Ontario's Theatre Community Raises Over $100,000 for Tornado Victims

650 theatre patrons congregated at the Huron Country Playhouse in Grand Bend on Sunday, November 20th for Spotlight on Goderich: A Variety Show.

Approximately $34,000.00 was raised and because it is being allocated to the 2:1 provincially matched program called the Goderich and Area Disaster Relief Fund, the effort will raise more than $100,000 in total. The funds will be administered by the United Way Perth-Huron.

“This variety show was designed to convey a strong sense of fellowship, support, and hope for our friends in Goderich,” says Alex Mustakas, Artistic Director of Drayton Entertainment. “The entire professional theatre community takes great pride in realizing such an ambitious benchmark.”
Led by Alex Mustakas, the fundraiser represented a united effort by the artistic leaders from Ontario’s premiere performing arts organizations, including the Stratford Shakespeare Festival, Shaw Festival, Bluewater Summer Playhouse, Blyth Festival, The Grand Theatre, Lighthouse Festival Theatre, Port Stanley Festival Theatre, Starbright Christmas, Theatre Aquarius, Victoria Playhouse Petrolia, and Theatre Orangeville.

Master of Ceremonies Neil Aitchison provided lively humour as his beloved alter ego, Constable Archibald F. Inkster of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Twenty artists participated in the variety show, with musical accompaniment by Robert Foster (Mirvish Productions’ Billy Elliot, Dirty Dancing, Rock of Ages / Drayton Entertainment’s Legends series).

A theatre getaway package to New York City, including tickets to Jesus Christ Superstar on Broadway, midtown hotel accommodations, and airfare on Porter airlines courtesy of Doug and Cathy Ellison of Ellison Travel and the Stratford Shakespeare Festival proved an extremely popular live auction item.

Ryan Erb, Executive Director of United Way Perth-Huron, also presented representatives of the Goderich and Area Disaster Relief Committee with a cheque for $100,000 gathered by the organization towards relief efforts. This will equal $300,000 with the 2:1 matching program.

“The Disaster Relief Committee has been overwhelmed by the care and concern of donors and the ingenious fundraising initiatives that have been undertaken – from calendar sales to a major outdoor concert to the Spotlight on Goderich variety show,” says Tom Jasper, Chair of Fundraising for the Goderich and Area Disaster Relief Committee.

To date, over $2.1 million dollars has been raised. The official campaign wraps up December 1. Donations may still be made directly to United Way Perth-Huron by phone: 1-877-818-8867 (toll-free) or online: www.perthhuron.unitedway.ca; or e-mail: campaign@unitedwayperthhuron.ca