Dueling Galas

The School of American Ballet gala, Monday night, 8:10 pm The Lincoln Center Theater gala, Monday night, 10:45 pm On one side of Lincoln Center Plaza, the lovely ladies supporting School of American Ballet. Long gowns, glittering jewels, big dos, air kisses [photos]. On the other side: playwrights, actors, producers, agents, and Wall Street types who love -- no, can't live without! -- the theater, Lincoln Center Theater in particular [photos]. WHAT THEY ATE At the ballet dinner at New York State Theater: smoked salmon napolean, lamb curry with mango chutney, and warm chocolate souffle cake. At the LCT dinner at Avery Fisher Hall: gravlax and cucumber salad, chicken pot pie, and chocolate souffle cake. CLINTON FACTOR Daughter wins! At SAB, Chelsea Clinton was a junior chairwoman, in attendance with many friends in tow. At Lincoln Center Theater, Senator Clinton was an honorary chairwoman but did not attend; the playbill described her as a "Friend of Wendy ... whom Wendy first met at the White House in the mid 1990s." WHO RAISED MORE There was applause on both sides when the tallies for the evening were announced: more than $1 million for Lincoln Center Theater, and more than $500,000 for School of American Ballet. ALL TOGETHER NOW Guests on both side of the plaza got to take home some gifts from Chanel. Lincoln Center Theater folks also got a copy of Wendy Wasserstein's book "The Elements of Style" (Knopf). AND THERE'S MORE Tonight, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts holds its spring gala featuring a concert by Patti LuPone; tomorrow, another constituent, the New York Philharmonic, presents a gala performance of "My Fair Lady." And next week City Opera throws its gala. More power to the philanthropists on this circuit.