Betsy Wolfe, Hannah Cruz to Host Maestra Music's 2026 Amplify Gala

The annual fundraising gala will honor Shaina Taub with an inaugural award.

February 18, 2026 By Meg Masseron

Betsy Wolfe (Death Becomes Her) and Hannah Cruz (Chess) will host Maestra Music's 2026 Amplify Gala, set for April 6 at City Winery New York City (Pier 57). The evening aims to spotlight the women and gender-expansive musicians who help power the American theatre industry.

Tony Award winner Shaina Taub will be honored with the inaugural Amplify Award in recognition of her work as a composer, lyricist, bookwriter, performer, and activist whose many shows, recordings, public speeches, and live performances give voice to communities of people fighting for visibility and equity.

The Amplify Host Committee includes Sara Bareilles, Philip Bettencourt and Jared Dworkin, Lori Fineman, Sean Flahaven, Robin Skye, and Paige Price. Amplify 2026 is produced by Joy Huang, Laura Ivey, and Georgia Stitt, and directed by Jessica Ryan. The event is presented in partnership with All Together Now and Patchmaster. Sotheby’s Meaghan Steele will host the live auction portion of the evening. Performers will be announced at a later date.

“Amplify night is so much fun! I love that Maestra’s biggest fundraiser is a real celebration of our community—the women and gender-expansive musicians in our directory, the technicians and managers from our network of RISE partnerships, and the many champions and allies who lift up our mission and carry it into rooms where we haven’t been before. There’s a place for everyone at Maestra, and Amplify is the occasion when we get to show off our shiniest talents, year after year,” said Maestra founder and president Georgia Stitt in a statement.

For more information, visit MaestraMusic.org.