Holiday Benefit Cabaret is Postponed

Posted by Bruce Miller

The fates were not with us regarding this year's Home for the Holidays benefit cabaret. All performances have been cancelled. Reservation holders will be called today, full refunds made, and we will begin exploring plans to mount this fundraiser for the Richmond Theatre Artists Fund sometime later in the first half of 2009.

Janine Serresseque, who masterminds and organizes the cabaret, did a wonderful job as always. Nonetheless, ticket sales were sluggish, our emcee Joe Pabst called in at the end of the week with no voice, and then on Saturday, our music director and accompanist, Tony Williams, checked into the hospital with a nasty bug.

Yesterday, Sunday, Tony let us know, with great regret, that he'd be unavailable for this year's run of the cabaret. Tony has been our pianist for the Holiday Cabaret since its inception, and the party just wouldn't be a party without him. Last night, Phil and I decided to pull the plug.

Thanks to all who volunteered to sing, and to all who made reservations. If anyone wants to make a tax deductible contribution to the Richmond Theatre Artists Fund anyway, please feel free to make a check payable to that entity and send it in or drop it off at Barksdale or Theatre IV, attention Phil Whiteway. Phil will deliver all checks to the Community Foundation, which manages the Fund on behalf of the Richmond Alliance of Professional Theatre.

Please keep your eyes and ears open for other upcoming events that benefit the Fund. And thanks for your understanding regarding this cancellation.

--Bruce Miller

In Sympathy

We are keeping Jason Marks and his family in our prayers. We learned this morning about the death of Jason’s father. Jason is currently preparing for his role as Mr. Mushnik in SPARC’s Little Shop of Horrors, which opens this Thursday.

Jason appeared as the stuffed shirt lawyer Babcock in the cast of Mame this winter at Barksdale's Signature Season at Willow Lawn. He sang a very memorable O Holy Night in Home for the Holidays, our annual cabaret benefit for the Richmond Theatre Artists Fund. Prior to that, Jason starred as Belle’s father in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast and as the Grinch in Seussical the Musical, both at Theatre IV.

When I was 32, I lost my father unexpectedly. He was 74, which seemed old to me at the time, but seems young to me today. It was a very jarring event in my life, one that will always be with me. My theatre responsibilities at the time helped me tremendously to deal with the loss and move on. I hope the same proves to be the case for Jason.

I also hope that Jason knows with certainly that our community stands with him during this transition, providing a foundation of love and support that he can fall back on if and when he needs to. We offer our deepest sympathy. Please let us know if there’s anything we can do.

--Bruce Miller