Mar 01

Weekly Newsletter – March 1, 2021

Hearts were full on Friday night with sounds of voices, visions of performances, a little fun bidding by all!  What a wonderful night the Student Performance was last Friday!  Huge kudos to the Directors, Thespian Officers, and Gala Chairs for your time, energy, and efforts in continuing a long-time tradition for our students!!  It was wonderful to gather together and watch them perform!!  We look forward to another fun Friday full of Giving and Fun!!!

The Gala Student Showcase on Friday was a special night with amazing performances, a successful live auction, and a great celebration of the Playhouse!  Thanks to all parents, students, and directors for your volunteer help, generosity, and support!! It was a great event for our Playhouse! The first-ever Livestream was also a huge success- it is still up, AND it was recorded so you can watch it back, and we will soon have the recording to share with those that want it!
                      
BUT WE’RE NOT FINISHED YET!!! Our Virtual Gala Broadcast is THIS WEEK!! Let’s build on the success of last Friday and make this Friday an equally huge success for our Playhouse and its future! Tune in at 6:30 pm for the Pre-Show and 7:30 pm for Playhouse entertainment and the close of our silent auction!

Important things to know for this week’s Virtual Gala:

Virtual Pre-show and Virtual Gala 
Waiting room entertainment begins at 6:30 pm.
Live Broadcast begins at 7:30 pm.

Broadcast (Friday) Zoom Link: (IMPORTANT PLEASE READ)
The Zoom link to join our Broadcast (via Zoom webinar) will be sent out by Thursday. You will need 2 devices to participate fully on Friday- one from which to watch the webinar and engage in various polls, contests (with prizes!) and trivia (likely a laptop, potentially linked to play on your TV) a second (likely mobile device) to be bidding on auction items.

Tickets:
Tickets are still available to participate in our silent auction and watch our Virtual Gala: Rottengala2021.givesmart.com

Raffle Tickets:
Raffle winners will be drawn live on the broadcast!! You can win one of 11 must-have items, and TICKETS ARE ONLY $5! Or 6 for $25! You could win a Hermes Clic H Bracelet, an Apple Watch SE (GPS), Apple AirPod Pros, a $250 Lululemon gift card, an iRobot Roomba vacuum, and much more! Buy raffle tickets here: https://PlayhouseRaffle.givesmart.com

Playhouse T-shirt:
Order your Playhouse t-shirt like your kids were wearing at the Gala, sponsored by TNT Shirts! Order your tee on our Silent Auction site, item #375!  Click image or link to purchase T-shirt:

Dinner Pick-Up:
If you have purchased a delicious dinner with your Gala Ticket, the food and swag bag pick-up is at B.B. Italia from 4:00-6:00 pm. You should have already received an email to sign up for your 30-minute time slot.  If you have not received the email, please click the link below to schedule your pick-up.

Food Pick Up Location:  B.B. ITALIA, 14795 Memorial Drive
Please use the link below to select your time:
https://forms.gle/mt5FLNN8F58CiGaT9

• Silent auction will close an hour after our virtual broadcast so you have time to battle for your favorite items and make sure you win!! Bid all week and give generously to the Playhouse! Your donation for your winnings benefits the amazing kids you watched on Friday!

Leave-A-Legacy
Your directors will announce the Seniors 2021 Leave-A-Legacy project that will benefit the new theatre for generations to come!

Silent Auction:
Make sure you are checking in on our silent auction! We have “rebooted” and added some amazing items for you to win! Check it out here: e.givesmart.com/p/:GZB0-jzLVKC/e/j2v/i

• “Broadway Bound” category with incredible once-in-a-lifetime virtual experiences with Broadway, TV, and movie stars!! There are classes, Q&A sessions, and even one-on-one instructional opportunities. Everyone is an amazing opportunity to learn from a star who has been successful in the industry.
• Something Rotten custom-framed original lyrics and music
• Gift Card Grab!! Buy into this “sure win!” You could win a gift card worth $25-$75!
• Hotel packages
• Restaurant packages
• Beautiful jewelry and women’s apparel
• Stratford-specific items

Check social media daily for special announcements!!

Middle School Friends: Don’t Forget!!
–Share our auction details with your middle school friends:
https://GalaEighth.GiveSmart.com.   There are some amazing items specifically for them!

Get Egged:
–Keep egging your Playhouse friends- have fun and benefit the Playhouse for a minimal donation:
https://GetEgged.givesmart.com
This year the Playhouse has renamed the “Pillars of the Playhouse” scholarship to the “Jennie Vought Baker Pillars of the Playhouse” scholarship.   Jennie passed away this past August and it has been a huge loss for the Stratford Theatre community.  She was a Booster Club President for 2 years, Costume Mom and Head of the Scholarship Committee from its foundation until her health would no longer allow her to do so last year.  Jennie exemplified the term Pillar.  Her three children were very involved in the theatre and therefore, so was Jennie.  She was a leader, friend, volunteer, and mentor extraordinaire who stayed involved well after her kids graduated. Her contribution to mentoring the costume heads has made it what it is today, including winning the Tommy Tune the last 2 years. Jennie has helped make the Playhouse what it is today because of her leadership, commitment, and selfless service.

During the Gala, we will call attention to our scholarship drive and highlight those who have already donated! Your donation will benefit all six student scholarships, including our newly named Jennie Baker Pillars of the Playhouse scholarship:

Bernard and Carolyn Prudhomme Memorial Performance Scholarship
Michael Sanchez Technical Memorial Scholarship
Jennie Baker Memorial Pillars of the Playhouse Scholarship
Suzanne Reynolds Memorial Scholarship
Tim Driscoll Memorial Scholarship
Bernard and Carolyn Prudhomme Memorial Student Orchestra Scholarship. 
Scholarship donations: e.givesmart.com/p/:h_iVzjXaup8/e/j2v/i/_Donate

Kathy Goss, Scholarship Committee Chair will send out
additional information and details this week.

2021 Playhouse Gala & Auction Underwriters and Partners

Thank you to our 2021 Playhouse Gala & Auction Underwriters & Partners! We had a hugely successful Gala Student Showcase & Live Auction and look forward to you joining us for our Gala & Auction virtual broadcast this Friday at 7:30. Information can be found at http://rottengala2021.givesmart.com.
Submit questions to [email protected].

        
THANK YOU and Congratulations to the 2020-21 Thespian Officers
Saying a huge public thank you to the outgoing 2020-21 Thespian officer board (Ryan McCall, Reese Leif, Kori Spaulding, Caroline Greebon, Lauren Dietert, Clara Creed, Cameron Majewski, and Anna Rigo). Many people do not realize that the Thespian officers are responsible for choosing, choreographing, arranging, rehearsing, communicating about, and directing all the grade level numbers for Gala. They plan for this event all year, starting in the fall, and they always put on a great show (even with one less week of rehearsal this year due to the weather). They are also responsible for running the show the night of of Gala and making sure people are cued, the music is in the right format and ready to be played, and all the equipment is in all the right places (and this year had the added responsibility of sanitizing microphones…). It’s been a crazy year for everyone, and many of the Thespian activities and responsibilities over this entire year had to be re-imagined to suit the times. Bravo to all of them! Great job!
Please also help us congratulated the 2021-2022 Thespian Officers 
From Left to Right – Travis Britt, Nic Rhew, Clara Creed, Lauren Dietert,
Evi Garcia, Anna Rigo, and Cameron Majewski

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