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Thursday, Aug 21, 2008
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Seattle's Gay Choruses raise more than $525,000 |
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| Seattle's Gay Choruses raise more than $525,000 | ||
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by Tim Peter -
Special to the SGN Flying House Productions, also known as Seattle Men's Chorus and Seattle Women's Chorus, held its 12th annual fundraising gala Saturday, April 19, at the Washington State Convention & Trade Center in Seattle. Scott Walden, Special Events Manager for Flying House, told the SGN that each year's fundraiser is based on a Broadway musical. The theme of this year's show was based on the musical Chicago. He added that next year's theme will be based on the musical Hairspray, to be held April 18, 2009. "We pride ourselves on the entertainment value. It's more than an auction, it's an event!" Walden said. According to Frank Stilwagner, Marketing Director at Flying House, this is the largest black-tie fundraising event in the northwest GLBT community and also in the city of Seattle. More than 650 people attended the event, which brought in more than $525,000 toward its $3.2 million yearly budget. He said that 45 percent of the organization's annual budget comes from box-office earnings, and 65 percent comes from private and corporate contributions, grants, etc. "It's a one-year process to put on this one-night affair," Stilwagner said, with more than 200 volunteers helping to set it up. Walden added that the Convention Center ballroom was transformed into a speakeasy from the musical with the help of set designer Alec Puskas, who has been with the Chorus for the past five years. The event included a silent auction, dinner, entertainment, and a live auction by renowned auctioneer Kip Toner Benefit Auctions. Walden said this year was the first time they put on an entertainment production as part of the event. It was performed by Chorus members and included the main characters from Chicago: Roxy Hart, Billy Flynn, Velma Kelly and dancers. Elisa Jaffe of KOMO 4 television and Christine Chen of KCTS 9 television served as emcees for the auction. One of the big highlights of the event is the Golden Ticket. "We sell a limited number of these tickets, and the winner is drawn before the live auction starts," Walden said. "The winner then gets to pick any live auction event he or she wants." This year's winner was Dr. Felix Marcial, a dentist on Capitol Hill, who chose a week in Las Vegas with front row tickets to see Bette Midler perform live at the Coliseum. Other auctioned items included a trip to Chicago which included a seven-day and 12-day cruise anywhere Holland America Lines sails; tickets to see the Oprah Winfrey Show; a walk-on role at Seattle's 5th Avenue Theater production of Hello Dolly; a seven-day European tour with local travel guide Rick Steeves, which included a choice of Paris, London, Rome or Prague; a trip to Los Angeles to be a VIP guest on the Ellen DeGeneres Show; meet-and-greet with actors Debbie Reynolds of Singing in the Rain, and Leslie Jordan of Sordid Lives and Will and Grace; fine artwork by Steve Jensen, Mark Rediske and Anna Skibska. The grand finale of the evening was a chance to bid on the opportunity to be a judge for the 2009 Firefighters Calendar, with a share of the proceeds going to the Washington State Council of Fire Fighters Burn Foundation. |
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