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Casting Auction Benefit
VGT’s 27th Casting Auction Benefit raises over $58,000, including a record-breaking high bid of $19,303 for the lead role!
Mame was the classic American musical up for bid at our 27th Casting Auction on Saturday, November 15th at the Victory Gardens Biograph Theater, where 50 starring and supporting roles were auctioned off to the highest bidders.
Top bidder for the most coveted title role, Mame, was Sacred Heart Elementary second grade teacher Jill Renn. More than 30 of her friends pooled their funds to assure Jill would win the part, which went for a record high bid of $19,303 – the highest single bid in the event’s 27-year-history.
Collectively, Victory Gardens raised more than $58,000 auctioning off roles large and small to Chicagoans from all walks of life, all to support the theater’s new play mission. Funds raised from the Casting Auction directly support VGT’s development and production of new plays, as well as in-class residencies in over 20 Chicago Public Schools, and special student matinee performances for over 2,200 students.
The newly formed cast – including doctors, teachers, lawyers, parents, grandparents and children - has already begun rehearsals under the accomplished eye of Victory Gardens Artistic Director Dennis Zacek, in preparation for their two nights of fame in Mame, February 20 and 21, 2009, at Chicago’s Athenaeum Theater. Performance tickets are available through the VGT Box Office by clicking here or calling 773.871.3000.
Tickets are $40 each in advance
or
$50 at the door
(All but $15 of each ticket purchase is a tax-deductible contribution to VGT!)
Thanks to celebrity auctioneer Aaron Freeman, and event co-chairs Stuart Burstein, Nancy Studenroth and Fred Zar, for making this year’s Casting Auction such a big success.
Also, thanks to:
Underwriter Barnes and Thornburg LLP
Benefactor Chicago Title Insurance Company
Product Sponsors
Card & Party Warehouse
Eli’s Cheesecake
Goose Island Beer Company
J&L Catering
Salon 1800
Smoking Loon Wines
CAST Mame Dennis – Jill Renn
Vera Charles – Nancy Studenroth
Agnes Gooch – Amy Robbins Ellison
Beau – Fred Zar
Older Patrick – Jerry Hickey
Young Patrick – Mary Kate Pierce
Dwight Babcock – Myles Tobin
Ito – Herb Quinde
M. Lindsay Woolsey – Andy Lambros
Claude Upson – Harvey Kaluzna
Doris Upson – Fran Kaluzna
Sally Cato MacDougal – Penny Brown
Mother Burnside – Martha Schwartz
Gloria Upson – Patti Feinstein
Pegeen Ryan – Eileen Sweeney
Junior Babcock – Joe Studenroth
Uncle Jeff – Stuart Burstein
Cousin Fan – Wendy Isvanick
Madam Branislowski – Penny Reynolds
Gregor – John Dreixler
Stage Manager – Marcie Klestil
Elevator Girl – Kim Klein
Doorman – Stan Horn
Messenger – Jeff Rappin
Ralph Devine – Linda Quinde
Bishop – Larry Blust
Peter Dennis – Sasha Sloane
Chorus:
Carol Christiansen
Dawn Coney
Joyce Eddy
Paula Goedert
Laura Ladewski
Emmy Stanley
Charley Stewart
Debbie Studenroth
Peg Wander
Sheryl Woods
Children’s Chorus:
Jenna Dreixler
Jillian Dreixler
Pilar Kelly
Matthew Moen
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