NBC10's Barbara Morse Silva & Frank O'Donnell to Attend OSTC Fundraiser 9/20

Ocean State Theatre Company (OSTC), which will be opening its third season in its new state-of-the-art theatre in Warwick later this month, is happy to welcome NBC 10's Barbara Morse Silva and local comedian Frank O'Donnell, who will join the company as guest auctioneers for their "Premiere" Fundraising Event, A Lover'ly Evening, on Saturday, September 20, 2014.

"We are thrilled that Barbara Morse Silva and Frank O'Donnell are able to join us for the event his year," said Amiee Turner, CEO of Ocean State Theatre Company. "NBC10 has been supporting us for many years and I'm so happy they will be represented at the event! And, of course Frank O'Donnell, who recently made his professional stage debut as Big Jule in our summer production of Guys and Dolls, has been involved with the company for years as well. We are honored to have been able to give a scholarship generously provided by The Keri Anne O'Donnell Memorial Fund, which was established to honor the memory of Frank's daughter, to one of the Camp OSTC participants for the past several years."

The One-Night-Only Red Carpet Premiere Event, which will benefit the company's Fund for Artistic Excellence, will feature food, drink, live and silent auctions, (including the chance to bid for a walk-on role in a future production), an exclusive sneak peek of Lerner and Loewe's stunning Broadway classic, My Fair Lady, which will kick off the company's 2014-15 season, and dessert and coffee with the cast.

"We are very grateful to the many companies and individuals who are assisting us with the planning," said Susan Raleigh, OSTC's Development Officer. "This year's event promises to be a lot of fun - especially with Barbara Morse Silva and Frank O'Donnell in attendance. I understand they make a pretty amusing team!"

The proceeds from A Lover'ly Evening will benefit Ocean State Theatre Company's Fund for Artistic Excellence, which ensures that programming and casting choices are made based on the highest artistic standards, rather than being influenced by economic factors. Although OSTC prides itself in hiring approximately 60% of its performers and creative team from the greater Rhode Island area, the Fund for Artistic Excellence allows OSTC to combine the local talent with talent from across the country, which benefits the production quality, the local economy, and the local talent!

A Lover'ly Evening will take place at Ocean State Theatre on Saturday, September 20, 2014. Festivities begin at 6:30 pm. The theatre is located at 1245 Jefferson Blvd., Warwick, RI. Individual tickets are $125, patron sponsorships are available for $500, and reserved tables of 10 are available for $1000. All tickets include food, wine and beer, live and silent auctions, the sneak peek performance, and dessert and coffee. Tickets are on sale at the box office Monday through Friday from 12:00 noon - 6:00 pm, Saturday from 12 noon - 4:00 pm online anytime at www.OceanStateTheatre.org and via telephone during normal box office hours by calling (401) 921-6800. For sponsorship information, please contact the development office at (401) 921-1777 x113.

Ocean State Theatre Company (OSTC) is a professional not-for-profit regional theatre whose mission is to preserve and pass on the tradition of live, professional theatre - including the American musical - and to pursue avenues of enrichment and education for the benefit of the state of Rhode Island and the surrounding region through the theatre arts. OSTC, which re-opened and ran the historic Theatre By The Sea in Matunuck, RI from 2007-2012 and began producing shows in Warwick, RI in 2012, is an IRS designated not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation.