Fund-raiser brings luck of the Irish
“Finian's Rainbow” is a musical about a leprechaun, a pot of gold and a wily Irishman who comes to the South with his daughter to make his fortune. A theater staple for 70 years, “Finian’s Rainbow” is also the theme of the Shreveport Little Theatre Guild’s spring fundraiser on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17.
The original 1947 Broadway production ran for years, but the Shreveport Little Theatre has been around a lot longer than that. It is arguably the oldest theater that has continuously staged productions in the U.S., since 1922.
What better way to celebrate St. Paddy’s Day than the wearing of the green in a beautiful venue while celebrating with friends and sharing a lovely dinner and drinks?
“We hope that our patrons will join us for the Shreveport Little Theatre’s festive fundraising dinner to be held next door to the theater at The Woman's Department Club. SLT’s ticket and membership sales cover less than half of our nonprofit’s overhead, so fund raising is essential to our sustainability,” said Robert K. Darrow, SLT’s managing and artistic director.
Wendy Sibley Harper, owner of Decorating Details, will deck the Woman’s Department Club with shamrocks, rainbows, leprechauns, hats and pots of gold.
The night begins at 6:30 p.m. with drinks and a seated dinner at the Woman’s Department Club. More than 50 vendors have selected upscale items for the silent auction held during the evening.
Several talented entertainers will perform on stage in the upstairs theater that once featured a performance by Katharine Hepburn. “Our pianist at the gala, Larry Meier, is the music director at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church,” said Woman’s Department Club President Roxanne Bosserman. “We will have two vocalists, Julianne Davidson and Tom Petrus.”
Tickets for the dinner and performance range from $100 for a single ticket with a drink, $125 for a Patron Single ticket and two drinks and $250 for a Patron Couple with four drinks. There will also be a cash bar. Patrons also receive a St. Patrick’s Day gift as a souvenir of the evening.
This event opens an exciting season for the theater, beginning with the “Auntie Mame” opening on April 20 for seven performances. Season tickets become available April 4, and individual tickets for all performances go on sale April 11.
“‘Auntie Mame’ has a cast of over 40 characters, and they have been in rehearsal for months,” said Darrow. “Our 2017 summer musical is the musical comedy ‘Thoroughly Modern Millie.’ This will be a major production with a large cast of singers and dancers. We have some surprises in store for next season, and we can't wait to announce our 96th season very soon,” said Darrow.
Last year’s tribute to Broadway event was attended by more than 300 theater patrons and raised $50,000 for the SLT.
Local support by the Shreveport Little Theatre Guild and other patrons has twice helped the Shreveport community rally to rebuild the theater after fires destroyed the backstage area in 1986 and the entire theater in 2008.
Over the years, the SLT has become nationally recognized and was named one of the nation’s top three community playhouses by LIFE magazine.
Darrow has overseen the theater since 1998 and was instrumental in the founding of the Shreveport Little Theatre Academy for young theatre fans in 2008.
“Our SLT Academy for youth is booming and is an at all-time high in enrollment,” Darrow said. Plans include upcoming productions of Disney’s “Madagascar Jr.” and “Man of La Mancha.”
With SLT’s instruction and support, many local and regional theater enthusiasts will become seasoned performers just like the thousands before them.
– Kathleen Ward
MORE INFORMATION:
Reservations can be made by calling 865-7971. For more information about the Shreveport Little Theatre, visit www. shreveportlittletheatre.com. To learn more about events and membership opportunities at The Women’s Department Club, visit www.thewomansdepartmentclub.com.
