The Tank Gala
Off-Off-Runway
The First Monday in May
Monday May 4th, 2026
Honoring Stan Zimmerman
Join us for Fashion's Biggest Night, where haute couture goes downtown. Strut the catwalk Off-Off-Runway to celebrate Stan Zimmerman, a creative force from Golden Girls to Gilmore Girls to The Tank—and now to the most anticipated red carpet of the year.
The evening is hosted by Mariyea (reigning Miss Bushwig 2025) with special guests Wilson Cruz (Star Trek: Discovery on Paramount+; Mother of the Bride on Netflix; Rickie Vasquez on My So-Called Life), Paige Davis (host of the Emmy-nominated design-reality series Trading Spaces), and Pooya Mohseni (English at Roundabout Theater; The Amazon Warehouse Parking Lot with Playwrights Horizons), and a special appearance by Golem (and his human keepers, Ethan & Garrett).
Don’t miss your chance to walk the red carpet up those iconic, paparazzi-studded stairs. Or vie for the crown in a Best Dressed Contest like no other. This year’s Gala brings together artists and supporters for a night of style and spectacle. The Tank has always been a home for work that takes risks. This year, we’re inviting you to take one too—on the runway, on the dance floor, and in support of the next generation of boundary-pushing performance.
HONORING STAN ZIMMERMAN
Stan Zimmerman is a man of many mediums (TV, film and theatre). He has two WGA noms for Best Comedy Writing: The Golden Girls, Roseanne. Stan’s wrote and produced Gilmore Girls, co-created the Lifetime sitcom, Rita Rocks and wrote both Brady Bunch movies. Stan has a BFA-Drama from NYU/Circle-in-the-Square and has directed such plays as Entertaining Mr. Sloane, A Tuna Christmas, Gemini, and his original works -- Meet & Greet, Have a Good One and the World Premiere of his musical Long Beach Blanket Bingo. Stan appeared on Broadway with Nureyev & the Joffrey Ballet. He was Host/Showrunner on Sean Hayes’ Bravo reality show Situation: Comedy. Stan made his Off-Broadway directing debut with Hypro (Daryl Roth Theatre). TRWshows publishes and licenses Stan’s work -- Yes, Virginia, Silver Foxes and Right before i go. Stan’s book, “The Girls: From Golden to Gilmore” was released by Indigo River Publishing (2024). This past September, Stan made his Off-Broadway acting and playwriting debut with his suicide awareness play, Right before I go. at The Tank after touring with it across America. In 2026, he directs his original comedy play, Knife to the Heart (Desert Ensemble Theatre/Palm Springs-April), Silver Foxes (Revolution Stage Company/Palm Springs-May), and the World Premiere of his TV theme song musical, It’s On! (North Street Playhouse/VA-July). July/August 2026, will mark Stan’s first play produced overseas, when Silver Foxes will be performed in Amsterdam.
THE TANK GALA
Monday, May 4th, 2026
6pm, Cocktails & Dinner
The Crowne Plaza, 320 West 36th Street
The evening begins next door at the Crowne Plaza, with cocktail hour at 6pm and dinner at 7pm. We’ll celebrate our honoree Stan Zimmerman with a toast by Paige Davis, a performance from Wilson Cruz, fine dining, and good company.
8pm, Gala Party
The Tank, 312 West 36th Street
At our Gala party at the Tank proper, you’ll find an open bar, luxe party snacks, special guest appearances from Pooya Mohseni, Golem, and more, and of course the Red Carpet. & Don’t miss the climactic Best Dressed Contest.
Silent Auction all night & online!
Bid glamorously. Support The Tank while curating your own exceptional collection of luxury goods and experiences. The Silent Auction
MARIYEA
Mariyea is a Brooklyn based actress, performer, teacher and award-winning nightlife entertainer. She is the current reigning Miss Bushwig 2025. Most notable is her appearance in Noah’s Arc The Movie on Paramount+. Her theater credits include Off-Broadway plays at New York Theatre Workshop, The Billie Holiday Theatre and The Tank, among others. In addition to her performance work, Mariyea has taught as an adjunct professor at The City College of New York and classes at NYU Tisch. Follow Mariyea on Instagram: @mariyeaaaa for further updates.
