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The Axelrod Performing Arts Center at the Jewish Community Center in Deal will host its First Annual Gala and Performance on Saturday, Feb. 28 at 100 Grant Ave., Deal. Broadway stars Marin Mazzie and Jason Danielly will appear as the featured performing guests. A preview of the work of nationally renowned artist Jacob Landau in its adjacent Gallery on Grant will also be featured.

The First Annual Gala includes a champagne and hors d' oeuvres pre-theater reception at 7 p.m. donated by Jumping Brook and Branches. The performance begins at 8:30 p.m., and dessert reception will take place afterwards.

Marin Mazzie recently appeared as Guenevere in the New York Philharmonic's Live at Lincoln Center performances of "Camelot" (PBS), and as The Lady of the Lake (Guenevere) in Monty Python's "Spamalot". She received Tony and Drama Desk nominations and an Outer Critics Circle Award for her titular performance in the hit revival of "Kiss Me, Kate" and later received an Olivier Award nomination (the British equivalent of a Tony) after she made her West End debut in the same role. Other Broadway productions include "Ragtime," "Passion," "Man of La Mancha," "Into The Woods," "Big River," and "Out Of This World". Off-Broadway she appeared in "The Trojan Women: A Love Story," and "The World Goes Round".

Mazzie's television appearances include Kathy Halverson on "Still Standing" and guest appearances on "Without a Trace," "Numb3rs," "Jake in Progress," "Stacked," "Pryor Offenses," and "One Life to Live". She has also appeared on many PBS Great Performances and the long running PBS series "An Evening With The Pops," the Boston Pops' tribute to Jerry Herman. She and her husband Jason Danielly performed their cabaret concert "Opposite You" at Lincoln Center and other national arenas.

Jason Danielly made his Broadway debut as the title lead in "Candide". Other Broadway credits include "Curtains" and "The Full Monty" (which he also performed in at London's West End). Off-Broadway credits include "The Trojan Women: A Love Story" by Charles Mee Jr., "Dream True," by Ricky Ian Gordon and "Floyd Collins," by Adam Guettel. Regional theatre appearances include "The Highest Yellow," by Michael John LaChiusa (Helen Hayes Award; Best Actor in a Musical), "Beauty," by Tina Landau, "Casino Paradise," by William Bolcolm, "110 In The Shade" (Garland Award: Actor in a Musical) and "Brigadoon," Los Angeles' Reprise concert series.

Many of the country's leading orchestras have invited Danielly to be a repeat guest artist, including the New York, Boston, and Philly Pops, L.A. Philharmonic (at the Hollywood Bowl), St. Louis, Utah, Minnesota, and Buffalo Symphonies. He's starred in fully staged concert versions of Bernstein's "Candide," "Gershwin's "Of Thee I Sing" and "Let 'Em Eat Cake" (conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas), with the San Francisco Symphony. With other major concert versions of "Carousel" as Enoch Snow with the Orchestra of St. Luke's and the Emmy nominated "South Pacific" as Lt. Cable both at Carnegie Hall (PBS Great Performances).

"Opposite You" is the cabaret concert Danielly, with wife Marin Mazzie, created for the American Songbook Series at Lincoln Center. It was recorded on PS Classics and released in the fall of 2005.

Tickets to the gala start at $180 and range upward to $10,000. A sponsorship includes tickets to the event, 2009 Membership in the Axelrod Performing Arts Center, and a signed CD by the performers.