House Party: Mic Drop!
KST Presents
18th Benefit for Kelly Strayhorn Theater
Saturday, July 11, 2026
7:00pm – 9:00pm: Immersive VIP Reception
9:00pm – 12:00am: Dance Party
Pay What Moves You: $50 – $325
Kelly Strayhorn Theater | 5941 Penn Ave.
House Party: Mic Drop! is KST’s 18th annual benefit returning as a karaoke fundraiser supporting our Fall 2026 season. A tradition that stretches from Harlem to Pittsburgh, house parties have long brought people together to raise funds, raise spirits, and raise each other.
Bring your main character energy, because the mic is gonna be hot! As the night unfolds, have your karaoke spotlight moment, with the celebration going all night alongside the lobby Dance Party powered by legendary dj Selecta. Lock eyes across the dance floor and sing the bridge like you mean it at House Party: Mic Drop!
VIP Reception features karaoke performances by Treasure Treasure, DS and Anqwenique Kinsel, and Bridgette Perdue.
Coming soon! Donate to Vote — and dare Celebrity singers to perform the most outrageous songs of the night.
Funds raised directly support KST’s fall programming of performances, artist residencies, gallery exhibitions, and youth programs.
Immersive VIP Reception Tickets: Pay What Moves You $175 – $325
Guests enjoy open-bar, heavy hors d’oeuvres, and special guest performances in a come-as-you-are playground where karaoke becomes a joyful act of collective release.
Feeling inspired to power the night? Purchase a pair of $325 VIP tickets and you’ll be welcomed into the Host Committee with special recognition.
Dance Party Tickets: Pay What Moves You $50 – $100
Turn up the heat with a dance party ticket that includes one complimentary cocktail, wine, beer, or zero-proof option to fuel your rock star energy. Donate to have your karaoke spotlight moment!
The Glam Couch Experience: $1,500 (Seats up to 4 guests | Only 1 Left!)
Claim one available Glam Couch – your exclusive lounge within the VIP reception. Included admission for up to 4 guests, a champagne toast just for you and your crew, plus VIP perks like open bar and heavy hors d’oeuvres. Lock in guaranteed seating for the night – a luxe, comfy space to call your own – with prime views of every karaoke mic-drop moment.
Host Committee
Alecia Dawn and Damon Young
Alonso Diaz-Perez
Amber Deemer
Ariell Antonio
Jasmine Hearn
Jerry Morosco & Ryan Yu
Mary McKinney Flaherty
Maureen Mahoney Hill
Michelle McMurray
Michelle Salopek
Nathan Darity and Valerie Vanness
Pam Golden
Richard and Randy Smith
Rickia Davenport
Taliya Allen
Thank You to Our Sponsors:
- About the Artists
Anqwenique Kinsel is a vocalist and educator specializing in opera, classical music, jazz, and soul. Anqwenique currently serves as the Program Director of Hope Academy of Music and the Arts, an outreach program of East Liberty Presbyterian Church founded in 1999 to bring arts education to children and youth in our community. Anqwenique holds a long-standing connection to Kelly Strayhorn Theater including participating in the flagship program Freshworks in 2014, and as a vocalist in the fifth annual tribute concert, WHITNEY, in 2025.
DS Kinsel is an award-
creative entrepreneur and cultural agitator who expresses his creativity through painting, curating, public art, and non-traditional performance. He is the co-founder of BOOM Concepts, a Pittsburgh-based creative hub dedicated to the advancement of Black and brown artists. His work has been exhibited across the U.S. and internationally. As a member of the KST family, he has worn many hats at KST throughout the years including curator, senior producer, Freshworks artist and host for various programs.
Bridgette Perdue has served the greater Pittsburgh region for the past 15 years as a musician, teaching artist and consultant by fostering the artistic gifts of children. In 2025 she was appointed Executive Director of Alumni Theater Company (ATC), the premier institution for identifying, developing, and training young Black performers in the region. Bridgette began performing at KST in 2012 and continues to partner with KST through ATC’s participation in the organization’s long-standing Halloween and MLK Day programming.
A pioneer of Pittsburgh’s DJ and hip-hop scene since the late 1980s, James Scoglietti—known as Selecta—began DJing at 15 on the University of Pittsburgh’s WPTS radio. He went on to hold residencies at celebrated local venues and was named “Best Hip-Hop Radio Personality” in 1998. In 1999, he opened 720 Records, Pittsburgh’s first hip-hop retail shop. Selecta has supported artists including De La Soul, The Roots, Rakim, and KRS-One.
Treasure Treasure is an artist whose career has spanned three decades. Notable projects: Hedwig & The Angry Inch (City Theatre), GRAPPLING (Director, New Hazlett), Hamlet (Quantum); and Jesus Christ Superstar at the Byham. Broadway: Annie Get Your Gun. Treasure is the co-author and star of Agnus Teaches Acting (New Hazlett). This is Treasure’s fourth year in a row gracing the KST stage, having been featured at the organization’s annual benefit concert, Suite Life, and in the Owning Our Future Symposium.