'Mame' Up for Bid At Victory Gardens Nov 15th.

MAME UP FOR BID AT VICTORY GARDENS THEATER'S 27TH CASTING AUCTION, NOVEMBER 15 AT THE VICTORY GARDENS BIOGRAPH THEATER

Bid your way to stardom in a Victory Gardens all-amateur musical

Have you ever dreamed of being on stage? Do you sing in the shower, dance around your living room, and all that jazz?

If you're a die-hard fan of classic American musicals, then grab your checkbook and a few supportive friends and buy your way to stardom at Victory Gardens Theater's 27th Annual Casting Auction, Saturday, November 15 at 6 pm at the Victory Gardens Biograph Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue, Chicago.

This year, Mame is the classic musical up for bid, with more than 50 starring and supporting roles on sale to the highest bidders.

The party begins at 6 pm with a silent auction for supporting roles, a delectable pre-auction buffet catered by J&L Catering, and an open bar with signature cocktails and wine provided by Smoking Loon, the exclusive wine sponsor of Victory Gardens' 2008-2009 season.

At 7 pm, the party moves into the Victory Gardens Biograph mainstage for a live medley of favorite musical numbers performed by top professional actors.  After the revue, celebrity auctioneer Aaron Freeman will tease the live bidding for the most coveted lead characters, including Mame Dennis, Vera Charles, Agnes Gooch, Beauregard Jackson Pickett Burnside, and Patrick.

No stage experience (or talent) is needed to join the fun.  Just a love of musical theater, a desire to support Victory Gardens, and if you want to win a part, the drive to be a star.  Admission is $60 in advance ($50 for groups of 4 or more), or $75 at the door.  Roaring Twenties or Art Deco Thirties attire is encouraged.  To RSVP or for more information, contact Kate Oczkowski, (773) 549-5788 ext. 2140 or koczkowski@victorygardens.org

For complete details and to monitor the Casting Auction online pledge site, go to http://www.victorygardens.org/castingauction

Winning bidders form Victory Gardens' all amateur cast of Mame and will perform in fully-staged performances, professionally directed by Victory Gardens Artistic Director Dennis Zacek, two- nights-only, February 20 and 21, 2009 at the Athenaeum Theater, 2936 N. Southport Avenue, Chicago.

Originally titled My Best Girl, Mame, book by Jerome Lawrence and Robert Edwin Lee, music and lyrics by Jerry Herman, is based on the 1955 novel Auntie Mame by Patrick Dennis and a 1956 Broadway play by Lawrence and Lee. The 1966 Broadway production, starring Angela Lansbury as Mame, Bea Arthur as Vera Charles and Frankie Michaels as Patrick, earned each a Tony Award. It spawned a 1974 movie version with Lucille Ball in the title role, as well as a London production, a Broadway revival and a 40th anniversary revival at the Kennedy Center in 2006.

Set in New York and spanning the Great Depression and World War II, Mame is the story of eccentric bohemian, Mame Dennis, whose famous motto is "Life is a banquet and most poor sons-of-bitches are starving to death." Her fabulous life with her wealthy friends is interrupted when Patrick, the young son of her late brother, arrives to live with her.  They cope with the Depression in a series of adventures, set to a musical score including such favorites as If He Walked into My Life, Bosom Buddies, My Best Girl, Open a New Window, and We Need a Little Christmas.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS...

Should I come to the Casting Auction, even if I don't want to be on stage or bid on a role for myself?

Yes! Regardless of your theatrical desires, this is a uniquely entertaining, one-of-a-kind party at the Victory Gardens Biograph! Your ticket includes unlimited food, drink and laughs! And, host Aaron Freeman promise not to make you sing unless you really want to!

I'm a lawyer by day, and while I have dreams of being a super-star, I can't quit my day job quite yet...can I still participate?

Yes! Past participants include teachers, lawyers, bankers and students, among others. Rehearsals are scheduled with the working man and woman in mind, and only take place on weekends and weekday nights. Rehearsals are minimal prior to the holidays, becoming more frequent in January and February, with required attendance at all rehearsals the week immediately preceding Opening Night.

I'm curious to see what life is like on the other side of the footlights, but nervous about memorizing all those lines...

Bid for a chorus role! Chorus members have the time of their lives, singing and dancing with the ensemble, with no lines to memorize and a less significant time commitment.

If I do want to bid on a role, do I have to pay all the money myself?

No! While individuals are welcome to pay for a role entirely on their own, most participants raise "bidding money" in advance from friends and family who support your dreams of stardom.  All auction bids are tax-deductible, and Victory Gardens will happily provide your supporters with a tax receipt.

MORE ABOUT VICTORY GARDENS THEATER AND THE VICTORY GARDENS CASTING AUCTION

Unique to Victory Gardens, the Casting Auction celebrates theater and the development of theater artists and theater lovers alike.  Last year's Casting Auction and subsequent public performances of The Pajama Game raised nearly $60,000 for the non-profit Victory Gardens, celebrating its 35th
season as home to more world premiere mainstage productions than any other Chicago theater, now in its third season in its new home, the Victory Gardens Biograph Theater.

Co-Chairs of Victory Gardens' 27th Casting Auction are Victory Gardens board members Stuart Burstein (Lincoln Park), President, Burstein Associates; Nancy Studenroth (Gold Coast); and Dr. Fred A. Zar, MD, FACP (Lincoln Park), Professor of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, and Chief of In-Patient Medical Services, University of Illinois Hospital.

Victory Gardens Theater is the recipient of the 2001 Tony Award for Regional Theatre for "displaying a continuous level of artistic achievement contributing to the growth of theater nationally."  For complete information, visit http://www.victorygardens.org

To post a comment, you must register and login.