On Friday, February 27 the stars of Community Theatre Guild's past and present will come out to play as Chicago Street Theatre celebrates 60 years of theatre with ENCORES! Diamond Jubilee at the Valparaiso University Center for the Arts. This incredible night of entertainment will begin at 7 PM with a cocktail reception and silent auction. The black tie optional gala is the eighteenth time that the theatre company has held this type of event to raise funds for the theatre's ongoing projects, educational programs and capital campaigns.
What makes this year's "Diamond Jubilee" different is that it will celebrate the not-for-profit theatre's six decades of service to the community with musical numbers and memorable theatrical moments from the group's most beloved and award-winning plays. For the gala's evening of entertainment, CST has gathered an impressive line-up of performers who have graced their stage through the years, creating a reunion and homecoming event to celebrate their history. Similar to the recent SNL 40 Anniversary, theatre-goers will see lots of familiar faces who have performed at Chicago Street and during the company's history at the Memorial Opera House in Valparaiso.
Audiences will delight with musical numbers from Community Theatre Guild's popular productions of Company, Fiddler on the Roof, Chicago, The Sound of Music, Man of La Mancha, A Chorus Line, Annie, Triumph of Love, Working, Cabaret, Nunsense, Assassins and many more. In addition to the songs, which have been a staple of the event in the past, this year's show will also feature scenes from the company's numerous award-winning plays. The plays will pay tribute to the playwrights and material that have earned CST the reputation of being one of the best theaters in the region.
In addition to the performances taking place on the Center for the Arts' stage, ENCORES! Diamond Jubilee will host a red carpet atmosphere with a cocktail reception beginning at 7 PM. The Lobby of the theatre will entertain those attending with a delicious assortment of hors d'oeuvres, appetizers, and desserts catered by Valparaiso University, along with a cash bar by Pikk's Tavern serving an array of wine, beer and cocktails.
VUCA's lobby will also be the location of ENCORES! Silent Auction with paintings and works by many local artists, sports events, health & beauty baskets, event packages and other one-of-a-kind items. Two items that are being talked a lot about this year are a One Day 4 Person Park-Hopper Pass for Walt Disney World in Florida and an Electric Guitar which has been traveling the country for over a year getting signed by CST One Night Jam Artists like Jim Peterik, The Westies, Dan Navarro, and many others.
Another highlight to the evening will be "Martinis and Martin Binder"; where those attending the event, can purchase a drink in a keepsake martini glass and receive a chance to win a stunning piece of jewelry from the local Jeweler. The drawing for the jewelry has been a hugely popular aspect of the fundraiser in past years and CST's Director of Development wanted to keep the tradition for this 60 th anniversary edition. New this year is "Howl at the Moon" where audience members can request a song from a list of past musicals performed at Chicago Street Theatre. For a dollar a vote, the top three vote-getters will be performed during the intermission of the stage show.
Tickets for ENCORES! Diamond Jubilee are available through the Chicago Street Theatre Box Office at 219-464-1636 X1 and online at ChicagoStreet.org. Box Office Hours are weekdays 10 AM to 2 PM. General Admission for this fundraiser are $60 per person with Celebrity Circle seating for $75 per person or $600 for a VIP Table. Celebrity Circle Guests will receive special accommodations before and during the event and should contact Kelly Hite, Director of Development at 219-464-1636 X2 or at kellyh@chicagostreet.org for details. Chicago Street Theatre is very excited to share their history with the community during this one unforgettable night of entertainment.