The evening begins on the Fairchild Theatre stage on the MSU Campus. We'll start out with food and wine (Woody's -- yum!), then enjoy dessert from Le Bon Macaron and MSU Dairy.
While we're inside you can get raffle tickets to toss into drawings for some terrific prizes. They include a Vivian Dwyer planter, tickets to Wharton, Peppermint Creek, Coral Gables, Soup Spoon Cafe, Purple Rose, Williamston Theatre, Eat at State, Tipping Point Theatre, the State Room, jewelry, and art, including The Pubs of Sparta and a piece by local artist Barb Whitney. (There's more -- that's what I remember!)
We'll also have five items auctioned live by Williamston Theatre's Tony Caselli, our emcee. Drawing a lot of interest these days is a performance by "The Voice" finalist and MSU theatre grad (2002) Joshua Davis. Invite your friends to a party at your home and Josh will perform! If you haven't heard him, he's terrific -- and a really nice guy.
Our other live auction items include a Grand Hotel getaway, a made-for-the-event sculpture by Mark Chatterley, a glass creation by Craig Mitchell Smith, and a lovely pendant designed especially for the event and donated by Hampton Jewelers.
After dessert, guests will be the first to see a private preview of "Mr. Burns, a post-electric play" -- which will officially open the Summer Circle season the following night. You will be the FIRST audience to experience a theatrical presentation on the new Summer Circle Courtyard!
All this for $40 -- all of which goes to support FREE summer theatre at MSU throughout the month of June. This year's season, as always, includes shows for adults as well as families. It costs about $2,000 for each actor/technician/designer's fellowship for the summer season and funds from this event will support those fellowships.
MORE exciting developments from MSU:
Friends of Theatre Focus on Covering New Summer Circle Courtyard Stage
MSU Friends of Theatre, a volunteer organization supporting the Michigan State University Department of Theatre in general and the Summer Circle Courtyard in particular, are hoping to raise $5,000 for a new stage cover to protect the new Summer Circle performance space for years to come.
The cost of the stage cover is $5,000. Donations are being managed through a MSU CROWDPOWER page at http://givingto.msu.edu/crowdpower/summer-circle-stage.cfm
Through generous donations Friends of Theatre are able to support nearly 30 MSU student actors, designers, managers and technicians to work at the craft they love and provide our community with free summer theatre. The Department of Theatre is constructing this stage cover to install theatrical scenery where students practice their art to produce plays and musicals each June.
“This marks the first season on the new Summer Circle stage,” says Department of Theatre chairperson Kirk Domer. “The courtyard was built through the generosity of community and university donations. It is our responsibility to protect and maintain the new performance space and the protective stage cover will help preserve it for years to come.”
The Summer Circle Theatre will begin its 55th season on Wednesday, June 10, with “Mr. Burns – a post electric play.” Guests attending the Friends of Theatre gala on Tuesday, June 9, will see a complete preview of the play, along with enjoying food, wine, silent auction and raffle. Proceeds from the gala support student fellowships for Summer Circle. Tickets and additional information are available at http://theatre.msu.edu or by calling 517-355-6691.
Summer Circle Theatre remains dependent on donations from loyal patrons and theatre fans to maintain the quantity and quality of its town-and-gown productions.
CONTACT: Kirk A Domer, Department of Theatre Chairperson, 517-355-6690, [email protected]