Stellar alumni on stage for ‘A Starry Night’

Dozens of stars from the entertainment world and as many as 3,000 alumni and friends of the school will gather April 20 and 21, when the School of Communication at Northwestern University hosts CommFest 2018, the school’s most ambitious, high-wattage reunion gathering to date.

The celebratory weekend is designed, in part, to showcase plans to launch a new MFA in acting degree. The new program will operate out of Abbott Hall, 710 N. Lakeshore Drive on the Chicago campus. The location also will be the site of a new media arts center. The initiatives will strengthen the School of Communication’s connection to Chicago’s cultural production nucleus and enhance its visibility as a national leader in arts creation, education and inclusion.   

CommFest culminates Saturday, April 21, 8 p.m. with “A Starry Night,” a variety show starring the school’s celebrated alumni working in film, television and the stage, performing with faculty artists and students. The show is emceed by “Late Show” host Stephen Colbert (’86, honorary degree in ’11). 

Alumni performers and presenters include Daniele Gaither (’93), Ana Gasteyer (’89), Kathryn Hahn (’95), Heather Headley (’97), Marg Helgenberger (’82), Laura Innes (’79), Brian d’Arcy James (’90), Richard Kind (’78), Stephanie March (’96), Tony Roberts (’61) and Kimberly Williams-Paisley (’93) with a video appearance by Seth Meyers (’96, honorary degree ’16). Check the CommFest site for an up-to-date list.