2013 MIDWINTER'S TALES: SIMPLE GIFTS Set for 12/7 to Benefit Oak Park Festival Theatre

2013 MIDWINTER'S TALES: SIMPLE GIFTS - A Celebration of the Season in Music and Musings, benefiting both Oak Park Festival Theatre and Prevail (formerly Oak Park River Forest Walk In Ministry) will be held at 7 PM, Saturday, December 7, 2013, at the Unity Temple in Oak Park, Illinois.

The sense, and well as the joy and peace, of the December holidays is easily lost in our frantic efforts to fulfill everyone's expectations of what and "where we ought to be."

For the past seven years Oak Park Festival Theatre and Prevail (formerly Oak Park River Forest Walk In Ministry) have offered the entire family an evening of respite and refocus, diversion and delight in song, spoken word and delicious holiday fare.

This year's 90 minute Midwinter's Tales contains all new selections on the theme of Simple Gifts. Authors include Andy Borowitz, Winston Churchill, Billy Collins, E.E. Cummings, Moss Hart, Garrison Keillor, Anne Lamott, Tom Leher, Lorrie Moore, David Sedaris, and Dylan Thomas.

Performers include Festival Theatre family members: Beth Anne and Paul Amandes, Bob Behr, Lucy Carr, Tony Dobrowolski, Paul and Linus Engelhardt, Ella Gill, Jack Hickey, Lavina Jadwahli, Sara Nichols, Mark Richard, Molly Surowitz, Gwendolyn and Miranda Theis and Bob Vogler. They are joined by neighbors: Downtown Oak Park Director Max Austin- Williams, Anti-Gun Violence activist Christine Fenno, Oak Park Food Pantry stalwart Charles Lake, journalist Charles Meyerson, Village Clerk Teresa Powell, philanthropist Tony Ruggerio and the Unity Temple Singers under the direction of Martha Swisher.

Following the performance in the glorious sanctuary of Frank Lloyd Wright's landmark Unity Temple, guests will repair to gracious Unity House for a festive reception and an opportunity to win bountiful gift baskets to savor or share. Raffle tickets are $5 each or $20 for five.

Doors open at 6:30 PM; Performance at 7 PM; Reception at (approx.) 8:30 PM; Raffle drawings at 9:15 PM. Tickets prices are $25 for Adults and $20 for Seniors and Students. There is a $5 discount on all tickets purchased in advance. Tickets are available at: Oak Park Visitors' Center, 1010 Lake Street, Oak Park, IL 60301 OR On-line at www.oakparkfestival.com OR by phone at 708.445.4440 OR at the door on December 7, 2013.

Oak Park Festival Theatre Oak Park's only Equity theatre and the Midwest's oldest professional theatre performing the classics outdoors - is currently celebrating its 40th year of theatrical excellence producing outstanding productions of the plays of William Shakespeare and other classical authors, as well as important contemporary plays by some of the world's greatest playwrights. Our anniversary summer season includes Shakespeare's Hamlet and Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest. Prevail - formerly Oak Park River Forest Walk In Ministry

our community's compassionate advocate for those neighbors facing financial crisis and seeking a path to stability. Prevail is the front line organization providing emergency assistance and referrals to address the immediate issue and offering money management counseling and job readiness training leading to future stability. Prevail has assisted over 4,000 neighbors-in-need since its inception in 2005.