WILSON CRUZ
Wilson Cruz is an award-winning actor, producer, activist, “actorvist” and humanitarian. Cruz recently starred as Dr. Hugh Culber on the award-winning Paramount+ series, Star Trek: Discovery and the Netflix film, Mother of the Bride, starring Benjamin Bratt and Brooke Shields. He appeared on the Netflix series, Thirteen Reasons Why, in Hulu’s 2020 GLAAD award-winning original animated kids’ series, The Bravest Knight, and played Rickie Vasquez on My So-Called Life. He is also the Executive Producer of the critically acclaimed docuseries, Visible: Out on the Television, airing on Apple TV+ that investigates the importance of TV as an intimate medium that has shaped the American conscience, and how the LGBTQ movement has shaped television. He received GLAAD’s Vito Russo Award in 2022. Wilson was recently named Board Chair of GLSEN, the nation’s largest organization championing LGBTQ+ issues in K-12 education.
PAIGE DAVIS
Paige Davis is best known as host of Trading Spaces, the Emmy-nominated design-reality series. She also hosted Home and Family for Hallmark Channel and received an Emmy nomination for Home Made Simple on OWN. Her memoir, Paige by Paige: A Year of Trading Spaces, was a New York Times Bestseller. Broadway: Boeing-Boeing (Gloria) and Chicago (Roxie Hart). Her national tours include Sweet Charity (Charity), The Vagina Monologues, Beauty and the Beast (Babette), and Chicago, which she also toured internationally. Regionally, she played God in An Act of God (Arizona Theatre Company, dir. Marsha Mason), and title roles in Hello, Dolly!, The Drowsy Chaperone, and Mame. She originated Senga in Dancing Lessons at Barrington Stage. Other roles: Louise in Always, Patsy Cline, Maria in The Sound of Music, April in Company, Val in A Chorus Line, and Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, among others.
POOYA MOHSENI
Pooya Mohseni is an Iranian American actor, writer, filmmaker and transgender activist. She made her Broadway debut in Sanaz Toossi's Pulitzer winning play English at the Roundabout Theater. Her stage credits include an Obie Award-winning performance in the Off-Broadway run of English (Atlantic Theater Company & The Old Globe Theater), The Amazon Warehouse Parking Lot (Playwrights Horizons), The Sex Party (Menier Chocolate Factory) in London, She,He,Me (National Queer Theater), Our Town (Pride Plays), Galatea (WP Theater), The Good Muslim (EST) and the Audible production of Chonburi Hotel & The Butterfly Club (Williamstown Theater Festival). Her film and television credits include Law & Order: SVU, The Walking Dead: Dead City, Big Dogs, Falling Water, Madam Secretary, Terrifier, The Arrival, and See You Then.
ETHAN & GARRETT
Ethan & Garrett are the writers and creators of Golem Owned a Tropical Smoothie, a new musical about Golem owning a smoothie shop. They premiered this show in the crew bar of a cruise ship in 2018, and went on to create Crew Bar Productions - their company housing Golem, their podcast Quiet Time, and their sketch channel Gay Straight Allyance. This summer, GOATS won the Soho Playhouse Lighthouse Series competition, and this winter at The Tank they performed Golem's Christmas Extravaganza, their Christmas special. They promise that Golem will appear Off-Broadway very soon. New York local, willing to shave. @ethancrystal1 @garrettpoladian
GOLEM
GOLEM love fish and love to go uuuhh on walks!!!
Ticket Levels
Editor-in-Chief & Co-Chairs, $4,000
“Everybody wants to be us.” Lead the high profile host committee from a table for 8, with tableside champagne, and party to follow. “That’s all.”
House of Haute Couture, $1,200
Chanel, Dior, Givenchy? They have nothing on this table for 4 with party to follow.
Designer Duo, $600
A more iconic designer and muse duo than Calvin Klein and Kate Moss; enjoy dinner for 2 and party to follow.
Supermodel, $350
Influencers, actors, and pop stars may strut the red carpet, but you show them how it’s done.This ticket takes you from magazine covers to dinner for one and party to follow.
Fashionista, $85
Trendsetter, It Girl, & Party Starter. We’ll meet you at The Tank for an epic soiree—from 8pm to fashionably late.