In a crowded reception hall at the Scranton Cultural Center in the Masonic Temple, Nada Gilmartin stood next to her husband, Michael, gracefully wiping the traces of tears from her eyes.
They were tears of joy.
"I feel like it is my wedding day," Mrs. Gilmartin said. "All the people I love in the same room."
She and her husband were honored during the Broadway Theatre League of Northeastern Pennsylvania's 53rd annual Opening Gala Celebration, receiving the Sam and Jane Cali Star Award.
The award, established in 2006, honors a distinguished community leader who embodies dedication to the arts in Northeast Pennsylvania. The Gilmartins have been involved in the community in a number of ways for more than three decades, including the Junior League of Scranton, the Society for the Preservation of the Tripp Family Homestead, the Ballet Theater of Scranton, the Scranton Cultural Center, Scranton Tomorrow and the Lackawanna County Arts Council.
For Mr. Gilmartin, however, the real honor came with being associated with Sam and Jane Cali, who worked with the Broadway Theatre League for more than 40 years.
"The nice thing is that it's done in support of Broadway Theatre and in honor of Sam and Jane," Mr. Gilmartin said. "That's a true honor."
The gala, which featured musical acts from several groups, including the Broadway Theatre Youth Show Choir and the Valley View High School Vivace Treble Choir, marks the opening of the 2012-2013 season, league Executive Director Tony Nicosia said.
Mr. Nicosia could not think of a pair more deserving of the award than Mr. and Mrs. Gilmartin.
"They are probably two of the most dedicated, talented and selfless individuals," Mr. Nicosia said. "Not only well-deserving, but long overdue."
Dawn McGurl, program manager with the Scranton Cultural Center, said the event also celebrates Scranton's storied history in the arts. A popular saying in the early 20th century was that if you can play Scranton, you can play anywhere, a sentiment she said still holds true today.
"We still have a very high aesthetic here," Mrs. McGurl said. "We can also smell a phony a mile off. If you put in 100 percent, you'll do fine."
Contact the writer: jkohut@timessharmrock.com, @jkohutTT on Twitter