Randolph Academy celebrates twentieth anniversary

>> by Cynthia Brett
On October 15th Randolph Academy celebrated its twentieth anniversary with a fundraising gala in Toronto's Fairmont Royal York Concert Hall. Over 200 people, including honorary co-chair David Mirvish, attended the dinner, auction and concert featuring over 150 students, alumni and special guests. The evening also celebrated the Bathurst Street Theatre's renovations and official name change to the Randolph Theatre. Another highlight of the evening was the presentation of the inaugural Gregory Hines Performing Arts Mentorship Award to Tara Young, artistic director of Cirque du Soleil's Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour. The late Gregory Hines, a friend of Randolph Academy founder George Randolph since the 1970s, periodically made surprise visits to the school to teach. He is buried in Oakville, Ontario, and, once a year, Randolph and other tappers pay tribute at his grave with stories and improvisation.