how grateful I am to all of you.”

A highlight of the evening will be a special musical cabaret performance by Christopher Lloyd’s old friend and Taxi co-star Tony Danza, who will be accompanied by his four-piece band. Perhaps best known for his starring roles on two of television’s most cherished and long-running series, Taxi and Who’s The Boss, Tony Danza has also established himself as a song and dance man, and recently received rave reviews for his performance in the Broadway musical comedy, Honeymoon In Vegas, with the New York Times calling his performance “sly genius,” and a “career high”. Among his past successes, Tony has starred on Broadway in The Producers, A View from the Bridge, The Iceman Cometh, and starred in beloved films such as Angels in the Outfield, She’s Out of Control, and Hollywood Knights. He is currently filming his return to television as the lead in The Good Cop, a Netflix original series from the Creator of Monk. The series will premiere in 2018.

The Benefit Chairmen are Arianne Kolb, Scott Gress, and Bill Holmes, and the Décor Chair is Muffy Lewis. The lead sponsors include Francos Wine Merchants, Karl Chevrolet, Manfredi Jewels, Moffly Media, and This Old House. Gala supporters include Elm Street Books, Halstead, Hobbs, Inc., Hollywood Pop Gallery, The New Canaan Garden Club, New Canaan Preservation Alliance, Walter Stewart’s and The Whitney Shop. The auction includes a luxury Swiss watch donated by Manfredi, a Nantucket house, TV appearance and house wrap party from This Old House, a helicopter tour and Union Square Café dinner experience, trips, and a special private dinner with the Lloyds.

The Conservancy is grateful to its benefit committee and community partners for support: New Canaan Preservation Alliance, New Canaan Garden Club, New Canaan Historical Society, New Canaan Chamber of Commerce, New Canaan Parks and Recreation Department, New Canaanite, and New Canaan Advertiser.

Fewer than 30 remaining tickets are available online at www.wavenyparkconservancy.org. The Waveny Park Conservancy’s (WPC) focus is on restoring and enhancing the 130 acres of open space surrounding Waveny House. The projects include: the restoration of the pond; the entryway trails from South Avenue (completed); the renovation of the Cornfields (in progress); enhancement of the woodlands, forests, and trails; and restoration of the parterre gardens in collaboration with the Garden Club (in progress). The WPC is working in partnership with the Town of New Canaan to ensure that Waveny Park thrives in perpetuity.