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The Ordway Circle of Stars Annual Gala: Puttin' on the Glitz – A Recap Saturday December 1st, 2012

Fri, Dec 14, 2012 1:49 PM by Emily Kudrle

 

Everyone came dressed to the nines and arrived fashionably late for an evening of dance, drinks and desserts onstage at the Ordway. Ordway guests sashayed into the Ordway's exclusive black-tie gala, Puttin’ on the Glitz! Patrons partied to the sounds of a bygone era provided by The Wolverines Big Band. 

There were decadent desserts, complimentary wine and beer and a coffee bar from The Saint Paul Hotel as well as the opportunity to show off dance moves on stage at the Ordway.

 

 

Proceeds will go to benefit the Ordway Circle of Stars and their support of the Ordway and its education programs, where annually more than 50,000 school children are provided low-cost tickets and bus subsidies for special school-group matinees, called Performing Arts Classrooms.

 

Special thanks to everyone who helped make the night a great success!

Posted in Gala, OCOS

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Join Us for Prohibition Era Dining & Dancing at the Dec. 1 Ordway Annual Gala

Mon, Oct 22, 2012 2:43 PM by Luke Anderson

Below is a guest blog post from Joan Holman, member of the Ordway Circle of Stars Board of Directors

The Ordway Circle of Stars annual gala is coming up fast, and this year there are two ways you can participate. 

Puttin’ on the Glitz is the theme for this year’s traditional gala, to be held at the Ordway on Sat., Dec. 1. The event will start at 5 p.m. with a gourmet reception that takes guests back in time to the glamour of the 1920s with Prohibition-themed entertainment, cocktails and cuisine – culminating in dancing on stage at 9 p.m. to The Wolverines Big Band. There will be special guest performances throughout the evening featuring music from a bygone era, as well as a silent  auction, live auction and prize drawings. More info at www.ordway.org/gala.

This year, there will be another fun, new option for attending the Gala for people who would like to start their evenings a bit later. For the Black Tie Blitz, guests will dress to the nines and arrive fashionably late for the already in progress Puttin’ on the Glitz gala. This group will join gala guests for the dance on stage with The Wolverines Big Band and other featured performers. Both black tie or 1920’s attire is admired but not required. For more info on this event, visit www.ordway.org/blitz.

Both events benefit the Ordway and its education programs, and will give guests a chance to dance onstage at the Ordway.

And we have some really exciting activities planned for the dance portion of the evening as well: a wine ring toss, dance lessons from Arthur Murray, some instant photo printing sponsored by Comcast and provided by Photo.bo (bring your smart phones!), and complimentary beer, wine and dessert buffet while you dance the night away onstage at the Ordway!

I hope to see you all there!

Joan Holman

OCOS Board of Directors

Posted in Gala, Ordway, Announcements, News, Guest Blog

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Cinderella's Castle Goes to the Ronald McDonald House

Mon, Dec 12, 2011 4:58 PM by Marinda Bland

During yesterday’s Ordway Circle of Stars gala, the 150-square-foot Cinderella’s castle playhouse, the largest auction item in the history of the annual event, went to the winning bid of a consortium that generously gifted the playhouse to the Ronald McDonald House (Oak Street location).  The blue and pink castle will be the newest feature in its playroom, the best possible place for the castle’s new home.

“The Ronald McDonald House is the perfect place for Cinderella’s castle to end up, as it will be a gift that keeps on giving to children,” says Patricia A. Mitchell, Ordway president and CEO. “The consortium’s winning bid will go toward supporting the Ordway’s education programming by helping offer school children low-cost tickets and bus subsidies, and the gifting of the castle to the Ronald McDonald House will provide visiting families many hours of imaginative fun for years to come.”

Cinderella’s castle stands 16-feet tall and 11-feet wide. It boasts four towers complete with turrets, two stories, a play fireplace, and a royal balcony perfect for playing princess. Other features include a spiral staircase, a chandelier, a castle clock, a Dutch door on the main entrance and benches.  The castle is built to withstand hundreds of stampeding kids for years and years – watch them put it together in this timelapse video.

