Bill Grundfest to Host TheatreWorks' ANYTHING GOES Gala, 11/2

TheatreWorks, the nationally-acclaimed theatre of Silicon Valley, presents a night full of magical fun with its 11th annual Anything Goes -taking place for the first time this year at the luxurious Palo Alto Hills Golf and Country Club.

For this unique fundraiser, guests are invited to visit TheatreWorks' massive costume shop in the weeks prior to the event, where they are able to choose their party attire from the hundreds of costumes used in TheatreWorks' past productions. In previous years, guests have been attired as everything from go-go dancers to the Pope, Cinderella's prince to Samurai warriors, and from Sweeney Todd to Lady Bracknell. This year's festivities will be conducted by the Master of Ceremonies, Golden Globe Award-winner and three-time Emmy-nominee Bill Grundfest.

Attendees will enjoy a cocktail hour, followed by a sumptuous dinner, dessert dash, and live auction, then will dance the night away against the sweeping views of the Palo Alto Hills. Anything Goes takes place one night only, November 2, 2013, at Palo Alto Hills Golf and Country Club, 3000 Alexis Dr, Palo Alto. For tickets ($300 to $500 for individuals, and $3,000 to $10,000 per table) or for more information, the public may contact TheatreWorks' Special Events Department at (650) 463-7159 or events@theatreworks.org. General information can be found at www.theatreworks.org.

Organizing the event are Committee Chair Jodi Corwin of Palo Alto, and Committee members Jayne Booker of Palo Alto, Anne Hambly of Los Altos, Judy Heyboer of Menlo Park, TheatreWorks Board Chair Julie Kaufman of Atherton, Cynthia Keely of Portola Valley, Carolyn Schutz of Redwood City, Barbara Shapiro of Menlo Park, Nancy Ginsburg Stern of Palo Alto, Lynn Szekely-Goode of Los Altos Hills, and Gayla Lorthridge Wood of Los Altos Hills.

This year's Anything Goes will feature a hosted cocktail reception, sumptuous dinner provided by the Palo Alto Hills Golf and Country Club, rollicking dancing, and a live auction of unique, exclusive arts items such as round-trip airfare and a week's stay in a luxurious condominium in the heart of Paris, two New York getaway packages, theatre and festival tickets, fine wines, and more. Funds raised at the event support TheatreWorks' outstanding performances and innovative education, community, and new works programs.

Bill Grundfest, a lauded television writer and producer, is known for his work with the telecasts of the Academy Awards, Emmy Awards, Grammy Awards, and People's Choice Awards, the NBC sitcom Mad About You, and for founding the Greenwich Village Comedy Club The Comedy Cellar.

With nearly 8,500 subscribers and 100,000 patrons per year, TheatreWorks has captured a national reputation for artistic innovation and integrity, often presenting Bay Area theatregoers with their first look at acclaimed musicals, comedies, and dramas, directed by award-winning local and guest directors, and performed by professional actors cast from across the country. A home for artists developing new works, it was at TheatreWorks that Memphis, the 2010 Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, now touring the country, was first workshopped and received its world premiere.

Pictured: TheatreWorks' annual ANYTHING GOES costume gala will take place November 2 at the Palo Alto Hills Golf and Country Club, where revelers dressed in costumes borrowed from the theatre's extensive collection will enjoy an evening of cocktails, dinner, and dancing, amongst props and sets from past productions. Shown here is performer Ian Leonard, who regaled the crowd at TheatreWorks' 2011 ANYTHING GOES. Photo Credit: Drew Altizer.