2024 New Hampshire Benefit

May 18, 2024

We were thrilled to gather with more than 120 of our supporters, friends, neighbors, artists-in-residence, and board members to raise more than $65,000 in support of our mission at the 2024 MacDowell New Hampshire Benefit on Saturday, May 18. Thanks to you and your generous support, we are able to continue to provide time, space, and care to the over 300 artists-in-residence who come to MacDowell each year.

The evening, hosted by MacDowell Fellow Jared Mezzocchi (17, 20), a two-time OBIE Award-winning theater artist and Producing Artistic Director of Andy's Summer Playhouse, began with a cocktail reception in the James Baldwin Library, followed by a musical performance from New York based vocalist, composer, and educator, Aubrey Johnson (23), and her trio before dinner from the world-famous MacDowell kitchen in historic Bond Hall, the heart of the MacDowell campus, where artists-in-residence gather each evening.

Stay tuned for a slideshow from the evening!

Black and white photograph of MacDowell supporters gathered in the main hall at MacDowell at the New Hampshire Benefit in 2014. Four people are seated at a table in the foreground with a tall floral arrangement on the left.

MacDowell supporters gather in Bond Hall (Jonathan Gourlay photo)

Artist Participants

A photo of a white man wearing glasses, a coat, and a hat standing outdoors. A white woman with long blonde hair posing and wearing a pink dress against a pink background

Jared Mezzocchi (17, 20) and Aubrey Johnson (23) (Joanna Eldredge Morrissey and Lauren Desbreg photo)

Jared Mezzocchi is a two-time OBIE Award-winning theater artist whose work appears nationwide, including The Kennedy Center, Geffen Playhouse, Arena Stage, Woolly Mammoth, Manhattan Theater Club, Vineyard Theater, En Garde Arts, and HERE Arts. In 2016, he received his first OBIE, Lucille Lortel and Henry Hewes Award for outstanding projection design in Vietgone at the Manhattan Theatre Club. In 2020, The New York Times spotlighted his innovations alongside four theater artists, including Andrew Lloyd Webber and Paula Vogel. His direction on Sarah Gancher’s digital production Russian Troll Farm was celebrated as a New York Times critic pick, praised for being the first digitally-native success, earning Mezzocchi his second OBIE.

Mezzocchi is a two-time Macdowell Fellow, a 2012 Princess Grace winner, and producing artistic director of Andy's Summer Playhouse, an innovative youth theater in Wilton, NH where professionals work eye-to-eye with young artists to produce original works for audiences of all ages.

Aubrey Johnson is a New York-based vocalist, composer, and educator. Her debut record, Unraveled, featuring her original music and arrangements was released on Outside In Music in 2020. Play Favorites, her duo album with the pianist Randy Ingram was released on Sunnyside Records in 2022. Among the 40+ albums Aubrey has appeared on are Bobby McFerrin’s Grammy-nominated release, VOCAbuLaries, Arturo O'Farrill's Grammy Award-winning album Four Questions, and Lyle Mays’ Grammy Award-winning Eberhard.

Most recently, Aubrey was awarded the “Performance Plus” grant from Chamber Music America, allowing her to collaborate with Grammy Award-Winning pianist, Billy Childs, on composing music for her next album. Aubrey is also a 2023 MacDowell fellow in music composition, and holds faculty positions at Montclair State University and Queens College.

A photo of a group of people of a range of ages standing in front of a white and colorful step and repeat that says MacDowell

Board members Susie Hackler and David Baum pose with New Hampshire Benefit guests (Kate Preftakes Photography photo)

A woman in a red dress and a man in a blue blazer walk down a path lined with grass

Clover and Ben Fiandaca walk to James Baldwin Library for cocktails (Kate Preftakes Photography photo)

A group of five older adults wearing suits and dresses pose for the camera in front of a stone building and a grass lawn

New Hampshire Benefit Committee Members Tom and Ellen Draper pose with guests (Kate Preftakes Photography photo)

A group of four people smile and stand in front of a white and colorful MacDowell logo branded step and repeat

Artists-in-residence pose for a photo (Kate Preftakes Photography photo)

A woman smiles and laughs while holding a drink and speaking with two people whose backs face the camera

Board Member and New Hampshire Benefit Committee Member Monica Lehner enjoys cocktails with guests in the James Baldwin Library (Kate Preftakes Photography photo)

A group of people standing and crouching pose for a photo in front of a step and repeat

Artists-in-residence pose for a photo (Kate Preftakes Photography photo)

A woman wearing a white blazer and pink top poses and smiles for the camera in front of a grey stone building

Commissioner of the NH Department of Natural & Cultural Resources Sarah Stewart poses for a photo (Kate Preftakes Photography photo)

Three people smile and pose playfully in front of a white and colorful MacDowell branded step and repeat

Artists-in-residence pose for a photo outside of the James Baldwin Library (Kate Preftakes Photography photo)

Guests mingle and speak to each other in a library

Artists-in-residence mingle during cocktail hour (Kate Preftakes Photography photo)

A woman in a colorful bandana is in conversation with someone who's back is to the camera. A plant leave blocks part of the camera view

An artist-in-residence at cocktail hour (Kate Preftakes Photography photo)

A woman in a colorful dress smiles and opens a door to a white building

MacDowell Chief of Staff Jenni Wu heads into Bond Hall for dinner (Kate Preftakes Photography photo)

A brown wood room with tables set up, and wood columns, has guests sitting at the tables

Guests seated for dinner in Bond Hall (Kate Preftakes Photography photo)

A woman on stage in front of a fireplace speaks into a microphone

Executive Director Chiwoniso Kaitano welcomes New Hampshire Benefit guests (Kate Preftakes Photography photo)

A man on stage speaks into a microphone while looking down at his notes

Host and MacDowell Fellow Jared Mezzocchi (17, 20) speaks about his time at MacDowell (Kate Preftakes Photography photo)

A woman in a pink long dress stands in front of a microphone that she is adjusting

MacDowell Fellow Aubrey Johnson (23) gets ready to perform (Kate Preftakes Photography photo)

A woman in a long pink dress speaks into a microphone and gestures to a violinist and a bass player that are standing next to her

MacDowell Fellow Aubrey Johnson (23) introduces her jazz band (Kate Preftakes Photography photo)

Guests sit at a table in conversation

MacDowell Board Member and New Hampshire Benefit Committee Member Sarah Garland speaks with guests (Kate Preftakes Photography photo)

A man speaks into a microphone on stage and raises an imaginary glass in toast

Resident Director David Macy gives a toast (Kate Preftakes Photography photo)

A colorful stack of books sits on a table with a white table cloth

Books by MacDowell Fellows wait to be picked up by guests as they exit (Kate Preftakes Photography photo)

New Hampshire Benefit Committee

Co-chairs:
Sarah Garland-Hoch
Monica Lehner

Andi Axman
Ellen and Ed Bernard
Eleanor Briggs
Ellen and Thomas Draper
Amelia Dunlop
Peter and Katherine Frid
Frank Guerra and Scott Manning
James Georgopoulos
Kit Henry
Rosemary James
Emily Noelle Lambert
Dave and Terry Martland
Mollie Miller
Jessica Quinn
Jamie Trowbridge

Past New Hampshire Benefits

2023

2023 New Hampshire Benefit

2022

2022 New Hampshire Benefit

2019

2019 New Hampshire Benefit

2018

2018 New Hampshire Benefit