Come see the castle in person before we disassemble it on January 3 and bring it over to the Ronald McDonald House playroom! It’ll be available for viewing during open ticket office hours and during performance of Cinderella!

Posted in Cinderella, Giving, Gala, News, Announcements

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Cinderella's Playhouse Comes to Life

Fri, Dec 9, 2011 2:10 PM by Marinda Bland

Watch on YouTube.com >>

Cinderella's castle playhouse was inspired by the Ordway's holiday production of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella, and will be auctioned off live at The Glass Slipper Ball on Sunday, December 11. 

The very special playhouse castle was designed, constructed and decorated in a fanciful, fairytale style. It has a mixture of rustic elegance and playful details.  The exterior features decorative painting details, medieval sconces, a royal balcony, tall turrets with regal flags, arched and slotted windows. Inside, a spiral staircase leads to the ballroom and balcony.  A play fireplace and benches adorn the lower level.

The castle was designed and built by HGA Architects and Engineers, McGough, Nelson Tietz & Hoye, Schuler Shook, Akustiks, HUNT Electric, Metropolitan Mechanical Contractors, Nakasone, Custom Drywall and Metro Manufacturing.

Posted in Cinderella, Giving, Gala

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The Glass Slipper Ball: An Enchanted Evening

Thu, Dec 8, 2011 2:21 PM by Marinda Bland

The fairy tale begins on Sunday, December 11 as Ordway Circle of Stars (OCOS) presents the Glass Slipper Ball. Guests are invited to slip-on royal attire and join us for a magical evening of exquisite food, live auction bidding and an exclusive first look at the final dress rehearsal of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella. There will also be a post-show dessert and dance party with the cast.

The OCOS gala benefits the Ordway and its educational programs, making it possible for students to enjoy the Ordway’s world-class performances and community engagement events. Tickets are still available, so don’t delay and visit ordway.org/gala or call 651.282.3006. Tickets start at $250.

This year’s featured auction item will be a giant children’s playhouse: Cinderella’s Castle. The biggest item in the gala’s history, this very special playhouse castle was designed, constructed and decorated in a fanciful, fairytale style. Its mixture of rustic elegance and playful details was inspired by the Ordway’s holiday production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella.

Cinderella’s Castle stands 16-feet tall and 11-feet wide. It boasts four towers complete with turrets, a play fireplace, 24 windows and a royal balcony. Other features include a spiral staircase, a chandelier, a castle clock, a Dutch door on the main entrance and benches. The colors of the castle include fairytale blue, pink and purple. Be sure to view our construction video to see the castle come alive.

The castle was designed and built by HGA Architects and Engineers, McGough, Nelson Tietz & Hoye, Schuler Shook, Akustiks, HUNT Electric, Metropolitan Mechanical Contractors, Nakasone, Custom Drywall and Metro Manufacturing.

For more information on the Ordway Circle of Stars, visit ordway.org/ocos. To view photos from past gala events, visit http://www.ordway.org/gala/photos/.

By Luke Anderson

Posted in Ordway, Cinderella, Giving, Education, Gala

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This blog is a group effort by Ordway staff, actors, artists, musicians, dancers and all those involved in the creative process of performances, programs and events at the Ordway to provide a behind the scenes look at what happens onstage, backstage and in support of the work presented at the Ordway. We also hope to  discuss pertinent topics in our industry.

The purpose of this blog is to engage with you in the blogosphere. We wish to let you know that our posts do not go through any official editorial process for spelling, grammar or fact checking, therefore errors may occur – please be kind! Every blog post is open for public comment, questions or suggestions and the Ordway chooses not to pre-screen these responses. That being said, we do reserve the right to remove any offensive, illegal, or inappropriate content at the Ordway's sole discretion.

As part of our new branding initiative surrounding the joy provided by performing arts, by posting a comment, question or suggestion you provide the Ordway with the right to use your submission for marketing and promotional purposes. (I know, I know, I promise to not make future posts as boring as this one!)

Phew! I'm done talking "legal jargon." Thanks for stopping by and reading our blog!